The Kansas City Royals know what’s at stake.
A return to the postseason is not a given, regardless of the sheer talent on your roster. It doesn’t matter how much money a team has spent or how many trades were made during the season.
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The Royals have the talent and have spent the money. Still, they entered Wednesday’s action four games behind the New York Yankees for the third and final spot in the American League Wild Card race.
Wins are the only thing that can change that.
The Royals began their 10-game homestand with a series victory over the Washington Nationals. KC will now welcome the Chicago White Sox this weekend and Texas Rangers next week at Kauffman Stadium.
“Every game is critical, obviously,” Royals outfielder Kyle Isbel said. “We are at that time of the year. We are hoping to get hot and win a lot of games. It’s a big homestand coming up and we just gotta keep rolling.”
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The Royals fell short in an 8-7 loss to the Nationals on Wednesday, sliding another half-game behind the Yankees in the wild-card chase. For KC (60-61), the deficit could grow further, as the Yankees faced the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday night.
“We had a really nice opportunity today to come out and start this homestand with a sweep …” Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino said. “At the end of the day, we won the series. So that’s a net positive. Just stings a little bit when the game goes like that to finish out the series.”
Here are some takeaways from the Royals-Nationals games:
What happened to Seth Lugo?
The Royals’ starting rotation has been in flux for weeks now. The club is missing veteran pitchers Cole Ragans, Kris Bubic and Michael Lorenzen due to injuries.
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And now Lugo is struggling on the mound. On Wednesday he allowed seven runs (six earned) across four innings against the Nationals. He labored with his command and issued four walks.
“It was pretty bad,” Lugo said. “You know, I gotta do better, gotta pitch deeper in the game and gotta eliminate damage. That’s all there is to it.”
Royals starting pitcher Seth Lugo works against the Washington Nationals at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2025.
Lugo’s velocity was slightly down across the board. His four-seam fastball, which averaged 91.8 mph, was a tick slower. He generated 38 swings but recorded just five whiffs.
Washington took advantage with five runs in the first inning. Nathaniel Lowe belted a grand slam and put the Royals in an early hole. Drew Millas, Brady House and CJ Abrams recorded RBIs for the Nationals in the middle innings.
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Abrams belted a solo homer in the fourth. It was his 16th of the year and knocked Lugo out of the game.
“Every time he looked like he was going to get back and get a little traction, he couldn’t really string together a few really good, commanded hitters,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “So it was a tough day for him.”
Lugo hasn’t been sharp recently. He also allowed seven earned runs in his previous start, against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field. And he has walked batters at an alarming rate.
Lugo has issued 14 free passes in his last four outings, against the Nationals, Twins, Toronto Blue Jays and Atlanta Braves.
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Earlier this season, Lugo spent time on the injured list with a sprained right middle finger. But he said that the injury is behind him.
“No, it’s completely turned the corner,” Lugo said of his earlier injury. “I feel good. Just need to execute better.”
Vinnie Pasquantino stays hot
Pasquantino ignited the Royals’ offense during the Nationals series.
Shaking off his struggles since the All-Star break, Pasquantino made his presence felt with two home runs and nine RBIs. He finished 4-for-12 but made a ton of loud contact at the plate.
On Wednesday he hit a three-run homer that pulled the Royals within a run in the fourth inning.
Pasquantino leads the Royals with 22 homers and 80 RBIs this season.
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“There have been a lot of adjustments made by me over the past week or so, just trying to figure some things out,” he said Tuesday. “I mean, it’s no secret I haven’t been very good since the All-Star break. It’s the ebbs and flows of this game.”
Michael Lorenzen set to return this week
The Royals will welcome back pitcher Michael Lorenzen this week.
He is scheduled to start Saturday’s game against the White Sox after missing time with a left oblique strain. He was placed on the 15-day injured list July 14 and missed 24 games.
He needed time to recover and build his arm back up. The Royals sent Lorenzen on a rehab assignment with Double-A Northwest Arkansas. In a recent start, he allowed three earned runs in 5 2/3 innings.
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With Lorenzen back in the fold, the Royals will shift left-handed starter Bailey Falter to the bullpen. Falter gives them another bullpen option down the stretch.
The Royals will also keep talented rookie Ryan Bergert in the starting rotation. He has impressed since arriving from the Padres in the trade that sent catcher Freddy Fermin to San Diego. Bergert will start Sunday against the White Sox in his first appearance at Kauffman Stadium.
After an off-day Thursday, the Royals’ series against the White Sox begins on Friday. Noah Cameron will take the baseball as KC’s starting pitcher opposite right-handed veteran Aaron Civale.
Luinder Avila makes MLB debut
The Royals got their first glimpse at right-handed reliever Luinder Avila in Wednesday’s series finale against Washington.
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Avila pitched a scoreless eighth inning against the Nationals. He induced two groundouts and registered his first career strikeout.
“I felt good and I was really happy because it was something I was working on for a really long time,” Avila said via a Royals translator.
Avila touched 97 mph with his fastball while mixing in a curveball and sinker. It was his first game action after spending time on the taxi squad earlier this year.
“I was in the bullpen for two days and it gave me a chance to watch everybody and look at what the guys do and their routines,” Avila said. “That helps you kind of figure out a plan of what you have to do. And you know, just got to go out there and execute.”