Angels at Royals
The Kansas City Royals own the worst record in the American League and are losers of 11 of their last 12 games after falling 11-3 to the Houston Astros on Sunday. The Royals will try to turn things around at home when they host Mike Trout and the Los Angeles Angels on Monday in the makeup of a rainout from April 15.
The Royals scored three or fewer runs in each of their last six games and are last in the AL in runs scored at 275 while owning a run differential of minus-151. Kansas City had a chance to take the series from the defending-champion Astros after earning a 1-0 win in the opener on Friday but dropped a 4-3 decision in 12 innings on Saturday before getting crushed on Sunday. Trout is still tied for the major league lead with 23 home runs but could not get the Angels a series win against Toronto, going a combined 2-for-9 with four strikeouts on Saturday and Sunday as Los Angeles dropped the final two of a four-game set to settle for a split. Trout will try to find the power stroke again on Monday against Royals right-hander Brad Keller, who opposes lefty Tyler Skaggs.
TV: 4:15 p.m. ET, MLB Network, FS West (Los Angeles), FS Kansas City
PITCHING MATCHUP: Angels LH Tyler Skaggs (6-4, 2.81 ERA) vs. Royals RH Brad Keller (1-2, 2.63)
Skaggs had his start pushed back due to a hamstring injury but came through a bullpen session with no trouble on Saturday and is expected to rejoin the rotation Monday. The 26-year-old allowed a total of one earned run over 20 innings while earning the win in each of his last three starts and struck out 22 in that span. Skaggs is seeing Kansas City for the first time this season and is 1-0 without a run allowed in 14 career innings against the Royals.
Keller is making a smooth transition from the bullpen to the rotation but is still looking for his first win as a starter. The 22-year-old allowed three runs and nine hits over six innings against Houston in his last outing on June 17 but did not factor in the decision. Keller started at the Angels on June 5 and absorbed the loss while surrendering one run and five hits in 4 1/3 innings.
WALK-OFFS
1. Royals 1B Lucas Duda (foot) homered on Sunday and is 2-for-7 in two games since coming off the disabled list.
2. Los Angeles RHP Hansel Robles, who was claimed off waivers from the New York Mets on Saturday, made his team debut Sunday and absorbed the loss.
3. Kansas City SS Alcides Escobar is 5-for-59 over his last 17 games.