Royals' Seth Lugo: Takes loss despite quality start
Rotowire
Lugo (1-3) took the loss Saturday, giving up three runs on five hits and two walks over 6.2 innings as the Royals fell 3-1 to the Tigers. He struck out five.
The veteran right-hander delivered his second quality start in five outings on 105 pitches (68 strikes), but Kansas City's offense had trouble solving Casey Mize, magnifying the impact of Lugo's only real mistake -- a fifth-inning splitter that stayed up to Spencer Torkelson and got deposited in the left-field bullpen for a three-run homer. Lugo will take a 3.90 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 21:11 K:BB through 30 innings into his next outing, which lines up to come at home next weekend against the Astros.
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Royals' Seth Lugo: Cursed by long ball
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Lugo (1-2) allowed four runs on seven hits and two walks over 6.2 innings Monday, striking out four and taking a loss against the Yankees.
Lugo worked three shutout frames before Jazz Chisholm knocked a solo homer in the fourth inning. All four runs against Lugo came on solo home runs in the fourth and fifth frames. Entering Monday's start, he'd given up just one homer through 16.1 innings and this was his first time allowing multiple home runs in an outing since June 4, 2024. Lugo now owns a 3.86 ERA with a 16:9 K:BB over four starts this season. He's currently projected to start in Detroit this weekend.
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Royals' Seth Lugo: Gets no run support in loss
Rotowire
Lugo (1-1) took the loss against Minnesota on Wednesday, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks while striking out six batters over 5.2 innings.
Lugo nearly got through the outing with a one-run quality start, but after retiring the first two batters he faced in the sixth, he gave up a double, issued an intentional walk and yielded a single to surrender a second run before getting the hook. The veteran righty would have taken the loss even if that run wouldn't have scored, though, as the Royals were unable to cross the plate against Joe Ryan and a pair of Twins relievers. Lugo has been steady but unspectacular to begin the campaign, posting a 3.24 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 12:7 K:BB over 16.2 frames across three starts. His next appearance lines up as a tough matchup on the road against the Yankees early next week.
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Royals' Seth Lugo: Delivers quality start Friday
Rotowire
Lugo (1-0) picked up the win Friday, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and a walk over six innings in an 8-2 victory over the Orioles. He struck out two.
The veteran righty tossed 59 of 85 pitches for strikes in his first quality start of the season, but Lugo relied heavily on generating weak contact and managed only two swinging strikes on the night. He sports a 3.27 ERA and 6:4 K:BB through his first 11 innings of 2025, and Lugo will look to build on this performance in his next outing, which is scheduled to come at home next week against the Twins.
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Royals' Seth Lugo: Strikes out four in no-decision
Rotowire
Lugo did not factor into the decision in Saturday's 4-3 win over Cleveland. He allowed three runs, four hits and three walks over five innings. He struck out four.
Lugo ran into trouble to open the second inning, allowing three consecutive hits to open the frame as Cleveland took a 1-0 lead. His control faded in the third inning with back-to-back walks to Steven Kwan and Jose Ramirez, with Kwan coming around to score on a sacrifice fly. After a clean fourth, Lugo allowed a homer to Kwan in the fifth inning, which gave the Guardians a 3-1 lead. He avoided the loss thanks to his offense, which rallied in the middle stages of the game to secure the 4-3 win. Lugo was outstanding a year ago with a 3.00 ERA over 206.2 regular-season innings, so this could be just a bump in the road after he gave up more than two runs only once over his last eight regular/postseason starts in 2024. He will look for his first win in 2025 when he tentatively goes against Baltimore next week.
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Royals' Seth Lugo: Getting into regular-season form
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Lugo gave up one run in 2.2 innings with five strikeouts and two walks in Friday's spring start. He has a 8.22 ERA with a 9:3 K:BB ratio over 7.2 innings this spring.
Lugo improved after giving up three runs in each of his first three spring starts as his five strikeouts showed he's nearly in regular-season form. However, spring stats hardly matter for the veteran who is locked in as the No. 2 starter for the Royals. Lugo won 16 games with a 3.00 ERA over a league-high 33 starts last season. A 21.7 percent strikeout rate left something to be desired, but Lugo provided so much volume with a surprising 206.2 innings that he accumulated 181 punchouts.
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Royals' Seth Lugo: Getting into regular season form
Rotowire
Lugo gave up one run in 2.2 innings with five strikeouts and two walks in Friday's spring start. He has a 8.22 ERA with a 9:3 K:BB ratio in 7.2 innings.
Lugo improved after giving up three runs in each of his first three spring start as his five strikeouts showed he's nearly in regular season form. However, spring stats hardly matter for the veteran who is locked in as the No. 2 starter for the Royals. Lugo won 16 games with a 3.00 ERA over a league-high 33 starts last season. A 21.7 percent strikeout rate left something to be desired, but Lugo provided so much volume with a surprising 206.2 innings that he accumulated 181 strikeouts.
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Royals' Seth Lugo: Gets nod for ALDS Game 3
Rotowire
Lugo will start Wednesday in Game 3 of the ALDS against the Yankees, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Lugo will toe the rubber Wednesday night after the Royals were able to even the series Monday. The right-hander turned in a decent outing in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series against Baltimore, allowing one run on five hits and one walk while striking out six over 4.1 innings.
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Royals' Seth Lugo: Delivers quality start
Rotowire
Lugo (16-9) yielded two runs on three hits over seven innings Sunday, striking out five and taking a loss against the Giants.
Both runs and all three hits against Lugo came during the second inning, and he retired the final 16 batters he faced. Despite the strong outing, he was given the loss as the Royals were shut out by Blake Snell and the Giants' bullpen. Lugo has posted four quality starts over his last five appearances, producing a 2.02 ERA during that span. The veteran righty owns an impressive 3.03 ERA and 178:47 K:BB through 204.2 innings this season. Lugo is projected to finish his 2024 regular season with a start in Atlanta next weekend.
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Royals' Seth Lugo: Can't escape fifth in no-decision
Rotowire
Lugo did not factor into the decision in Monday's 7-6 loss to the Tigers, allowing four runs on eight hits and two walks with four strikeouts over 4.2 innings.
Lugo entered the fifth frame with a 5-1 lead but was pulled after yielding four hits and three runs, including a two-run homer by Colt Keith. The 34-year-old had surrendered just two earned runs over three consecutive seven-inning efforts, but he has also yielded four earned runs or more in five of his past 10 outings. On the season, he owns a 3.05 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 173:47 K:BB across 197.2 innings and will try to eclipse the 200-inning mark for the first time in his career against the Giants this weekend.
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Royals' Seth Lugo: Baffles Yanks for 16th win
Rotowire
Lugo (16-8) picked up the win in Tuesday's 5-0 victory over the Yankees, scattering three hits over seven scoreless innings. He struck out 10 without walking a batter.
The right-hander didn't even let a runner reach second base in a masterful performance, as Lugo fired 77 of 105 pitches for strikes en route to his third straight quality start and 21st of the year -- one back of major-league leaders Logan Gilbert and Zack Wheeler. Lugo will look to keep rolling in his next outing, which is scheduled for early next week at home against the Tigers.
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Royals' Seth Lugo: Notches 15th victory
Rotowire
Lugo (15-8) earned the win over Cleveland on Wednesday, allowing one run on six hits and one walk while striking out four batters over seven innings.
Lugo recorded a modest four punchouts, but he had excellent control in tossing 70 of 103 pitches for strikes. The right-hander finished with his third quality start over his past four outings, and he's up to 20 quality starts on the campaign, tied for third most in the majors. Lugo's 15 victories are also third most in the league, while his 3.05 ERA ranks eighth.
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Royals' Seth Lugo: Fans nine in no-decision
Rotowire
Lugo came away with a no-decision in Friday's 3-2 loss to the Astros, allowing one run on six hits and a walk over seven innings. He struck out nine.
The veteran right-hander delivered his 19th quality start of the season and produced his highest strikeout total since he fanned 10 Guardians on June 30, but Lugo was never in line for a win as Framber Valdez no-hit the Royals through seven innings. Despite Friday's performance, Lugo has faded in the second half under a career-high workload, posting a 4.67 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 39:14 K:BB in 52 innings since the All-Star break. He's scheduled to make his next start at home next week in a key clash with the Cleveland squad that Kansas City is trying to catch in the AL Central.
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Royals' Seth Lugo: Tagged with six runs
Rotowire
Lugo (14-8) allowed six runs (five earned) on 11 hits and a walk over 5.1 innings Sunday, striking out three and taking a loss against the Phillies.
Lugo gave up three runs through five innings before being charged with three more in the sixth. He was one of the top pitchers in the league for the first few months but has unraveled over the last several weeks. Lugo registered a 2.21 ERA over his first 19 starts and gave up more than three runs in just three of those outings. Since then, he's yielded at least four runs in five of his last eight appearances, driving his ERA up to 3.19 through 172 frames. Lugo is 3-6 with a 5.30 ERA since the start of July. He's projected to take the mound in Houston for his next outing.
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Royals' Seth Lugo: Cruises to 14th win
Rotowire
Lugo (14-7) earned the win Monday against the Angels, allowing two runs on four hits and three walks over seven innings. He struck out eight.
After allowing 11 runs over 9.1 innings in two straight losses, Lugo got back to his winning ways against a lowly Angels team. The only blemish in his 97-pitch performance was a two-run double laced by Jo Adell in the seventh inning. With this victory, Lugo lowered his second-half ERA from 5.23 to 4.76 across 39.2 innings. Overall, the 34-year-old has pitched to a 3.02 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 143:42 K:BB in 166.2 innings this season. He faces a much more difficult test in his next start, currently scheduled to be against the Phillies at home this weekend.
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Royals' Seth Lugo: Stumbles versus Red Sox
Rotowire
Lugo (13-6) allowed six runs (four earned) on six hits and four walks while striking out four over 5.1 innings, taking the loss Tuesday versus the Red Sox.
Lugo has allowed four or more runs just six times this year, but three of those instances have come over his last five starts. The Red Sox put up multiple runs in the second and sixth innings against him, sending him to his fourth loss in his last six outings. The right-hander has already set a career high in innings pitched this year with 155.2 over 24 starts. He's at a 2.72 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and 131:37 K:BB, but since the start of July, he's posted a 4.31 ERA and 26:10 K:BB over 39.2 innings. Lugo's next start is projected to be at Minnesota.
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Royals' Seth Lugo: Excellent in 13th victory
Rotowire
Lugo (13-5) earned the win over Detroit on Thursday, allowing one run on four hits and one walk while striking out three batters over eight innings.
Lugo didn't allow any extra-base hits and gave up just a fourth-inning run en route to his 13th victory of the campaign. He's now tied with Atlanta's Chris Sale and Baltimore's Grayson Rodriguez for the league lead in that category. Lugo has alternated good and poor starts of late -- he yielded five runs over five frames July 13 and six runs over 6.1 innings July 27, but in between was a one-run, complete-game performance versus the White Sox on July 21.
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Royals' Seth Lugo: Surrenders six runs to Cubs
Rotowire
Lugo (12-5) took the loss against the Cubs on Saturday, allowing six runs on five hits and two walks while striking out two batters over 6.1 innings.
Lugo fell behind 2-0 on a Seiya Suzuki homer in the first inning but carried a 4-3 lead into the seventh. However, the veteran right-hander allowed Chicago's first three batters to reach base in that frame, and they all came around to score on a Patrick Wisdom grand slam following Lugo's departure. The six earned runs were a season-high mark for Lugo, who had pitched his first career complete game in his previous start. Saturday's poor outing pushed Lugo's season ERA up from 2.38 to 2.66.
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Royals' Seth Lugo: Spins first career complete game
Rotowire
Lugo (12-4) picked up the win Sunday against the White Sox, pitching a complete game and allowing one run on three hits while striking out six.
Lugo set another career mark in his breakout season of 2024. In his 85th career start, Lugo registered his first career complete game in Sunday's win over the White Sox. The 2024 All-Star lowered his ERA to 2.38 in the win, which ties him with Corbin Burnes for the lowest in the MLB. Lugo's 12 wins are also one behind Chris Sale for the most in MLB this season.
Lugo (11-4) took the loss against Boston on Saturday, allowing five runs on 10 hits and one walk while striking out six batters over five innings.
It was a great first half overall for Lugo, who was recently named an All-Star for the first time in his career. However, the veteran hurler didn't have his best stuff Saturday, as he yielded a season-high 10 hits, while the five runs tied a season-worst mark. Lugo will still enter the break with a 2.48 ERA (fourth best among qualified pitchers) and 11 wins along with a 1.09 WHIP and 116:30 K:BB over 127.0 innings.
