Royals at Athletics
The Oakland Athletics look to end their homestand with a winning streak when they host the Kansas City Royals on Sunday in the rubber match of their three-game series. Oakland began its six-game stretch at home with four straight losses before posting a 5-3 victory on Saturday for its second win at Oakland Coliseum this season (2-7).
Stephen Vogt has begun to heat up for the Athletics, going 5-for-8 over the first two games of the series with a home run in each contest. Kansas City fell to 4-2 on its seven-game road trip as it lost for only the third time in 11 games this season. Alcides Escobar has recorded two hits for the Royals in each of the first two contests and has notched at least one in nine of his 11 games in 2016. Reymond Fuentes, who hadn't played since Monday, also registered two hits Saturday and is 5-for-11 with three RBIs in his last three contests after going hitless over six at-bats in his first two major-league games.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FSN Kansas City, CSN California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Kris Medlen (1-0, 3.60 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Chris Bassitt (0-0, 2.92)
Medlen notched the win in his season debut Tuesday, allowing only two runs despite giving up six hits and four walks in five innings at Houston. The 30-year-old Californian has won four of his last five decisions dating to last season, yielding fewer than three runs in each victory. Medlen, who returned from Tommy John surgery in July, will be facing Oakland for the first time in his career.
Bassitt bounced back from a rough season debut to limit the Mariners to an unearned run and three hits over seven innings at Seattle last Sunday but had to settle for a no-decision. The 27-year-old Ohio native has not received much offensive support this year as the Athletics have scored a total of four runs with him on the mound in his first two outings. Bassitt made two starts against Kansas City while with the Chicago White Sox in 2014, allowing six runs on 14 hits and five walks over 8 2/3 innings without recording a decision.
WALK-OFFS
1. The Athletics will be without INF Eric Sogard for quite a while as he is expected to undergo left knee surgery next week and likely will remain sidelined until the second half of the season.
2. Kansas City LF Alex Gordon struck out for the team-high 17th time this season Saturday and has been fanned at least once in each of his 11 games.
3. Oakland RHP Henderson Alvarez (shoulder) is slated to throw a bullpen session Sunday before beginning a rehab assignment and -- barring a setback -- is expected to join the rotation late next month.