MLB Topic

Wil Myers was once seemingly a major part of the Kansas City Royals' future. Instead, he's trying to help the Tampa Bay Rays return to the playoffs. A makeup game at Kauffman Stadium on Monday will give Myers the chance to face the Royals for the first time since a blockbuster offseason deal sent him to Tampa Bay.


Myers was consistently one of the top prospects in the majors after being drafted in the third round by Kansas City in 2009, but the Royals were in desperate need of quality starting pitching after their rotation posted the majors' fifth-highest ERA in 2012. Kansas City used the outfielder to acquire James Shields and Wade Davis in a seven-player deal in December. 


Myers has hit .302 since being called up from the minors June 18, but is 5 for 31 (.161) in his last eight games. The excitement of playing his first major league contest in Kansas City, though, might be just the spark he needs. His last appearance at Kauffman Stadium came at the 2012 Futures Game. "Now, I'll have a big league game there," Myers told the Rays' official website. "I'm excited to play in Kansas City. I really want to win.


That's the biggest thing." While Myers has cooled off, Evan Longoria has been red hot. He's batting .395 (17 for 43) with six homers, five doubles and nine RBIs in helping the Rays (74-54) win eight of their last 11. Longoria hit a tying home run in the sixth inning Sunday against the New York Yankees but Tampa Bay couldn't complete a three-game home sweep, losing 3-2 in 11 innings.

Tampa Bay Rays vs Kansas City Royals August 26, 2013

While Ivan Nova has been one of the New York Yankees' most consistent starters of late, Alex Cobb has pitched extremely well since returning from a frightening injury for the Tampa Bay Rays. 


Cobb (8-2, 2.85 ERA) looks to help the Rays sweep a home series from New York for a third straight season. He has allowed two earned runs, six hits and overcome six walks in 11 innings to win both starts since he missed two months after being hit in the head by a line drive June 15. Cobb walked four but gave up one of those earned runs and three hits in six innings of a 7-4 victory at Baltimore on Tuesday. "Physically, he is (OK)," Maddon told the team's official website.

The talented right-handers square off Sunday when the Rays try to complete a three-game home sweep of the Yankees. New York (68-61) came into the set winners of five straight and 10 of 12, but managed four runs and 11 hits through the first two. 

After David Price outpitched CC Sabathia in Saturday's 4-2 loss, the Yankees are seven games back and in fourth place in the AL East and 4 1/2 behind Oakland -- with Cleveland and Baltimore in between -- in the race for the final wild-card spot. "It's not what you want, but you've got to turn it around (Sunday)," manager Joe Girardi said. "You can't let this carry over." 

Tampa Bay (74-53), which leads the East by percentage points over Boston, has won eight of 10 overall and 20 of 25 at Tropicana Field. "Our guys believed we were going to win (Saturday)," manager Joe Maddon said. "Not in a cocky way, just in a very confident way. "When you get to that point in the year and you get that vibe among your group, it's kind of a good thing." 



"Mentally and emotionally, I think he is. I don't see any after-effects from what happened. He's throwing the ball really well. The ball has been alive." He has a 1.52 ERA while winning three straight starts against Yankees, including a pair at home this season in which he's yielded two runs, eight hits and struck out 15 over 16 2/3 innings. Nova (7-4, 3.17), meanwhile, is 5-2 with a 2.30 ERA in eight starts since the beginning of July. 

Although Nova has lost both previous 2013 starts versus Tampa Bay, he's posted a 2.63 ERA while the Yankees have been outscored 4-1. Tampa Bay's Evan Longoria is 5 for 22 with a home run versus Nova, but had three hits Saturday and matched a career high by homering in three straight home games for the second time this season. Longoria, who delivered a tiebreaking single in the sixth, is 12 for 26 with four home runs and five doubles in his last seven home contests. 

Mark Reynolds had two hits Saturday for the Yankees after going 0 for 12 in the previous five games. He's 0 for 5 with three strikeouts versus Cobb. Teammate Alfonso Soriano is 2 for 27 over the last seven contests following a five-game stretch where he went 15 for 22 with five homers and 18 RBIs.

New York Yankees vs Tampa Bay Rays August 25, 2013