Series Preview: The Atlanta Braves host the Kansas City Royals
After starting their home stand with a four-game series split with the Washington Nationals, the Atlanta Braves host the Kansas City Royals for a quick two-game series.
The Atlanta Braves past three series (at the Padres and Brewers and home against the Nationals) have been against teams fighting for a playoff spot… or at least the Padres were until the Braves sent them reeling.
The schedule gives them a brief two-game reprieve to open the week as one of the worst teams in baseball, the Kansas City Royals, come to SunTrust Park.
To be fair, the Royals have played good baseball since the All-Star Break, going 7-3. They took two of three from the Tigers, swept the White Sox and then lost two of three from the Indians.
Offensively, they are a team that really lacks firepower outside of just two or three players. The offense took an even bigger punch when rising star, Adalberto Mondesi, was put on the Injured List recently.
Kansas City ranks 23rd in runs (441), 23rd in OPS (.720) and 28th in home runs (98).
All-Star Whit Merrifield is by far the Royals best offensive player. He has a slash line of .309/.360/.502, with 12 home runs and 51 RBIs.
Jorge Soler, who was acquired from the Cubs in the Wade Davis trade, has emerged as a power threat for KC, as he has 27 home runs and 70 RBI. He will strictly always be an American League player, however, as he as a career defensive WAR of -4.8.
From a pitching standpoint, not surprisingly, it’s not much better for the Royals.
They are 22nd in starters ERA (5.12) and WHIP (1.43) and 11th in bullpen ERA (4.81) and 27th in WHIP (1.50).
The one thing Kansas City can hang its hat on, though, is they have committed the fewest errors (40) in all of baseball.
The last time the Braves and Royals faced off was in 2016, when the Braves were smack in the middle of their rebuild, while the Royals were coming off their World Series title.
Kansas City took two of three in that series.
Prior to that, the two teams split a two-game series in Kansas City in 2013.
When there are so few teams actually not vying for a playoff spot, getting the opportunity to play such a team is a reprieve that needs to be capitalized on.