New York @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( May 23, 2012 ) Kansas City 3, NY Yankees 8

The surprising New York Yankees have pushed all the way up to first place in the American League East. The Kansas City Royals, who visit the Yankees for the opener of a three-game series on Friday, are just as shockingly near the top of the AL Central. New York was supposed to take a step back with most of its stars on the disabled list but has instead gotten strong pitching and contributions up and down the lineup to reach the top of the division.

The Royals revamped their pitching staff in the offseason and have seen those moves pay immediate dividends. The bats have taken a little longer to get going, but home runs from Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas in Thursday’s win over the Baltimore Orioles can only be a good sign for Kansas City. Hosmer and Moustakas were being counted on to help Alex Gordon and Billy Butler carry the offense but instead brought disappointing 2012 campaign’s over into 2013. Both have started to find a groove, and Hosmer hit his first home run on Thursday. Robinson Cano and Vernon Wells are doing much of the damage for the Yankees.

TV: 8:10 p.m. ET, YES (New York), Fox Sports Kansas City, MLB Network

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Phil Hughes (1-2, 3.60 ERA) vs. Royals RH Wade Davis (2-2, 4.75)

Hughes has steadily improved since a tough first two turns and went eight scoreless innings while striking out nine to pick up a win over Oakland last Saturday. The right-hander has allowed two or fewer runs in each of his last four outings. Hughes has a 4-1 record in seven games (six starts) against Kansas City but owns just a 5.51 ERA while allowing 39 hits in 32 2/3 total innings. Gordon and Butler have four hits apiece off Hughes.

Davis has yet to find any consistency on the season, with three great starts marred by three terrible outings. He is coming off one of the better turns, when the right-hander held the Chicago White Sox to one run and five hits in six innings on Sunday. Davis has a long track record against New York from his time in the AL East with the Tampa Bay Rays and owns a 2-3 record with a 3.96 ERA in 10 games (six starts). Cano (5-for-15), Brett Gardner (5-for-10) and Ichiro Suzuki (8-for-16) have all been tough outs for Davis in the past.

WALK-OFFS

1. Yankees SS Eduardo Nunez (ribcage) has missed the last three games and is day-to-day.

2. Kansas City manager Ned Yost shuffled his batting order on Thursday, dropping Gordon from leadoff to No. 3 and shifting Butler and Hosmer back one spot each.

3. Cano recorded his 1,500 career hit on Thursday. He is the sixth player on the New York roster to reach that mark.

PREDICTION: Yankees 4, Royals 3