What have we learned about the Royals one quarter of the way into the season?
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Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports
The Royals are about one-quarter into their season, and already it has been a roller coaster ride. If you had asked fans at the outset how they would feel about an 18-22 record by this point, most would be pretty pleased with that outcome. And yet, because of the way the Royals journeyed to this record - a hot April that saw them peak with the best record in baseball, only to go on an 11-game losing streak - fans are perhaps a bit more pessimistic on the team than if the club had simply traded wins for losses much of the year.
Royals snap losing streak, split doubleheader with the White Sox
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Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images
The Royals snapped an 11-game losing streak on Friday by defeating the Chicago White Sox 6-2 in the first game of a doubleheader. They dropped the evening contest 3-1 and are now 17-21 on the season.
The Royals were able to get in the win column for the first time in nearly two weeks with timely hitting and a solid start from Brad Keller. The right-hander was a bit shaky in the first, walking Tim Anderson to lead the game off and giving up a single to Yoan Moncada. Jose Abreu would drive Anderson home on a sac fly to make it 1-0 White Sox. Keller would walk Yermin Mercedes, but after a mound visit, he retired Yasmani Grandal to escape the inning without any further damage.
Four-run 2nd dooms Lynch, Royals in 4-3 loss to Detroit
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Less than two weeks ago, the Royals were 16-9, coming off a blowout win over the Twins. They led their division by 1.5 games over the White Sox and possessed the best record in baseball. Then the wheels fell off.
Following today’s 4-3 loss to the Tigers, the Royals remain at 16 wins, using the last two weeks to add 11 consecutive losses. That is tied for the 4th worst streak in franchise history. Kansas City will enter its series against the White Sox at 16-20, fresh off being swept by the worst team in the American League. In fact, they have been swept in three consecutive series’.
Tigers 8, RoyaLLLLLLLLLs 7
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Tim Fuller-USA TODAY Sports
An hour ago, I was planning on typing “there isn’t much to recap here.” Now. well, there is. But the end result was exactly the same.
That is one heck of a way to lose a baseball game. The Royals, originally down 7-0, made a big comeback to pull even with the Tigers. Then they lost in the bottom half of the same inning.
Brady Singer started well, throwing three scoreless innings to start his night. But things unraveled in the fourth and he was yanked before he could finish the frame. A plethora of weak Tigers hits doomed his night, as six of the first seven Tigers to bat in the fourth reached base.
It was the best of times, it was the worst of times
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Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images
This may be hard to believe now, but there was a time not that long about when the Royals had the best record in baseball. It’s true! You can look it up! The Royals rushed out to a 16-9 record and were flying sky high. Their playoff odds at Fangraphs went as high as 26 percent. Articles were written about those plucky Royals and how smart they had been to be aggressive this past off-season.
Then the Royals met up with their longstanding rival - the month of May. They had a winless homestand to begin the month and have now lost eight games in a row. And the games haven’t been close. They have been outscored 58-21 over the streak. They have averaged just 2.6 runs per game and have hit just .226/.263/.346. Their pitchers have an ERA over 6.72 over the losing streak. Those Fangraphs playoff odds have sunk to below 10 percent.