The Kansas City Royals now sit 20 games below .500 and by shipping Jon Jay to Arizona, it’s evident they are writing the season off and in a rebuilding mode. Tonight they will head to the Bay area to open a 4-game set against the Oakland Athletics. Oakland will send Paul Blackburn to the hill, who will be making his 2018 debut. Blackburn has had some bad breaks. His season last year was cut short due to a line drive off his pitching hand and in spring training he came down with a right forearm strain. His numbers last year were decent at 3-1, with a 3.22 ERA and a 1.26 WHIP. The Royals have now lost four in a row and will turn to Jason Hammel to throw strikes. Hammel sits at 2-5, with an ERA of 5.17 and a WHIP of 1.43. Oakland took 2 out of 3 from Kansas City last week in Kansas City, outscoring them 25-6 and have won 11 of the last 15 meetings.
TONIGHT’S PICK: OAKLAND ATHLETICS