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(stats via Fangraphs & Baseball Reference)
Series tidbits below the fold
- Throw those SB% right out of the window with the Royals as Salvador Perez is back on the team. The Royals have sorely missed him behind the plate as in his absence, opponents have attempted more steals against the Royals than any other team in the American League.
- Over the last month, Alex Gordon has found some of his stroke as he is hitting .324/.430/.490 but has only one home run in his 13 extra base hits this month. Mike Moustakas is right behind him at .292/.370/.500
- The kids get all three starts in this series as Alex Cobb, Matt Moore, and Chris Archer will be on the mound for the Rays. The team notes say that trio is the youngest trio to appear in a series since Scott Kazmir, Edwin Jackson, and Andy Sonnanstine all faced off against Boston in late September of 2007.
- As a team, the Royals have been league average against right-handed starting pitchers while well below average against lefties. Against left-handed starting pitchers, the Royals have hit .257/.304/.372 in 693 plate appearances (88 sOPS+) while hitting .261/.320/.403 against right-handed starters in 1977 plate appearances (100 sOPS+).
- Despite Kaufmann Stadium's reputation as a hitter's park, the Royals have hit better on the road this season. Their 93 sOPS+ is 10th worst in the majors at home as they have hit .265/.318/.401 at home in 2012.
- If you are worried about two-out scoring, the Royals are 24th in baseball hitting with two outs at .246/.308/.369. That is still better than the .209/.316/.325 line the Rays own while ranking 27th on the same list.
- In high leverage hitting situations this season, the Royals are dead last in baseball with a .604 OPS in 566 plate appearances.