Fresh off late rally, Yankees intent on flustering Royals again

Considering how well Cam Schlittler has pitched this season, the New York Yankees appear in good shape to continue their recent dominance of the Kansas City Royals.

Schlittler, one of the majors' top pitchers, will try to help the Yankees post their 13th straight win over the host Royals on Tuesday night.

Schlittler (6-2, 1.50 ERA) has the lowest ERA in Major League Baseball among qualified starters. Over his past seven starts, the right-hander has yielded just seven runs -- five earned -- while opponents are batting .182 against him.

On Wednesday, Schlitter gave up eight hits but only two runs in six-plus innings during New York's 2-1 loss to Toronto. Although Schlittler recorded his seventh quality start of 2026, he knew things could have ended better.

"Just frustrated," he said. "There (are) always some positives. ... Continue to improve each start."

Schlittler was stellar on April 17 during his only other career appearance against the Royals. In six innings, he yielded one unearned run on three hits while striking out six in six innings in a no-decision.

On Monday, New York rallied for a 4-3 victory at Kansas City in the series opener.

Trailing 3-2 in the ninth inning, the Yankees' Anthony Volpe lined a two-run single to put the Yankees ahead after they had squandered an early 2-0 lead.

"We never quit, we never give in," said New York's Jazz Chisholm Jr., who scored the winning run Monday and is batting .425 in his last 11 games.

"We needed to win that game."

New York has won 12 straight contests over Kansas City, dating to Game 2 of the 2024 AL Division Series.

Cody Bellinger hit his seventh homer of the season earlier in Monday's contest. He's batting .346 with two homers and six runs in his last eight games.

Bellinger is 6-for-15 with three home runs and six RBIs in four games this season vs. Kansas City, which had won two games in a row following a 1-10 rut.

The Royals will look to bounce back while trying to navigate what likely will be a bullpen game as Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic are both out while dealing with elbow issues.

Left-hander Bailey Falter (0-1, 9.82 ERA) is slated to make his second straight appearance as an opener after he allowed two runs, three walks and four hits in two innings of Kansas City's 7-1 loss to Boston last Tuesday.

Falter is 0-1 with a 14.14 ERA in two career appearances (both starts) vs. the Yankees.

Kansas City star Bobby Witt Jr. broke a 2-2 tie Monday with an eighth-inning solo homer. He is batting .305 with three home runs and 10 RBIs in 27 games against the Yankees.

Meanwhile, teammate Salvador Perez tied Monday's game in the sixth inning when he matched Royals legend George Brett for most home runs at Kauffman Stadium with No. 136.

Perez is batting just .215 this season, but three of his nine home runs have come in his last eight contests.

"We practice, we prepare every day," Perez said. "We work hard to try and get better every day."

Witt, Perez and Maikel Garcia went a combined 0-for-8 with a walk and three strikeouts vs. Schlittler earlier this season.

--Field Level Media