Royals’ Jeremy Guthrie will face Orioles’ Wei-Yin Chen in game three of the ALCS

Baltimore left-hander Wei-Yin Chen is scheduled to face Royals righty Jeremy Guthrie on Monday night in game three of the American League Championship Series.

Chen had a no-decision in a game-two AL Division Series start against the Tigers. He gave up seven hits, including two home runs, and five runs in 3 2/3 innings Oct. 3, when the Orioles came back and won 7-6 before sweeping the series. But he has a 2.84 ERA in two career starts at Kauffman Stadium, giving up 14 hits while striking out four and walking one in 12 2/3 innings.

Guthrie, who’s making his postseason debut, hasn’t pitched since the Royals clinched a postseason spot at Chicago on Sept. 26, a 3-1 victory in which he went seven scoreless innings and struck out six. But he has thrown a simulated game since to stay fresh.

“He was set to pitch game four if we needed it against Anaheim. We just didn’t need him there,” Royals manager Ned Yost said Sunday. “But his side sessions have been very, very sharp.

“And later in the year, the little extra rest we could get him, the better he was. So I think this is going to benefit him.”

▪ Yost confirmed that Jason Vargas, who started the game-one victory over the Angels, will start game four for the Royals on Tuesday.

This story was originally published October 12, 2014 at 7:52 PM with the headline "Royals’ Jeremy Guthrie will face Orioles’ Wei-Yin Chen in game three of the ALCS."