New York Yankees (12-6, first in the AL East) vs. Kansas City Royals (7-10, second in the AL Central)
Kansas City, Missouri; Friday, 8:10 p.m. EDT
PITCHING PROBABLES: Yankees: Nestor Cortes Jr. (0-0, 1.15 ERA, .64 WHIP, 25 strikeouts); Royals: Kris Bubic (0-1, 14.14 ERA, 3.00 WHIP, five strikeouts)
LINE: Yankees -205, Royals +172; over/under is 8 runs
BOTTOM LINE: The Kansas City Royals host the New York Yankees to begin a three-game series.
Kansas City has a 5-5 record in home games and a 7-10 record overall. The Royals have a 6-3 record in games when they did not give up a home run.
New York has a 9-3 record in home games and a 12-6 record overall. The Yankees have the fifth-ranked team batting average in the AL at .239.
Friday's game is the first time these teams match up this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Andrew Benintendi ranks third on the Royals with a .393 batting average, and has a double, a triple, a home run, five walks and 10 RBI. Bobby Witt Jr. is 11-for-40 with two RBI over the past 10 games.
Anthony Rizzo has four doubles and five home runs for the Yankees. Isiah Kiner-Falefa is 12-for-30 with two doubles and five RBI over the last 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Royals: 5-5, .211 batting average, 3.30 ERA, outscored by one run
Yankees: 8-2, .248 batting average, 2.97 ERA, outscored opponents by 19 runs
INJURIES: Royals: Adalberto Mondesi: 10-Day IL (knee), Tyler Zuber: 60-Day IL (shoulder)
Yankees: Ben Rortvedt: 10-Day IL (oblique), Stephen Ridings: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Domingo German: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Zack Britton: 60-Day IL (elbow)
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