KC Royals pitcher Michael Wacha to start ALDS Game 1 at NY Yankees; Ragans next
The Kansas City Royals are back in the American League Divisional Series for the first time since 2015.
After sweeping the Baltimore Orioles to continue their improbable postseason journey, the Royals are now tasked with playing another AL East team: the New York Yankees.
The Royals will start right-handed pitcher Michael Wacha in Game 1 of the ALDS on Saturday at Yankee Stadium. First pitch is set for 5:38 p.m. Central Time on TBS. Fans can also stream the game on Max.
Wacha posted a 13-8 record with a 3.35 ERA in 29 starts this year. He pitched 166 2/3 innings and was dynamic in the second half of the season, winning seven of 13 games after the All-Star break.
Wacha has pitched in eight major-league playoffs games in his career — mostly with the St. Louis Cardinals. He most recently appeared in the postseason with the Tampa Bay Rays in 2021, pitching against the Boston Red Sox.
“It’s been a little while since I’ve gotten a postseason start,” Wacha, 32, said. “You know, I’m definitely looking forward to the next one for sure, but I try not to put too much emphasis on it.
“Whenever I was making those postseason starts, I tried to approach it just like any other game.”
The Royals and Yankees enjoyed a stout postseason rivalry in the 1970s. On Saturday, the Yankees plan to start ace Gerrit Cole. The 2023 Cy Young winner has a 3.41 ERA in 17 starts this season; the Royals didn’t face Cole in either of their regular-season series against the Yankees.
Royals outfielder Tommy Pham has the most experience against Cole of anyone in the KC clubhouse. He is .379 (11-for-29) with two homers and six RBIs lifetime against Cole. Royals captain Salvador Perez has one hit — albeit a home run — against Cole.
The Royals will start left-handed pitcher Cole Ragans in Monday’s Game 2 at New York. Ragans was masterful in KC’s AL Wild Card Series against the Orioles, pitching six shutout innings as the Royals held on for a 1-0 victory in the opener.
KC has not decided on a Game 3 pitcher as the series shifts to Kansas City on Wednesday. It will be the first postseason game at Kauffman Stadium since 2015, when the Royals won the World Series.
This story was originally published October 3, 2024 at 11:06 AM.
