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Fresh off a four-game sweep of the Chicago White Sox, the Kansas City Royals return to action Friday night against the Boston Red Sox, backed by elite starting pitching and a rejuvenated offense. Kansas City has now won six straight games, nine of their last 10, and 15 of their past 17 overall. Despite Bobby Witt Jr.’s four-hit performance on Thursday and a season-high-tying 17 hits in the series finale, the real buzz in the Royals’ clubhouse was about their pitching staff. Kansas City’s starters allowed just two runs (one earned) over 25 2/3 innings in the White Sox series, scattering 19 hits, striking out 26, and walking just seven. “It’s remarkable,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “We believe in this

It wasn’t the most predictable change. With just 90 walks in 1,842 plate appearances, Jeremy Peña was far from a prototypical leadoff hitter. But with the Houston Astros searching for a solution to their early-season offensive struggles, manager Joe Espada took a calculated risk—and it’s paying off. Since moving Peña to the top of the order on April 27, Houston’s offense has found a spark. Peña has slashed .349/.378/.558 over his last 10 games, racking up five multi-hit performances, including a 2-for-5 night with a double and a three-run home run in Wednesday’s 9-1 rout over Milwaukee. “He’s matured in understanding what pitchers are trying to do,” Espada said. “He comes in the game and sees pitches… We’re not asking

Two of the hottest teams in Major League Baseball are set to collide as the San Francisco Giants travel to face the Minnesota Twins on Friday night. Both clubs are fresh off winning series and carrying meaningful momentum. The Giants are coming off an off day and a successful visit to Wrigley Field, where they took two of three games from the Chicago Cubs. San Francisco has now won five of their last six and seems to be clicking in all facets of the game. “We’ve played pretty well on the road this year,” said manager Bob Melvin. “It’s always nice to win right before an off day.” Melvin’s squad has been getting timely hits and solid outings from the

The Colorado Rockies are set for a challenging Thursday as they host the American League-leading Detroit Tigers in a traditional doubleheader, following a rain-soaked start to the series. Amidst their struggles, the Rockies will turn to Tanner Gordon, who is making his season debut in Game 2—an outing that may determine his immediate future with the team. Originally planned as a three-game series, inclement weather in Denver on Tuesday condensed the Rockies-Tigers set into two days. After the Tigers snagged an 8-6 win in 10 innings on Wednesday, both teams will now face off in a Thursday doubleheader beginning at 1:10 p.m. local time. Game 1 features Rockies veteran Kyle Freeland versus Tigers right-hander Casey Mize, while Game 2 will