The New York Yankees struggled in most of their encounters against left-handed pitching until Saturday. Then they dominated Kansas City southpaw Noah Cameron and rolled to their most lopsided victory of the season.

After their best showing at the plate, the Yankees seek a three-game sweep Sunday afternoon when they host the Royals.

The Yankees will face another left-hander in Cole Ragans (0-3, 3.78 ERA) after going 7-for-20 with three homers off Cameron. New York raised its batting average against left-handed pitchers 19 points to .179 after Saturday’s 13-4 win.

Cody Bellinger, who entered Saturday 3-for-17 off lefties, hit a pair of two-run homers and drove in five runs. Bellinger also is 10-for-28 (.357) over his past seven games.

Ben Rice homered for the third straight game for the first time in his career and is 5-for-16 (.313) off lefties after hitting .208 against southpaws last season. Rice will remain in the lineup Sunday along with Paul Goldschmidt while Giancarlo Stanton gets a scheduled day off ahead of Monday’s off-day before the start of a three-game series at Boston.

The Yankees scored their most runs all season after their previous five wins were decided in the final at-bat. Amed Rosario hit a two-run homer, drove in three runs and is hitting .293 off lefties since the start of last season.

“We’re a talented team that can win in many different ways,” Bellinger said. “Obviously these games are more ideal but I like where we’re at.”

Since their 6-5 win over the Yankees in Game 2 of the 2024 ALDS, the Royals are on a 10-game losing streak against New York. Kansas City has lost six straight and nine of 11.

The Royals were blanked until Carter Jensen hit a two-run homer in the seventh and also scored on a two-run double by Michael Massey in the ninth. Bobby Witt Jr. had one of Kansas City’s seven hits and is 5-for-20 on the road trip.

The Royals are coming off their most lopsided loss of the first 21 games after 10 of their previous 11 games were decided by two runs or fewer.

“It looks bad when you get your butt kicked like today, but every game this week has been a really close game,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said. “Guys are running hard, they’re playing hard, they’re preparing hard. It just hasn’t worked out.”

After getting seven sharp innings from Will Warren and not using any high-leverage relievers, the Yankees will send lefty Ryan Weathers (0-2, 4.29 ERA) to the mound.

Weathers, who struggled at times with his fastball command Tuesday in a 7-1 loss to the Los Angeles Angels, makes his first career start against Kansas City. Weathers is allowing a .268 average to opposing hitters and allowed three homers in a span of five pitches on fastballs to Mike Trout, Jo Adell and Jorge Soler.

Weathers also gave up a homer to Oswald Peraza on his changeup but wound up with 10 strikeouts in five-plus innings when he allowed five runs. He also became the first Yankee and 17th pitcher all-time to get at least 10 strikeouts and allow four homers.

In four starts, Ragans (0-3, 3.78) has received four runs from his offense and is coming off his best start this season. Ragans allowed one hit in six scoreless innings in a no-decision during Kansas City’s 2-1 loss at Detroit on Tuesday.

Ragans does not have a decision and a 2.57 ERA in a pair of appearances (one start) against the Yankees.

–Field Level Media

With exhausted bullpens following Saturday’s six-hour, 39-minute, 13-inning marathon game, the pressure is on the Rays’ Shane McClanahan and the Pirates’ Mitch Keller to deliver strong starts on Sunday afternoon in the finale of their three-game series in Pittsburgh.

The Rays used eight relievers and the Pirates used six relievers in a game officially of four hours and 12 minutes that was delayed an additional two hours and 27 minutes by inclement weather, and ended with an 8-7 win for Tampa Bay.

Now, McClanahan (1-1, 3.95 ERA), who last Tuesday picked up his first win since June 16, 2023, will try to make it eight wins in their past nine games for the Rays.

McClanahan gave up two earned runs (three overall) on two hits and four walks, and struck out four in five innings against the Chicago White Sox. The left-hander continued his solid return to the majors this season after missing the past two years following Tommy John surgery and recovery from a nerve issue.

For McClanahan, it was the end of a wait of 1,033 days between wins and a long period of resilience while dealing with his physical issues and the death of his father.

“It was probably the adrenaline dump and emotional release that I’ve had in my entire life,” McClanahan said. “Some days, you don’t think you’re ever going to get to this point again. Proud of who I’ve turned into and the work that I put in, and I know it’s going to get better.”

McClanahan, who is 2-0 with a 1.38 ERA in two career starts against the Pirates, is still fine-tuning things on the mound as he has issued 11 walks and struck out 13 in 13 2/3 innings. But he’s been effective enough for the Rays to win two of his three starts so far. Another such outing would be huge for a Rays staff, which utilized all seven available relievers on Saturday. A roster move could be made to supplement a taxed bullpen.

For Pittsburgh, Keller (1-1, 2.86) was off to one of the best starts in the majors over his first three outings before struggling last Tuesday against the visiting Washington Nationals.

Keller gave up five runs on six hits, walked four and struck out three over four innings (90 pitches) in a game the Pirates lost 5-4.

Over his first three starts (18 innings), Keller had allowed only two runs.

It was the second time this season that Keller walked four batters in a game. But he overcame them by allowing only two runs in a 5-4 home win over the Baltimore Orioles on April 3 — his lone pitching victory of the season.

Keller is 0-1 with a 3.60 ERA in two career starts against Tampa Bay.

“With Mitch, from the beginning, didn’t have the sharp command, but battled and grinded and got through four innings,” Pirates manager Don Kelly said. “You could tell from the beginning he wasn’t as sharp as he’s been.”

The Pirates recalled reliever Cam Sanders on Saturday and optioned Jose Urquidy to Triple-A Indianapolis. Mason Montgomery and closer Dennis Santana were the only relievers Pittsburgh did not use in Saturday’s game.

–Field Level Media

Garrett Mitchell has often been on the injured list since his major league debut in August 2022, but he has been healthy this season as he and the Milwaukee Brewers go for a three-game sweep of the host Miami Marlins on Sunday.

“I’m just happy with the way he’s staying healthy,” Brewers manager Pat Murphy said of Mitchell, who drew three walks, stole one base and scored one run on Saturday in Milwaukee’s season-high fourth straight win. “He’s responding after bad results.

“Garrett gives you tough at-bats. He sees a lot of pitches.”

Mitchell, a 27-year-old Californian with elite tools, was Milwaukee’s first-round pick (No. 20 overall) in 2020. In 18 games this year, he has an .877 OPS, which is on pace to exceed his career high of .832 from 2022. He’s getting regular playing time in part because center fielder Jackson Chourio and DH/outfielder Christian Yelich are on the injured list.

As for Sunday’s pitching matchup, it will be a battle of two tall right-handers with triple-digit fastballs: Miami’s Eury Perez (1-1, 5.40 ERA) against Jacob Misiorowski (1-1, 3.32).

Perez, listed at 6-foot-8 and 220 pounds, is 0-1 with a 3.72 ERA in two career starts against the Brewers.

The Marlins are 3-1 this season when starting Perez, although he has pitched past the fifth inning just once. Perez has elite extension and easy velocity, topping out between 98 and 101 mph. He also has a deadly slider, and his confidence in his other secondary pitches appears to be growing.

Misiorowski, listed at 6-foot-7 and 201 pounds, has never faced Miami.

The Brewers are 2-2 this season when pitching Misiorowski, who has lasted at least five innings in all four of his starts.

Misiorowski, who reaches 100 mph with his fastball, was Milwaukee’s second-round pick in 2022. He made his major league debut last year, going 5-3 with a 4.36 ERA in 15 games, including 14 starts, and being selected for the All-Star Game. He struck out 87 in 66 innings, showing off some of the most electrifying stuff in MLB.

This season, he has 33 strikeouts in 21 2/3 innings.

On Sunday, he will be facing a Marlins squad that has lost seven of their past eight, including a season-high four in a row.

In Saturday’s 5-2 loss to Milwaukee, the Marlins had eight hits — all singles — and five came after the seventh inning.

“I wish I had the magic pill to determine which innings we’re going to do it,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said. “I think it’s just the ebb and flow of games.

“You will see times when we cash in with runners in scoring position. And you will see games when we get opportunities, and we just don’t come through.”

–Field Level Media