Kansas City at Washington

Washington has quietly become one of the steadier clubs in the National League, going 6-4 over its last ten while outscoring opponents by 20 runs in that stretch. James Wood anchors the lineup with 20 home runs and a batting eye that's already drawn 59 walks. Tonight, they catch a Kansas City team headed the other way. The Royals are 29-43 overall and just 12-22 on the road, and they send out a lineup missing both Vinnie Pasquantino and Kyle Isbel. Michael Wacha is a tough out most nights, carrying a sub-3.60 ERA and a WHIP near 1.14, but he needs run support that a banged-up lineup hasn't been giving him. Foster Griffin answers with a 6-2 record, a mid-3.00s ERA, and a habit of working into the sixth every time out. The price has this close to a coin flip. It isn't. A thinned-out lineup that can't win on the road is the wrong group to back against a lefty who's kept hitters off balance all season. Take Washington.