Blue Jays bid to rebound vs. Royals in series finale

The Toronto Blue Jays will aim to salvage a split of their six-game homestand when they play the rubber match of their three-game series with the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday afternoon.

The Royals, meanwhile, will go for a split of their six-game road trip.

The Blue Jays dropped to 2-3 on their homestand when they lost 4-1 to the Royals on Tuesday.

Michael Massey hit a two-run home run for Kansas City as the team ended a three-game losing streak. The Royals are 2-3 on their trip.

They have clinched the season series with the Blue Jays after winning three of four against them last week in Kansas City.

The Royals received an RBI double in the eighth inning on Tuesday from Vinnie Pasquantino, who ended an 0-for-26 drought.

Toronto's Bo Bichette returned from a night off on Monday and hit an RBI single after coming to the plate in a 2-for-23 funk.

Royals left-hander Cole Ragans allowed one run in 6 2/3 innings. It was a rematch from the 2-1 rain-shortened win over the Blue Jays on Thursday against right-hander Jose Berrios.

Berrios allowed two runs in seven innings on Tuesday to take his second straight loss.

Ragans was "electric" in the eyes of Royals manager Matt Quatraro.

"He had the best stuff he's had all year," Quatraro said. "He was locating. Early in the game he got quick outs."

The Royals finished 17-11 in April. The win total in a single month is the highest for Kansas City since it went 17-9 in June 2017.

"We're in a good spot, but nobody goes to the playoffs in April," Massey said. "We've got to keep going."

The Blue Jays are scheduled to start right-hander Chris Bassitt (2-4, 5.64 ERA) on Wednesday. He is is 1-1 with a 3.82 ERA in six career starts against the Royals.

The Royals are planning to start right-hander Seth Lugo (4-1, 1.66). He has made one start against the Blue Jays, allowing three runs and seven hits in a loss when he was with the New York Mets in 2020.

Lugo matched his career best with nine strikeouts and scattered three hits over seven scoreless innings on Friday in an 8-0 win against the Detroit Tigers.

The Blue Jays recalled right-hander Zach Pop from Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday, and he pitched a scoreless ninth. They put right-hander Yariel Rodríguez (thoracic spine inflammation) on the injured list.

Toronto manager John Schneider says this is "a little bit similar" to what Rodríguez dealt with in spring training when he had back spasms that kept him off the mound until March 17.

Rodriguez allowed three runs (two earned) in 3 2/3 innings on Monday.

His injury could open a spot for right-hander Alek Manoah (shoulder), who struck out 12 in six innings on a rehabilitation assignment with Triple-A Buffalo on Tuesday. He allowed one run, two hits and two walks against the Indianapolis Indians.

"When everyone asks, what are you looking for from Alek, that was it and maybe even a little bit more," Schneider said.

Manoah was superb after being promoted to the majors in 2021 but struggled last season. He struggled this season on his minor-league assignment until Tuesday.

"You don't want to just say, 'All right, let's go, Alek, you're in,'" Schneider said. "Whenever you're calling guys up, really, you want them to be going good."