No lineup shakeup for Mets or Royals
With a win tonight, the Mets can pull even with the Royals at two games apiece in the World Series. Both clubs have set their lineups for Game 4 (7:30 p.m. ET air time on FOX, 8 p.m. game time), and there aren't any changes for either team -- aside from on the mound.
The Royals send Chris Young to the hill for Game 4, opposite Mets rookie Steven Matz. Young pitched three scoreless innings in relief in Game 1, while Matz will be making his World Series debut.
:: World Series: Mets vs. Royals -- Tune-in info ::
If it ain't broke...
On Friday night, the Mets scored nine runs in a World Series game for the first time since 1973. So it figures that skipper Terry Collins would chose to stick with the same starting lineup.
• World Series gear: Mets | Royals
Michael Conforto starts in left field once again after going 1-for-2 in Game 3. Conforto, who is hitting just .091 in 10 postseason games, has never faced Young.
Yoenis Cespedes, who has just one hit in 12 at-bats against Young, remains in the cleanup spot for Game 4, with Daniel Murphy hitting third. Curtis Granderson and David Wright, each of whom went 2-for-5 with a two-run homer on Friday night, will bat first and second, respectively.
Mets lineup
1. Granderson, RF
2. Wright, 3B
3. Murphy, 2B
4. Cespedes, CF
5. Lucas Duda, 1B
6. Travis d'Arnaud, C
7. Conforto, LF
8. Wilmer Flores, SS
9. Matz, P
Morales still sitting
There was never a chance that Kendrys Morales -- typically the Royals' designated hitter -- would get the start over Eric Hosmer in the National League park, even with a left-hander on the mound.
Although Morales is a switch-hitter, he's been much better against right-handed pitching anyway, and Hosmer is simply too valuable defensively -- not to mention his extremely potent bat, even against southpaws.
But Kansas City's lineup clearly isn't as deep with a run producer like Morales on the bench. Expect Morales to be the first name manager Ned Yost calls upon in a key pinch-hitting situation late.
There's not a hitter in the Royals' lineup who has ever faced Matz. During the regular season, Kansas City went 31-27 against left-handed starters. The Royals are 3-1 thus far in such matchups in the postseason.
Royals lineup
1. Alcides Escobar, SS
2. Ben Zobrist, 2B
3. Lorenzo Cain, CF
4. Hosmer, 1B
5. Mike Moustakas, 3B
6. Salvador Perez, C
7. Alex Gordon, LF
8. Alex Rios, RF
9. Young, P