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If the Orioles reach the Division Series, Game 1 would be played Saturday at 6:38 p.m. at Yankee Stadium. Game 2 would be played Monday at 7:38 p.m.

They need to get there first, and a loss today destroys that goal.

Colton Cowser is the cleanup hitter this afternoon, Adley Rutschman is catching and Ryan O’Hearn is the designated hitter.

Zach Eflin pitched for the Rays in Kansas City on July 4 and allowed five earned runs and six total in five innings. He owns a 5.09 ERA in four career starts against them totaling 23 innings.

Eflin tossed a complete-game shutout against the Royals on May 11, 2019 with the Phillies.

Hunter Renfroe is 5-for-13 with two doubles and a home run. Paul DeJong is 5-for-13 with a homer. Bobby Witt Jr. is 3-for-6 with a double and triple.

The Royals are up 1-0 in the series and sending Cy Young candidate Seth Lugo to the mound. He’s 16-9 with a 3.00 ERA and 1.089 WHIP in 33 starts, and he’s surrendered only 16 home runs in 206 2/3 innings.

Lugo faced the Orioles on April 21 and allowed four runs and nine hits in 5 1/3 innings. Cowser and Jordan Westburg homered. Lugo’s made three career appearances against the Orioles and only one start, and he’s allowed four runs in 9 1/3 innings.

Austin Slater is 3-for-6 with a double against Lugo. Westburg has two at-bats that produced a triple and homer.

Kansas City batters struck out only four times yesterday. The Royals had the second-fewest strikeouts in the majors this season with 1,161, behind the Padres’ 1,077.

For the Orioles

Gunnar Henderson SS
Jordan Westburg 2B
Anthony Santander RF
Colton Cowser LF
Adley Rutschman C
Ryan O’Hearn DH
Ryan Mountcastle 1B
Cedric Mullins CF
Ramón Urías 3B

Zach Eflin RHP

For the Royals

Michael Massey 2B
Bobby Witt Jr. SS
Vinnie Pasquantino DH
Salvador Perez C
Yuli Gurriel 1B
MJ Melendez LF
Hunter Renfroe RF
Kyle Isbel CF
Maikel Garcia 3B

Seth Lugo RHP

If you dare to look ahead, here are the Yankees’ first three starters in the Division Series:

Game 1: Gerrit Cole
Game 2: Carlos Rodon
Game 3: Luis Gil or Clarke Schmidt