Just a half game separates the Royals and the Indians heading into tonight’s game, and with the calendar having turned to June, this series has potential to be a big-time tone-setter for the rest of the season. June is typically when things start to even out, and you can begin to trust stats and records as being non-flues. Well, less flukey, anyway. To wit: Things have started to pick up for the Blue Jays and Astros, while the Phillies and White Sox* are turning into pumpkins before our very eyes.

Some lineup notes: Josh Tomlin takes the mound tonight against Ian Kennedy. Despite his shiny (and meaningless) record, Tomlin is on pace for about a 2-WAR season, which equates to roughly league average. Yep, that sounds about right. Kennedy was a somewhat questionable free-agent signing in the winter ($70 million? Really?), but in typical Royals fashion, has been their best pitcher. (What a strange world we live in in 2016, where “typical Royals fashion” now means things worked out in their favor).

As for the lineups, Chris Giminez will catch tonight, as Roberto Perez has been placed on the 60-Day DL and won’t be back until August, which is a real shame. The Royals get their own catcher back in Salvador Perez, who has missed the past six games.

The Royals also start Cheslor Cuthbert and Whit Merrifield at third and second base respectively, which, come on. These are not real people. These are Charles Dickens characters. Clearly someone is playing some sort of Jim Halpert-esque prank on us. I’m on to you, Ned Yost, ya jokester.

*We hope.

Today’s game is at 7:15 at home. The lineups:

Indians Royals
1B
Carlos Santana
SS
Alcides Escobar
2B
Jason Kipnis
2B
Whit Merrifield
SS
Francisco Lindor
CF
Lorenzo Cain
DH
Mike Napoli
1B
Eric Hosmer
3B
Jose Ramirez
C
Salvador Perez
RF
Lonnie Chisenhall
DH
Kendrys Morales
LF
Rajai Davis
3B
Cheslor Cuthbert
CF
Tyler Naquin
RF
Paulo Orlando
C
Chris Giminez
LF
Reymond Fuentes
SP
Josh Tomlin
SP
Ian Kennedy

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