Royals Look to Crash LA's Summer Party at Chavez Ravine

The Royals roll into Dodger Stadium on a Monday night in August, and this one has all the makings of a mismatch on paper. Los Angeles has been the National League's measuring stick all season, while Kansas City continues its rebuild with flashes of competence mixed with long stretches of mediocrity. The Dodgers' lineup is a buzzsaw top to bottom, and their rotation depth has kept them in first place despite the usual West Coast injury drama. Meanwhile, the Royals are playing out the string, hoping young arms can gain experience and their bats can stay respectable enough to avoid complete embarrassment.

Interleague play always brings a wrinkle, but the Royals don't have the pitching horses to slow down this Dodger offense for nine innings. LA's bullpen has been lights-out lately, so even if Kansas City scratches across a few early runs, the late innings belong to the home side. The Royals aren't rolling over for anyone, but they're outgunned here in nearly every phase. Expect the Dodgers to flex their muscle and take care of business in front of a Monday crowd that still shows up better than most cities' weekend gates. This one should be over by the seventh-inning stretch.