Oakland @ Kansas City preview

Last Meeting ( Aug 14, 2014 ) Oakland 3, Kansas City 7

The Kansas City Royals are playing a postseason game for the first time in 29 years when they host the Oakland Athletics in Tuesday’s American League wild-card game. The Royals have been perennial pushovers since winning the 1985 World Series before recently emerging behind a rock-solid bullpen. Oakland, which went 10-20 to finish this season, is in the postseason for the third straight season and lost to the Detroit Tigers in the AL Division Series each of the last two years.

Jon Lester, who was acquired from the Boston Red Sox specifically for this situation, will be on the mound for the Athletics. James Shields takes the ball for Kansas City and will get the opportunity to back up his nickname of “Big Game James.” Closer Greg Holland (46 saves, 1.44 ERA) and setup man Wade Davis (9-2, 1.00) headline the Royals’ bullpen, but Oakland is strong in the back end as well, led by closer Sean Doolittle (22 saves, 89 strikeouts against just eight walks).

TV: 8:07 p.m. ET, TBS

PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics LH Jon Lester (16-11, 2.46 ERA) vs. Royals RH James Shields (14-8, 3.21)

Lester went 2-0 with a 0.59 ERA in last season’s World Series for Boston and has gone 6-4 with a 2.35 ERA in 11 starts since Oakland acquired him from the Red Sox. He was 3-0 with a 2.61 ERA against the Royals this season – two of the wins came with Oakland – and has career marks of 9-3 and 1.84 in 13 career starts against Kansas City. Lester went 3-2 with a 2.00 ERA in five September starts and his postseason numbers line up this way: 6-4 and 2.11 in 13 career appearances (11 starts).

Shields was 1-0 with a 3.21 ERA in two starts against Oakland this season and is 6-4 with a 3.82 ERA in 15 career outings against the Athletics. He went 2-1 with a 2.31 ERA and 0.86 WHIP in five September starts. Shields went 2-4 with a 4.98 ERA in six postseason starts with the Tampa Bay Rays before being dealt to the Royals.

WALK-OFFS

1. The winner meets the Los Angeles Angels in the best-of-5 ALDS, beginning Thursday in Anaheim.

2. Kansas City won five of the seven regular-season meetings, including three of four at home.

3. Athletics RF Josh Reddick, who is 16-for-33 over his last 10 games, is batting .318 with three homers in 22 at-bats against Shields.

PREDICTION: Royals 4, Athletics 3