The Kansas City Royals are riding a 5-5 record into Progressive Field, where they'll face off against the Cleveland Guardians, who are sitting pretty at 6-5. Cole Ragans, the Royals' lefty ace-in-the-making, takes the mound with a 0-2 record and a 3.60 ERA, while Joey Cantillo, the Guardians' own southpaw, boasts a 0-0 record and a 3.00 ERA. Let's be real, it's early in the season, but these two are about to put on a show - or at least, that's the hope. The Royals' offense has been on fire with a .256 batting average, but they'll have to contend with the Guardians' respectable pitching staff, which has posted a 3.53 ERA. And don't even get me started on the Guardians' offense, which has been... well, let's just say they're still finding their footing with a .193 team batting average.
The Royals will be without relievers Carlos Estevez and Bailey Falter, who are both on the 15-Day IL, but they've still got enough firepower to give the Guardians a run for their money. The Guardians, on the other hand, are dealing with their own set of injuries, but they've managed to stay competitive. It's a battle of lefties, and it's anyone's... well, not really, but it's still a fun matchup. The Royals and Guardians are ready to go at 1:10 PM ET, with coverage on MLB.TV. Make your pick or join the discussion on StreakChat to see which team comes out on top.