Schedule: (All times PDT) Game 1, Friday, at Baltimore (5:07 p.m.); Game 2, Saturday, at Baltimore (1:07 p.m.); Game 3, Monday, Oct. 13, at Kansas City (5:07 p.m.); Game 4, Tuesday, Oct. 14, at Kansas City (5:07 p.m.); x-Game 5, Wednesday, Oct. 15, at Kansas City (1:07 p.m.); x-Game 6, Friday, Oct. 17, at Baltimore (5:07 p.m.); x-Game 7, Saturday, Oct. 18, at Baltimore (5:07 p.m.). (All games on TBS).
x-if necessary.
Season Series: Royals won 4-3.
Projected Lineup:
Royals: SS Alcides Escobar (.285, 3 HRs, 50 RBIs, 31 SBs), RF Nori Aoki (.285, 1, 43, 17 SBs), CF Lorenzo Cain (.301, 5, 53, 28 SBs), 1B Eric Hosmer (.270, 9, 58), DH Billy Butler (.271, 9, 66), LF Alex Gordon (.266, 19, 74, 12 SBs), C Salvador Perez (.260, 19, 70), 2B Omar Infante (.252, 6, 66), 3B Mike Moustakas (.212, 15, 54).
Orioles: RF Nick Markakis (.276, 14, 50), LF Alejandro De Aza (.252, 8, 41 with White Sox and Orioles), CF Adam Jones (.281, 29, 96), DH Nelson Cruz (.271, MLB-best 40, 108), 1B Steve Pearce (.293, 21, 49), SS J.J. Hardy (.268, 9, 52), 3B Ryan Flaherty (.221, 7, 32), C Nick Hundley (.243, 6, 22 in 218 ABs with Padres and Orioles) or Caleb Joseph (.207, 9, 28), 2B Jonathan Schoop (.209, 16, 45).
Projected Rotation:
Royals: RH James Shields (14-8, 3.21 ERA, 227 IP, 180 Ks), RH Yordano Ventura (14-10, 3.20, 159 Ks), LH Jason Vargas (11-10, 3.71, 128 Ks), RH Jeremy Guthrie (13-11, 4.13, 202 2-3 IP, 124 Ks).