Tommy Pham

Pham was on the bench on Wednesday with Adam Frazier getting a start in right field. However, despite Frazier going 1-for-3, he'll go back to the bench on Thursday against Gerrit Cole.

Frazier will get the nod in right field against right-hander Clarke Schmidt, which means Tommy Pham will begin the contest on the bench. The rest of the Royals lineup: 2B Michael Massey, SS Bobby Witt Jr., DH Vinnie Pasquantino, C Salvador Perez, 1B Yuli Gurriel, LF MJ Melendez, 3B Maikel Garcia, RF Frazier and CF Kyle Isbel.

It's Garcia's first time leading off since Aug. 31. Michael Massey, who has been leading off against righties, is in in the lineup tonight, but he's batting sixth. The lineup: 3B Garcia, SS Bobby Witt Jr., DH Vinnie Pasquantino, C Salvador Perez, 1B Yuli Gurriel, 2B Massey, LF Tommy Pham, RF Hunter Renfroe, CF Garrett Hampson.

Hunter Renfroe got the nod over Pham against the Orioles' Zach Eflin. Today's lineup is the same the Royals used in the opener against Baltimore: 2B Michael Massey, SS Bobby Witt Jr., DH Vinnie Pasquantino, C Salvador Perez, 1B Yuli Gurriel, LF MJ Melendez, RF Pham, CF Kyle Isbel, 3B Maikel Garcia.

Renfroe will take the spot of Tommy Pham in the lineup as the Royals look to advance to the NLDS against the Yankees. Renfroe has hit well against Baltimore starter Zach Eflin in a small sample, going 5-for-13 with a 1.154 OPS. The full lineup: Michael Massey 2B, Bobby Witt Jr. SS, Vinnie Pasquantino DH, Salvador Perez C, Yuli Gurriel 1B, MJ Melendez LF, Renfroe RF, Kyle Isbel CF and Maikel Garcia hitting ninth at third behind Seth Lugo and the Kansas City pitching staff.