Payoff pitch

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals made one of the boldest trades in franchise history two years ago. The Oakland Athletics made a similarly aggressive move just a couple of months ago.

The results of both will be in the starting spotlight tonight.

For the Royals, it’s “Big Game James” — James Shields, the centerpiece of a deal with Tampa Bay that finally pushed the long-downtrodden franchise into the postseason for the first time in 29 years. For the A’s, it’s Jon Lester — the postseason star of the Red Sox last season who was acquired by Oakland at the trading deadline just for this moment.

The one-game A.L. wild card playoff. The winner advances to face the Los Angeles Angels in the best-of-five division series Thursday. The loser trudges away into the offseason.

“I’ve only been here for two years,” Shields said, “but when I got traded over here, I knew the magnitude of what this organization was headed for. And when I got here, walking around the city and talking to the fans and really relishing the 29 years, it’s a special moment.”

The teams share plenty of similarities: pop-gun offenses backed by strong starting pitching and two of the dominant bullpens in baseball.

They also share a significant difference: Oakland has plenty of postseason experience, making it three straight years, while Kansas City has languished near the cellar for decades.

That’s the biggest reason why Royals general manager Dayton Moore got Shields and shut-down reliever Wade Davis prior to last season, trading soon-to-be A.L. Rookie of the Year Wil Myers and pitching prospect Jake Odorizzi to Tampa Bay.

Moore wanted a legitimate ace for the starting rotation, a pitcher who had tasted postseason success, and who could mold a young but rapidly learning Royals clubhouse what it takes to win on the game’s biggest stage.

While the Royals were comfortable in their staff ace, the A’s were still searching for their own. They already had several front-line starters, but GM Billy Beane had been stung by postseason disappointments, and he coveted a horse for such high-leverage games. Turns out Boston was willing to trade away just that kind of guy.

The move Beane made for Lester on July 31, shipping slugger Yoenis Cespedes to Boston, raised eyebrows around the league. And while the Oakland offense took a hit, Lester has done his part. He is 6-4 with a 2.35 ERA in 11 starts since he arrived in the Bay Area.

“We’re going to give it the best shot we can and hopefully at the end of the day we’re doing this again,” Lester said.

It bodes well for him that he’s facing the Royals, a team that likens the left-hander to kryptonite. He went 3-0 with a 2.61 ERA against them this season. He also no-hit Kansas City in 2008.