KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals’ newest letdown left masses to read about in its personal correct — a 4-0 Monday eveninv loss to the Texas Rangers at Kauffman Stadium, the place the end result used to be mainly settled earlier than the clock hit 7 p.m. on a 6:40 get started.
But the better importance of this yet another wishes a wide-angle lens than a microscope. With the loss, the Royals dropped to 1-10 at house — a putrid get started, sure, however one much more bad bearing in mind town’s possible different pursuits.
KC, to be truthful, wasn’t intended to compete this season. It wasn’t presumed to make the playoffs. This used to be a transition year after the staff moved on from president of baseball operations Dayton Moore and supervisor Mike Matheny closing season, with the group additionally committing to a whole pitching overhaul from the minor leagues up.
But there used to be nonetheless some hope that possibly this staff may wonder. Maybe keep within the race till the summer season months? Hang round .500? Perhaps see the place some hope and self assurance may take you in an AL Central department with out a true juggernaut?
So some distance … nope, nope and nope. The younger Royals have already torpedoed virtually all of the ones preseason desires with their 4-13 get started, which means {that a} staff already preventing for relevance has stacked the chances towards itself.
The NFL Draft will come to Kansas City subsequent week. And the Kansas City Chiefs are the Super Bowl champs, which means they don’t want additional lend a hand to transform the realm’s dominant storyline.
Monday’s end result, although, used to be in truth the type of one who the Royals may relatively other folks no longer learn about.
The Rangers’ get started? A grounder to 3rd the place Royals 3rd baseman Hunter Dozier threw it away. Then a bunt that Dozier double-clutched for his 2nd error in consecutive batters.
Josh Jung adopted with a towering house run to left, and 3 batters in, the air had already been sucked out of the house stadium.
Unfortunately for the Royals, their pitching and protection had been their robust issues Monday night time. Rangers starter Jacob deGrom threw 4 no-hit innings earlier than leaving as a precaution with correct wrist soreness, however the Royals mustered only one hit at the bullpen after that — a blank unmarried up the center from Matt Duffy within the 5th.
No runs, one hit, two mistakes in a two-hour, two-minute recreation. The Royals have now misplaced 4 in a row and 7 of 8, whilst ultimate the one MLB staff with out at least two house wins.
They’ll have two extra possibilities towards the Rangers coming Tuesday and Wednesday. But time is readily working out in the event that they hope to stay a town’s consideration during the lengthy summer season months.
Key second
Dozier put the Royals in a bind to get started with an errant throw and bobble at the first two balls in play, however Jung made positive the ones gaffes had been pricey.
Jung picked on a Jordan Lyles 0-0 offspeed pitch down the center, connecting on a towering shot to the left-field bullpen that made it 3-0 earlier than Royals enthusiasts had settled into their seats at Kauffman Stadium.
Player of the sport
Lyles, to his credit, gutted out further innings even after permitting a couple of early house runs to Jung and Marcus Semien.
The Royals right-hander stayed in 8 innings, permitting 4 runs (two earned) whilst hanging out 3 with 3 walks.
Injury file: Bubic getting 2nd opinion
Royals supervisor Matt Quatraro stated earlier than Monday’s recreation that left-handed pitcher Kris Bubic used to be getting a 2nd opinion on his arm damage after preliminary scans confirmed “underlying concerns.”
Bubic, positioned at the injured record over the weekend with a left flexor pressure, admitted after Saturday’s recreation that he felt forearm tightness early that day earlier than pitching thru it with lowered speed. The 25-year-old have been probably the most Royals’ absolute best early-season tales earlier than that day trip, striking up 13 strikeouts with one stroll in his first 11 innings of 2023.
What’s subsequent: The Royals proceed a three-game collection towards the Texas Rangers at 6:40 p.m. Tuesday, as Brad Keller will face Nathan Eovaldi. The Royals’ Brady Singer will fit up towards Martin Perez within the collection finale at 1:10 p.m. Wednesday.
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