Royals at Athletics
The Kansas City Royals appear to have put a difficult losing streak behind them and still find themselves right in the middle of a crowded wild-card race. Kansas City seeks its third straight victory when it begins a three-game series against the host Oakland Athletics on Monday.
The Royals had dropped 10 of 12 - a slump that included a five-game losing streak during which they allowed eight or more runs four times - before posting a pair of wins over the White Sox in Chicago, including a 14-6 triumph on Sunday. Drew Butera collected four hits while Whit Merrifield finished a double shy of the cycle and recorded a career-high five RBIs as Kansas City improved to 2-3 on its eight-game road trip and remained one game behind the Los Angeles Angels for the second wild card in the American League. Oakland rolled to a 9-3 win over Baltimore on Sunday to earn a split of the four-game series and move to 2-4 on its nine-game homestand. Rookie Matt Olson is swinging a hot bat for the Athletics as he has gone deep in each of his last three contests, driving in five runs in that span.
TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, FSN Kansas City, NBCSN California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals RH Jake Junis (4-2, 4.70 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Jharel Cotton (5-9, 5.72)
Junis is expected to be recalled from Triple-A Omaha to make his 11th overall major-league appearance and eighth start in place of the injured Trevor Cahill. The 24-year-old rookie from Illinois was superb against Seattle on Aug. 6, allowing one run and four hits while striking out a career-high seven en route to victory. Junis made his major-league debut versus Oakland on April 12, when he gave up one hit and walked a pair in one scoreless frame of relief.
Cotton's winless streak reached four starts on Wednesday as he was tagged for six runs and eight hits - three homers - in six innings of a loss to Seattle. The 25-year-old Virgin Islander has not won since June 23, when he worked five scoreless frames against the White Sox in Chicago. Cotton was dominant in his first two career starts versus Kansas City, going 1-0 while allowing one earned run over 12 2/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Athletics rookie 3B Matt Chapman homered for the first time in eight games Sunday and is two away from becoming the seventh player to reach double digits with the team this season.
2. Butera has gone 8-for-18 over his last five contests.
3. Oakland DH Ryon Healy has recorded four multi-hit performances in his last six games.