If the Kansas City Royals are to make a serious final push at the postseason, star pitcher Seth Lugo likely needs to get back on track from a recent subpar stretch.
The veteran right-hander has also had some issues against the Washington Nationals during his career.
Looking to rebound from his worst outing of the season, Lugo will try solve the Nationals on Wednesday and help the Royals sweep this three-game home set.
Since signing a two-year, $46 million extension to stay with Kansas City last month, Lugo (8-6, 3.46 ERA) is 1-1 with a 7.53 ERA in three starts, none of which lasted six innings. On Friday at Minnesota, the 35-year-old allowed season highs of seven runs and nine hits while lasting just four innings in the Royals’ 9-4 loss.
“I think you just flush that one,” Lugo said. “I feel like even executed pitches were getting hit, mistakes we’re getting hit.
“It’s not ideal.”
Especially with Kansas City a .500 club and chasing three teams to just to reach wild-card position in the American League in the final weeks of the season.
However, the Royals are 10-4 over their past 14 home games. They have won four straight in Kansas City after outscoring Washington 15-9 during the first two games of a series that is kicking off a 10-game homestand.
“For the offense, it’s great. They build the confidence,” Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro said. “There is a lot to like.”
This will be Lugo’s 40th appearance against Washington, but he is just 1-4 with a 6.59 ERA in six starts vs. the Nationals. The most recent of those outings came in 2023, when he took a loss for the San Diego Padres after permitting three runs in five innings.
The Nationals have lost 10 of 13 after allowing two home runs and six walks in each of the first two games of the series.
“It’s baseball and we got to do a better job of executing as group,” said Washington infielder and ex-Royal Paul DeJong, who has three hits in the series but is 0-for-7 vs. Lugo. “There is no magic formula, it’s just kinda feeding off each other.”
Scheduled Washington starter Jake Irvin (8-7, 4.90 ERA) will look to avoid a third straight losing decision after he yielded nine runs (eight earned) and 16 hits over 9 1/3 innings in his first two August starts. Four of those runs, three earned, came in 5 1 1/3 innings of the Nationals’ 5-0 loss at San Francisco on Friday.
Irvin is set for his first appearance against Kansas City, but he has faced some current Royals when they played for other teams. Kansas City’s Jonathan India, who hit a two-run homer during the Royals’ 8-5 victory on Tuesday, is 1-for-9 vs. Irvin.
The right-hander has not faced Kansas City’s Vinnie Pasquantino, who clubbed a three-run homer and recorded five RBIs on Tuesday. It was the third time this season that Pasquantino posted at least five RBIs in a game.
Meanwhile, Washington All-Star James Wood had two hits and an RBI on Tuesday. He has eight hits and seven RBIs in his past four games.
Dating to last season, Kansas City owns a 26-13 run advantage while winning five in a row against the Nationals.
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