\n\tGame 30: ATH 5, KC 2\n<\/p>\n
\t\tThe Royals started early by scoring a run in the top of the first on a fielder’s choice by Salvador Perez. However, Michael Wacha<\/a> wasn’t quite as sharp. He allowed four runs on eight hits and four walks while striking out five. Witt was the only Royals player with multiple hits (two).\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tGame 31: ATH 6, KC 3\n<\/p>\n \t\tKansas City dropped the rubber game, with a four-run second inning putting the game out of reach. Noah Cameron<\/a> allowed five runs (four earned) on nine hits and two walks while striking out five in 5.2 IP. Maikel Garcia<\/a> hit his third home run of the year, while Elias Diaz<\/a> hit his first. Despite the Royals having 10 hits, they left 12 runners on base and went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position.<\/p>\n \n\tGame 32: KC 7, SEA 6\n<\/p>\n \t\tThe Royals parlayed a four-run first inning to help them win an offensive battle, even though Cole Ragans<\/a> and Bryan Woo<\/a> pitched for Kansas City and Seattle, respectively. Perez, Vinnie Pasquantino<\/a>, and Jac Caglianone<\/a> went yard, and Lane Thomas<\/a> had a clutch pinch-hit single that gave them the lead for good in the top of the 8th. Lucas Erceg<\/a> locked down his eighth save of the year.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tGame 33: KC 3, SEA 2\n<\/p>\n \t\tEmerson Hancock<\/a> was elite, as he struck out 14 batters in 7 IP, and allowed only one run on six hits. However, Seth Lugo<\/a> put up a solid performance himself, going six innings, allowing two runs, seven hits, and two walks while striking out six. Caglianone came up clutch at the top of the ninth, getting an RBI triple off Mariners closer Andres Munoz<\/a> to send the game into extra innings. Garcia hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Michael Massey<\/a>, and Erceg closed the door to earn the save for a second-straight game.\u00a0<\/p>\n \n\tGame 34: KC 4, SEA 1\n<\/p>\n \t\tBubic looked much sharper in Seattle than he did in Sacramento. He went seven innings and allowed just one run on four hits and two walks while striking out seven. Most of the Royals’ offense came in the fourth, as they scored three runs on Mariners starter Luis Castillo<\/a> in a variety of ways, including a walk and a fielder’s choice. Isaac Collins<\/a> had a double in the 6th inning that scored Caglianone\u00a0from second and gave them a three-run lead. John Schreiber<\/a> and Daniel Lynch IV<\/a> locked down the eighth and ninth, with Lynch getting his first save of the year.\u00a0<\/p>\n \tNews and Notes<\/p>\n \n\tThe Royals received tough news at the beginning of the week, as the team announced that Jonathan India<\/a> received labral repair surgery, effectively ending his 2026 season.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n\tIf that wasn’t enough, they also received some discouraging news regarding right-handed pitchers Ryan Bergert<\/a> and Ben Kudrna<\/a>, who both began the year in Omaha. Both received surgeries, and while nothing official has been said, it seems likely that both pitchers will miss the remainder of the 2026 season.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n\tOn a positive note, on April 28th, the Royals promoted right-handed pitcher Luinder Avila<\/a> from Omaha to Kansas City and optioned Eli Morgan<\/a> back to Triple-A. Avila was previously working as a starter this year, not just starting in Omaha, but also filling in for Michael Wacha for a spot start. However, it seems like the Royals will be utilizing Avila in the bullpen full-time for the time being.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n\tThe Venezuelan-born righty in two outings this week went three innings and struck out three batters and issued no walks while allowing one run on two hits.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \tHighlights<\/p>\n \n\tThe Royals got some nice weeks from Garcia and Perez, who have struggled on the road in previous road trips.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \n\tIn 28 at-bats, Garcia hit .296 with a .903 OPS, and his eight hits led all Royals hitters on the road trip. As for Salvy, he hit .292 with an .846 OPS. Both hit home runs, and they combined for seven RBI this week.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n\tAnother strong performer was Vinnie, even though he accumulated just 17 at-bats this road trip. He sat out a couple of games in the Athletics series as he nursed a sore back. However, when he got back in the linuep, he was a force in the Royals’ batting order in the No. 3 spot.\n<\/p>\n \n\tVinne had six hits and posted a .977 OPS. He also had a clutch home run of Bryan Woo, his fourth of the year, that helped extend the Royals’ lead in game one of their series on Friday night against the Mariners.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n\tPasquantino’s overall numbers aren’t great, as he is hitting .188 with a .633 OPS so far this season. However, it seemed like he was more locked in against the Mariners, and his two-hit game on Sunday should help build some momentum for him in the upcoming homestand at Kauffman Stadium.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \n\tEven though he only had four hits in 18 plate appearances and posted a .689 OPS, Caglianone had a couple of clutch hits in the Mariners series. That included a home run off Woo on Friday, and a game-tying triple off Munoz, who was one of the game’s best closers a season ago.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n\tSome other key hitters for the Royals this week were Starling Marte<\/a>, who had a three-hit game in the series finale against the Athletics, and Isaac Collins, who finally got his first hits on the road this season. Collins also had a key double that extended the Royals’ lead in their 4-1 win on Sunday.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n\tOn the pitching end, Erceg bounced back to have a tremendous week on the mound, re-establishing himself as the Royals’ closer with Carlos Estevez<\/a> out.\n<\/p>\n \n\tErceg appeared three times and collected three saves in three innings pitched, with two coming against the Mariners and one against the Athletics, his former team. He allowed no runs, just one hit, and one walk while striking out four this week. The strikeouts were encouraging, especially considering his chase and whiff rate issues back in April.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \n\tIn addition to his excellent performance in the late innings this week, the 30-year-old reliever also had quite the viral moment in the Royals’ postgame interview with Joel Goldberg.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n\tErceg wasn’t the lone Royals reliever to have a solid week.\n<\/p>\n \n\tIn three innings of work, Matt Strahm<\/a> allowed no runs on two hits and two walks while striking out four. Nick Mears<\/a> allowed no runs in two appearances and 1.2 IP while striking out two and allowing no hits and just one walk. John Schreiber looked closer to his 2024 and 2025 form, allowing just one run on two hits and two walks in 3.1 IP.\n<\/p>\n \n\tLastly, Lynch blew a two-run lead in game one, but he closed the Mariners out in the series finale, going 1.1 IP and striking out three. As a result, he earned his first save of the year and had his own viral postgame interview moment.\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n\tThe Royals’ bullpen ranks 27th in ERA, 25th in WHIP, and 26th in BB\/9 and HR\/9. Hopefully, this strong performance this week, especially in the Mariners series, can carry over to this upcoming homestand.\n<\/p>\n \tLowlights<\/p>\n \n\tCarter Jensen<\/a> received some good news this week, as he was named Royals Offensive Player of the Month (Lugo was named Pitcher of the Month).\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \n\t\u00a0\n<\/p>\n<\/p>\n \n\tUnfortunately, the week was not a stellar one for the Royals’ rookie catcher.\n<\/p>\n \n\tIn 18 at-bats, Jensen hit .056 with a .246 OPS. He had only one hit, and his nine strikeouts led all Royals hitters this week. As a result, he’s hitting .230 with a .752 OPS, a far cry from where he was at the end of the Royals homestand in the previous week. That said, while he didn’t get a hit, Jensen did draw a crucial walk against Castillo on Sunday that brought home a key run.\n<\/p>\n \n\tAnother hitter who struggled was Michael Massey, who will be a key player going forward for India, out for the remainder of the season.\n<\/p>\n \n\tIn 18 at-bats, Massey hit .056 with a .156 OPS. He had just one hit and one walk while striking out seven times. Like many Royals hitters, the 28-year-old has struggled on the road this season. In 32 at-bats away from Kauffman Stadium, he is hitting .094 with a .268 OPS. At home? Massey is hitting .300 with an .846 OPS in 30 at-bats. He also has 12 strikeouts on the road compared to just six at home.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \n\tSafe to say, Massey is looking forward to returning to Kauffman Stadium on Monday.\n<\/p>\n \n\tOn the pitching end, Ragans, Wacha, and Cameron had rough performances this week. All three starters allowed four earned runs and pitched fewer than six innings in their respective outings. Ragans and Wacha at least have a track record that should earn them some patience, but Cameron is a tougher situation for the Royals’ coaching staff.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \n\tIn six starts and 31.2 IP, Cameron has a 5.40 ERA and 1.61 WHIP. He has been particularly hit hard this year, and it’s unlikely that he will improve upon that trend in the near future, especially with a four-seamer that profiles as subpar, according to TJ Stuff+.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \n\t \n\tThe Royals don’t have a ton of options right now in Omaha, especially with Bergert and Kudrna going under the knife. However, a possible option that the Royals could piggyback with Cameron is Stephen Kolek<\/a>, who’s been on rehab in Omaha.\u00a0\n<\/p>\n \n\tLike Cameron, Kolek doesn’t have a great four-seamer. It has a 93 TJ Stuff+ and generates a 13.6% whiff rate, both lackluster marks. However, the former Padres pitcher generates a decent amount of chase and minimizes hard contact, making him a possible long-relief option that could relieve Cameron after the lefty gets through the lineup a couple of times.\n<\/p>\n \n\t![\"tjstats_season_summary](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/mlb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/tjstats_season_summary(23).png.5318332897fcd22bc9b1a1df731a6aca.png\"\/)
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