UPDATE: Royals manager Ned Yost named Edinson Volquez the Game 1 starter for Kansas City after this went live. This article has been updated.
One of these teams is four wins away from winning a World Series for the first time since the Reagan administration.
The New York Mets, behind their young stud pitchers and the magician Daniel Murphy, will be in Kansas City on Tuesday night to take on a Kansas City Royals team that looks to avenge last year’s heartbreaking seven-game loss in the Fall Classic to the San Francisco Giants.
Matt Harvey will get the ball for the Mets in Game 1. As of Sunday afternoon, Royals manager Ned Yost has yet to name a starter. Edinson Volquez will be getting the ball for the Royals.
Here are the details you’ll need to know for Tuesday.
New York Mets at Kansas City Royals, 8:07 p.m. ET
At the beginning of the year, the Royals seemed to be a lock to make it back to the World Series. The Mets, on the other hand, were not. New York wasn’t even projected to win the National League East, let alone come close to a playoff spot.
Most experts predicted the Washington Nationals to run away with the division. Alas, here we are. The Nationals are looking for a new manager, and the Mets are playing for their first World Series since the ball went through Bill Buckner’s legs in 1986.
Harvey has pitched only two games this postseason, which is a good thing for manager Terry Collins. He’s been able to keep Harvey fresh while monitoring his recovery from Tommy John surgery. The Mets ace will pitch for the first time in nine days on Tuesday. He went 7.2 innings in Game 1 of the National League Championship Series on Oct. 17.
Collins has plenty of confidence in his young arms, per ESPN.com’s Adam Rubin.
“We like going into Kansas City with our Nos. 1 and 2 guys,” Collins said. “Noah has pitched great at home. We thought that’s a good mix. And obviously we think Steven Matz showed us, even though it hasn’t been the depth into the games like he’s going to do in the future, for four or five innings he’s been pretty good.”
The task for Harvey is to cool the hot bats of the two-time AL Champs. ALCS MVP Alcides Escobar batted 11-for-23 in the six games against Toronto.
ESPN.com’s Jerry Crasnick detailed just how much of an impact Escobar made against the Blue Jays.
The middle of Kansas City’s lineup can get hot at any moment, particularly Eric Hosmer and Alex Gordon. Although the Royals’ stars batted .250 and .263, respectively, Harvey allowed 15 home runs this year to left-handed hitters. Those two are key to getting Kansas City off to a hot start on Tuesday.
For the Mets, it’s no surprise their offense begins and ends with Daniel Murphy. The man who has homered in six straight postseason games will be asked to carry the offense once again in Game 1. He won’t be able to beat the Royals by himself, though. David Wright went 4-for-14 against the Cubs, and Curtis Granderson was no better, batting 3-for-15.
This is the first time this postseason the Mets are facing a team with successful postseason experience. As the series rolls on, New York may be able to settle down and make this a competitive series. But the Royals are at home, and that alone gives them an advantage.
Prediction: Kansas City 5, New York 3
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