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The Royals\u2019 rotation was among the best in baseball for the first six weeks of the season, but Kansas City\u2019s starting pitchers have hit a collective pothole.<\/p>\n
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After turning in a quality start in 19 of the Royals\u2019 first 36 games, the staff\u2019s starters have just one in their last eight contests.<\/p>\n
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The latest pitcher to struggle was left-hander Kris Bubic, the loser in the Royals\u2019 6-2 loss to the White Sox at Rate Field on Thursday night. Bubic (3-2) allowed five runs on five hits and three walks in five innings with four strikeouts. He threw 50 strikes among his 84 pitches.<\/p>\n
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Former Royals outfielder Randal Grichuk did the most damage against Bubic. After the Royals scored in the top of the first inning, Grichuk hit a two-run homer in the bottom half to give Chicago a 2-1 lead.<\/p>\n
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Grichuk also delivered a two-run single in the third inning.<\/p>\n
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Grichuk, who was acquired by the Royals ahead of last summer\u2019s MLB trade deadline, had three hits and fell a triple shy of hitting for the cycle. The four RBIs nearly matched his season total entering the game (five).<\/p>\n
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Chicago swept the three-game series at Rate Field and moved a game above .500 at 22-21. The Royals dropped their fourth straight and are 19-26.<\/p>\n
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This was just the Royals\u2019 second series loss to the White Sox since 2024.<\/p>\n
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The Royals were a half-game out of first place on May 5, but they\u2019re now 4 1\/2 back of the Guardians. KC is tied with Detroit for fourth place in the five-team American League Central.<\/p>\n
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The Royals got on the board quickly as Maikel Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr. opened the game with singles.<\/p>\n
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Lane Thomas\u2019 sacrifice fly scored Garcia. With two outs, Nick Loftin was hit by a pitch, but the Royals stranded two runners when Vinnie Pasquantino struck out.<\/p>\n
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In the fifth, the Royals had two on with one out, but catcher Salvador Perez hit into an inning-ending double play.<\/p>\n
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Up next:<\/b> The Royals open a three-game set in St. Louis on Friday. Right-hander Michael Wacha, who made his big-league debut with the Cardinals in 2015, will start for KC. The Cards will counter with right-hander Dustin May. First pitch is at 7:15 p.m.<\/p>\n
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