Jordan Lyles gets his first win of ’23 as the Royals face the Rockies

THE Kansas City Royals must certainly feel like a fresher team when hosting the Colorado Rockies in the Friday night opener of a three-game series

Due to a scheduling quirk, the They are royal he didn’t play Wednesday and Thursday, giving him a rare two-day break in the season

THE Rocky Mountainmeanwhile, snapped a four-game hitting streak against the Arizona Diamondbacks after giving the Diamondbacks their first sweep of the season in a 5-4 loss Thursday afternoon in Phoenix.

Kansas City was originally scheduled to have Monday and Thursday off and play a road game against the St. Louis Cardinals on Tuesday and Wednesday, but the Cardinals asked to play on Memorial Day, so the They are royal with their first scheduled day off since the 2016 season

THE They are royal would have preferred to enter the break, but fell to the Cardinals 2-1 on Tuesday, snapping a three-game, 56-game winning streak for the first time in franchise history.

Kansas City plans to start right-hander Jordan Lyles, who likely just wants one win.

Lyles (0-9, 7.30 ERA) and the They are royal he is winless in his first 11 starts this season, becoming MLB’s first 20-game loser since Mike Maroth of the Detroit Tigers in 2003 (9-21).

Lyles is 3-3 with a 5.30 ERA in 14 career games Rocky Mountainincluding eight departures

THE They are royal they also hope that right fielder MJ Melendez can continue to show signs of life

He scored twice in Sunday’s 3-2 win over the Nationals and tripled and scored two runs in Monday’s 7-0 win over the Cardinals.

Melendez went 0-4 in Tuesday’s loss, but said he feels like he’s finding his rhythm.

“I try to stay on top of the ball and stay on time,” Melendez said. “Those are two pretty big keys for me. I feel like when I hit the ball hard, a lot of times it was a little bit too high in the air.”

THE Rocky Mountain plans to start right-hander Chase Anderson in the series opener

Anderson (0-0, 1.31) has been steady since being waived by the Tampa Bay Rays on May 12, joining his sixth team in the past five seasons.

In three games a Rocky Mountain, allowed three runs in 15 2/3 innings, though no decision. Anderson has never faced the They are royal During his 10-year career

Colorado closer Pierce Johnson is looking forward to another opportunity after blowing the first of 12 saves on Thursday.

“Not Invincible” Rocky Mountain manager Bud Black said

THE Rocky Mountain On Thursday, he placed Kris Bryant on the 10-day disabled list with a bruised heel and reinstated Charlie Blackmon from the bereavement list. Blackmon went 1-5 in the leadoff role Thursday

— Field Level Media