Right-hander Randy Dobnak remains a pleasant surprise amid this disappointing season for the Kansas City Royals.

Meanwhile, veteran Matthew Boyd has been stellar on the road for the Chicago Cubs this season.

Looking to continue his month-long success, Dobnak tries to help the Royals win a fifth straight home series in the decisive contest of the series on Sunday against Boyd and the Cubs.

Kansas City is last in the American League Central, but Dobnak (2-0, 1.16 ERA) has been one of the better stories of the 2026 campaign. After being traded by Minnesota to Detroit last season but never pitching for the Tigers, then signing a minor league deal with Seattle, the right-hander landed in Kansas City in June.

He debuted for the Royals on July 2, making two relief appearances before allowing two runs and 15 hits in 21 1/3 innings of four starts to help an injury-ravaged rotation. Dobnak yielded one of those runs, despite giving up three walks and three hits, in five innings of Kansas City's 8-2 victory over Minnesota on Tuesday.

"They made him work a little bit, but he keeps throwing strikes," Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. "He makes (batters) beat you. ... He knows who he is. He understands what he has to do to be successful. And right now, he's executing at a high level."

Though Dobnak faced the Cubs in August 2024 -- yielding four runs on seven hits in five innings of the Twins' 7-3 road loss -- this will be his first start against them.

After the Royals struggled against Cubs newcomer Kevin Gausman during a 6-4 loss Friday, they got to fellow new Chicago acquisition Clay Holmes for six hits and four runs in four innings of their 6-3 victory Saturday. Kansas City has won 10 of its last 13 at home.

Jac Caglianone went 4-for-4 with two home runs, two doubles and four RBIs on Saturday to snap the Cubs' five-game winning streak. With 20 home runs in his first full major league season, Caglianone is batting .390 with four of those homers, four doubles and 12 RBIs in his last 10 games.

"He's one of the strongest people I've ever seen," Quatraro said.

Caglianone is 1-for-3 in his career against Boyd (7-1, 3.59), who allowed five runs (four earned) and nine hits, including two homers, against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Monday, but lasted 6 2/3 innings during the Cubs' 10-5 home victory.

"He made some mistakes (against the Dodgers), but he also gave us 20 outs. That's a big deal," Cubs manager Craig Counsell said of Boyd. "He (pitches) like a pro."

Chicago is 7-1 in games started by the 35-year-old left-hander since he returned from a near two-month stint on the disabled list with a knee injury. He's also 2-0 with a 1.45 ERA in five road starts during that stretch.

That could bode well Sunday for the National League wild-card leading Cubs, who will look to win an eighth consecutive away series.

Chicago's Seiya Suzuki went 0-for-4 on Saturday, snapping his 25-game on-base streak. However, he's still batting .313 with 13 RBIs in his last 13 interleague contests.

--Field Level Media