By MATT PIKE
An important American League Central matchup between two teams fighting to stay alive in the standings as Thursday’s Trade Deadline inches closer will have to wait another day.
Friday’s Guardians-Royals game at Kauffman Stadium was postponed due to inclement weather in the area. It will be made up as part of a split doubleheader on Saturday.
Game 1 will begin at 1:40 p.m with Royals starter Michael Wacha facing Guardians starter Gavin Williams. Game 2 will begin at 6:15 p.m. Kansas City starter Kris Bubic is scheduled to take the mound opposite Cleveland’s Tanner Bibee.
This will be the fifth doubleheader for the Guardians, who have split the previous four against the Red Sox, Nationals, Twins and White Sox this season. Cleveland entered Friday having won 11 of its past 14 games following a 10-game skid in early July, which dropped the club eight games under .500 on July 6.
The Royals swept their first doubleheader this season against the Rockies on April 24 before splitting at St. Louis on June 5. Kansas City is coming off a 3-3 road trip through Miami and Chicago after the All-Star break and has gone 11-7 in July.
While the Tigers have a sizable eight-game lead over the Guardians in the AL Central, the Guards and Royals are still battling in the AL Wild Card race, three games and 4 1/2 games back, respectively, ahead of Friday’s slate of games. This weekend could very well determine either team’s position for next Thursday, whether they trade pieces away or add in hopes of a postseason run.
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