It’s a Midwest showdown as Kansas City looks for their first series win of the season this afternoon against the Brewers in Milwaukee. The Royals won in a blowout Monday before their bats were silenced in a 5-0 loss yesterday to even the series.

Cole Ragans will make his second start of the season, looking to pick up his first win in today’s rubber match. Ragans wasn’t especially sharp on Opening Day, striking out just three batters despite racking up ten whiffs and surrendering three runs in five-plus innings of work (though one of those three came on a homer that Angel Zerpa allowed immediately after Ragans departed the game). He threw a ton of four-seamers but struggled to locate it and was frequently working from behind in the count. I’d hope to see him lean more on his breaking stuff, which he didn’t throw much. This will be Ragans’s first career appearance against Milwaukee.

Kansas City’s lineup will have their work cut out for them against Brewers starter Freddy Peralta. Peralta was the only Brewers starter that did not get demolished in their opening series against the Yankees, surrendering two solo homers but striking out eight across five innings. He pounds the zone with fastballs while using a changeup and curveball as chase pitches, so the Royals will need to show their discipline today to beat him. Peralta last pitched against Kansas City way back in September 2020, when he retired all five batters he faced in a relief appearance.

Matt Quatraro continues looking for the ideal defensive alignment with his sixth different lineup in as many games. Cavan Biggio will get his first outfield start this season, with MJ Melendez heading to the bench.

First pitch: 12:10 pm CDT

Royals lineup

Brewers lineup

If I don’t find one on Bluesky then I won’t post one here because I refuse to use X, The Everything App.