Other than setting the stage for 2019 Ryan Carpenter Jersey , the Pittsburgh Pirates might be the only team with something to play for in a series with the Kansas City Royals that is scheduled to begin Monday at PNC Park.Not that the Pirates’ chance to end above .500 comes with great rewards compared with a strong finish.“We want to play good baseball to the end,” Pittsburgh outfielder Corey Dickerson told AT&T Sportsnet, adding that the team wants to “have good vibes going into the offseason.”Article continues below ...The Royals will be starting their final road trip and the Pirates are opening their final homestand — although the weather forecast is not in their favor for Monday based on the fallout from the storm named Florence.Pittsburgh (74-74) reached .500 with a 3-2 win Sunday at Milwaukee. The Pirates have won two in a row, three of four and eight in 11.“To be able to get a series win against a division rival this late in the year, it’s good for us,” Pirates winning pitcher Trevor Williams said Sunday. “It’s good for us to carry this momentum into our final homestand.”Kansas City (52-97) would have to be nearly flawless down the stretch to avoid 100 losses for the fifth time in team history and first time since 2006, The Royals had won three in a row and five of six and were 14-6 since Aug. 24 before falling 9-6 on Sunday to Minnesota.Pittsburgh is 12-5 in interleague play Jeimer Candelario Jersey , second best in the major leagues.Kansas City has not played in Pittsburgh since 2012.In the series opener, Kansas City right-hander Brad Keller (8-6, 3.04 ERA) is scheduled to face Pirates right-hander Joe Musgrove (6-9, 3.87 ERA).Keller has been a bright spot for the Royals. He leads qualifying American League rookies in ERA and his name has circulated in Rookie of the Year discussions.“I don’t really look at that,” Keller said of the award, according to MLB.com. “It’s cool to be in the talks. But the team winning is what matters. It’s cool, but it doesn’t matter much.”He joined the Royals’ rotation on May 30 and is 7-5 with a 3.26 ERA since.On Tuesday http://www.tigersfanproshop.com/authentic-dixon-machado-jersey , Keller gave up a run and four hits, with six strikeouts and two walks, in seven innings of a 6-3 win over the Chicago White Sox. It was his sixth straight start giving up two runs or fewer.The run he allowed was in the third, and he followed that by retiring 13 of the last 14 batters he faced, the exception being a walk in the sixth.“I felt like I didn’t have my best stuff, but I settled down and gave the team a chance to get the lead and then go deep into the game,” said Keller Justin Verlander Jersey , who will face Pittsburgh for the first time.Musgrove, who has never faced Kansas City, has a 3.65 ERA in nine starts and 56 1/3 innings since the All-Star break, and has lasted at least seven innings in half of his past 10 starts.On Tuesday, he struck out eight but gave up four runs in six innings of an 11-5 loss at St. Louis. CHICAGO (AP) — Slugger Kris Bryant was back in the Chicago Cubs‘ lineup after missing two games because of a bruised left wrist.The 2016 NL MVP was batting sixth and playing left field, with David Bote at third base for Friday’s afternoon game against St. Louis. Bryant was hit by a pitch from Pittsburgh’s Chris Archer on Tuesday.He has had two stints on the disabled list this season because of left shoulder inflammation. The 26-year-old Bryant is batting .276 with 12 homers and 49 RBIs in 98 games, and manager Joe Maddon sees no reason why he can’t be a major contributor in the postseason.“I don’t think the hand’s (an issue) Houston Astros Jersey ,” Maddon said. “I think the shoulder’s been rested a couple days. Yeah, I think he can be effective.”The Cubs began the day leading second-place Milwaukee by a game in the NL Central. They are headed to the playoffs for a franchise-record fourth straight year.Maddon wasn’t sure if reliever Pedro Strop (strained left hamstring) will pitch this weekend. He still feels some discomfort on the landing throwing off the mound.The Cubs are missing their two relievers with the most saves this season. Closer Brandon Morrow, who has 22 saves, has been on the disabled list since July 19 because of an elbow injury and was shut down for the rest of the season last week. Strop, who has 13, has been sidelined since Sept. 13, when he was hurt running to first on a double-play grounder at Washington.Chicago activated catcher Bobby Wilson http://www.astrosfanproshop.com/authentic-gerrit-cole-jersey , who was acquired Aug. 30 from Minnesota on Friday. The Twins placed him on the 10-day disabled list Aug. 24 because of a sprained right ankle.Wilson hit .178 with two homers and 16 RBIs in 47 games for Minnesota this season.