The Kansas City Royals are in pursuit of one of the three Wild Card slots, and they still have a chance of getting one of them. Unfortunately, they are pursuing three teams–the New York Yankees, the Boston Red Sox, and the Seattle Mariners–who are legitimately good. And with only one month left, there is precious little margin for error.

As a result, Sunday’s rubber match against the AL Central leading Detroit Tigers was a pretty big deal. Kansas City just can’t lose many more series if they want to play October baseball, and Sunday was a chance to take the series against a very good foe. There are no off games, no opportunity for easing off the gas.

So it was maybe a little bit of a shock to see the lineup that manager Matt Quatraro used. Absent was leadoff wizard Mike Yasztrzemski, lig

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