Chicago's lineup has been the story of the last two weeks — a sweep of the Dodgers sandwiched a win over Toronto before the Cubs dropped Saturday's first game to Kansas City and rebounded, well, in the loss column at least, they're still 4-1 across their last five. Pete Crow-Armstrong has been doing serious damage in that stretch. The Royals counter with their own recent jolt: Saturday's win snapped a two-game slide and pushed them to 3-2 over their last five, with Dobnak's turn in the rotation the biggest reason for the flicker of momentum.
- 10-Day-ILMatt Shaw (RF) — The Cubs announced Monday that Shaw recently resumed light hitting while rehabbing his sprained left hand in Arizona, MLB.com reports.08/05
- 15-Day-ILPhil Maton (RP) — Cubs manager Craig Counsell announced July 21 that Maton will rest for roughly three weeks after requiring a platelet-rich plasma injection to address right knee tendinitis, MLB.com reports.08/05
- 15-Day-ILDaniel Palencia (RP) — Palencia (elbow) is slated to begin a rehab assignment Wednesday at Triple-A Iowa, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.08/05
- 15-Day-ILEdward Cabrera (SP) — Cabrera (hamstring) is slated to make the second start of his rehab assignment Wednesday with Triple-A Iowa, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.08/05
- 15-Day-ILGavin Hollowell (RP) — The Cubs placed Hollowell on the 15-day injured list Friday with right shoulder inflammation, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.07/31
- 15-Day-ILHoby Milner (RP) — Milner (abdomen) began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Iowa on Wednesday, tossing a scoreless inning.07/30
- 15-Day-ILEthan Roberts (RP) — Roberts (forearm) tossed a perfect inning in a rehab appearance Sunday with Triple-A Iowa.07/20
- 60-Day-ILRiley Martin (RP) — Manager Craig Counsell announced July 8 that Martin (elbow) has resumed a throwing program at the Cubs' facility in Arizona, MLB.com reports.08/06
- 60-Day-ILShelby Miller (RP) — The Cubs announced Wednesday that Miler (elbow) has been throwing off a mound and facing hitters at the team's complex in Arizona, MLB.com reports.08/05
- 60-Day-ILHunter Harvey (RP) — Harvey (triceps/shoulder) threw a bullpen session Saturday at the Cubs' facility in Arizona, Meghan Montemurro of the Chicago Tribune reports.08/05
- 60-Day-ILBen Brown (RP) — Cubs manager Craig Counsell said Friday that Brown (neck) has begun to increase his activity and has taken part in workouts with plyometric balls, MLB.com reports.08/04
- 60-Day-ILJustin Steele (SP) — Steele (elbow) will throw from flat ground and then toss 20 pitches off a mound Saturday, Tony Andracki of Marquee Sports Network reports.07/31
- 60-Day-ILPorter Hodge (RP) — The Cubs transferred Hodge (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Friday, Taylor McGregor of Marquee Sports Network reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILCade Horton (SP) — The Cubs transferred Horton (elbow) to the 60-day injured list Saturday, Andy Martinez of Marquee Sports Network reports.05/08
- 60-Day-ILTyler Austin (1B) — The Cubs placed Austin (knee) on the 60-day injured list Tuesday.05/08
- 10-Day-ILVinnie Pasquantino (1B) — Royals manager Matt Quatraro said Pasquantino (wrist) may begin a minor-league rehab assignment Tuesday, Jaylon T. Thompson of The Kansas City Star reports.08/08
- 10-Day-ILMaikel Garcia (3B) — Garcia (hand) received a cortisone injection Tuesday and will be shut down for around five days before ramping up baseball activity, MLB.com reports.08/05
- 15-Day-ILBeck Way (RP) — Way (back) is scheduled to start throwing Wednesday, per MLB.com.08/05
- 60-Day-ILLuinder Avila (SP) — Manager Matt Quatraro said that Avila is scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbow Wednesday, Joel Goldberg of Bally Sports Kansas City reports.08/06
- 60-Day-ILNick Mears (RP) — Mears (shoulder) is scheduled to begin a mound progression next week, MLB.com reports.08/05
- 60-Day-ILCarlos Estevez (RP) — Estevez (shoulder) is scheduled to start a mound progression Friday, MLB.com reports.08/05
- 60-Day-ILStephen Kolek (SP) — Manager Matt Quatraro announced that Kolek is scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery on his right elbow Wednesday, Joel Goldberg of Bally Sports Kansas City reports.08/04
- 60-Day-ILConnor Seabold (RP) — The Royals placed Seabold on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with a right lat strain.08/03
- 60-Day-ILCole Ragans (SP) — Ragans underwent UCL repair surgery on his left elbow Wednesday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.07/02
- 60-Day-ILJonathan India (2B) — no06/04
- 60-Day-ILJames McArthur (RP) — McArthur (elbow) underwent surgery Friday to help combat continued soreness and inflammation, MLB.com reports.05/25
- 60-Day-ILAlec Marsh (SP) — The Royals placed Marsh (shoulder) on the 60-day injured list Thursday.05/08
Both injury boards are ugly, but in different ways. Chicago's list is almost entirely pitching — a parade of relievers on the 15- and 60-day IL that's forced Craig Counsell to lean on newcomers just to fill innings. Kansas City is bleeding position players too, with Vinnie Pasquantino and Maikel Garcia both sidelined, which thins out a lineup that already isn't scaring anybody. Neither team is at full strength walking into this series finale at Kauffman.
Kauffman Stadium is forecast for a sunny, 90-degree afternoon at 1:10 PM CT, the kind of heat that tends to help the ball carry. With a rebuilding team's fifth starter matched against a contender's rotation piece trying to keep pace in a real playoff race, the stakes here are lopsided — but Dobnak's given Kansas City just enough reason to think this one won't be easy.