Royals aim to finish '25 over .500 in finale vs. Athletics

The Kansas City Royals won't return to the playoffs for a second straight year, but they still have a goal in mind heading into their season finale on Sunday afternoon against the Athletics in Sacramento, Calif.

"We still have a shot to have a winning season," Royals outfielder Vinnie Pasquantino said. "It starts (Sunday), but it's right in front of us."

The Royals (81-80) won 4-2 on Saturday night to set up the rubber game of the three-game series on Sunday. A win would also give Kansas City three straight series wins to end the season.

Left-hander Cole Ragans is scheduled to start on the mound for the Royals on Sunday.

Ragans (3-3, 5.02 ERA) won his last outing, limiting the Los Angeles Angels to two runs and three hits over five innings in an 8-4 victory last Tuesday. He struck out 10 and walked one.

Ragans hadn't thrown five innings since May 16. He made one more start after that and then missed three months with a strained rotator cuff.

Ragans brought a 3-0 lead into the fifth inning against the Angels, gave up a two-run homer but was allowed to finish the inning, striking out Mike Trout for the final out.

"I'm glad to finally get through at least five (innings)," Ragans said afterwards. "It's been a minute so, you know, it felt good to go out there and finish the inning."

Ragans got the Angels to swing and miss 17 times.

"That was fun," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. "It was fun to watch. You know, obviously, the strikeouts were piling up there early. It looked like he had really good command of the fastball with the movement. Some good changeups as well."

Ragans has made six appearances against the A's in his career, including five starts, and is 2-2 with a 3.99 ERA.

One of the A's who's looking to finish the season on a high note is Tyler Soderstrom, who was drafted as a catcher, began his MLB career as a first baseman and transitioned to left field early this season.

"He was our best hitter in April, hands down, and we asked him to make a position change that he'd never done before," A's manager Mark Kotsay said. "For him to finish a season off, to be one of our top three hitters in the lineup, it says a lot about the maturation process."

Soderstrom was hitting .284 at the end of April and he's still at .277 heading into the final game of the regular season with 25 home runs and 93 RBIs.

"I think he's had a phenomenal year," Kotsay said. "I can see him continuing to build off this season."

There were some tough stretches for Soderstrom this season.

He hit .241 in May with three home runs before dipping to .227 in June with two homers. He found his stride again in August, however, hitting .330 with four home runs, and enters Sunday's game hitting .333 in September.

"He's another kid that had some adversity, and he had some failure, and he's come through that," Kotsay said. "From the time we drafted Tyler, we knew we loved Tyler, and he's continuing to make us all, especially the scouting department and development team, look really good."

The A's (76-85) have yet to name a starting pitcher for Sunday.

--Field Level Media