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KC Royals: Johnny Cueto Or Chris Young In Game Five

By Alec Tilson

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The Kansas City Royals did it again, forcing a Game 5 tomorrow night against the Houston Astros.

It was a night to remember for the KC Royals, but it’s no time to celebrate. Game 5 is set for 7:07 CST at Kauffman Stadium tomorrow night and the Royals need a big-game starting pitcher to take the ball.

The natural choice is starting pitcher Johnny Cueto. It’s his turn in the rotation, he’s a guy you traded Brandon Finnegan, John Lamb and Cody Reed for, and he’s got the track record (albeit not in the last six weeks) that should give Ned Yost the confidence to hand him the ball.

On the other hand, pitcher Chris Young threw 6 1/3 eye-popping relief innings after a prolonged rain delay in Game 1, and he certainly gave the Astros more trouble than any KC Royals pitcher has this series.

Including Game 2 last Friday, Cueto owns a 5.52 ERA in four postseason starts. He’s allowed nine earned runs in 14 2/3 innings and his 8/5 K/BB ratio isn’t impressive. And yet none of that matters tomorrow.

Cueto struggled in the first inning of Game 2. A walk, a double and a single put the Astros up 1-0, and by the end of second inning the Royals trailed 3-0. Astros manager A.J. Hinch shed some light on facing Cueto and the other Royals starters, according to The Houston Chronicle‘s Evan Drellich:

Young is obviously a much different pitcher than Cueto. Soft thrower, deceptive, fastball/slider most of the time. His fly ball rate is notoriously high, and that doesn’t seem to be a good mix against a power-hitting Astros lineup. He’s a smart pitcher with a good approach and a complete understanding of his strengths and weaknesses.

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Cueto is going to get the ball to start the game – his upside is too good – but Young will prepare as if he’s starting, and he’ll be ready to pitch six innings again if the game dictates it.

In the past, Cueto has been a mixed bag in postseason starts. Including Game 2 last Friday, Cueto owns a 5.52 ERA in four postseason starts. He’s allowed nine earned runs in 14 2/3 innings and his 8/5 K/BB ratio isn’t impressive. And yet none of that matters tomorrow.

He has a great opportunity tomorrow night. To prove to his teammates that he can be trusted when it’s all on the line, to prove to the fans that he’s the frontline starter the Royals traded for and to prove to the rest of the league that his September funk was just that.

It’s not Cueto versus Young, it’s the Royals versus the Astros. Kansas City will need all hands on deck to finish off a Houston team that’s every bit as good as advertised. Cueto, Young, Medlen, everybody.

Who would you give the ball to in Game 5?

Next: KC Royals: Three Reasons They Win ALDS

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