Amid all the health issues within Kansas City’s rotation, Seth Lugo continues to grind.
Looking for another strong home start, the veteran right-hander also tries to continue his recent starting dominance over San Francisco as the Royals aim for a three-game sweep of the Giants on Wednesday.
Lugo (3-6, 4.39 ERA) could be headed toward a first losing record in his five seasons serving primarily as a starter. However, the 36-year-old is scheduled to make his team-leading 21st start, and seven of his 11 quality starts have come through 11 home appearances.
That makes him a potentially enticing trade option. However, the Royals’ front office noted it won’t actively shop Lugo or fellow veteran hurler Michael Wacha, but will listen to offers presented as Kansas City sits last in the American League Central.
“I think the general thought is it’s going to have to be very enticing for us, because (Lugo and Wacha), we’re going to count on,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said.
Five of Lugo’s quality starts have come while going 2-2 with a 2.94 ERA in his last six outings at home. The only non-quality start during that stretch came June 10, when he left in the fourth against Texas after taking a line drive to the forehead.
On Friday, Lugo allowed two runs (one earned) over six innings of Kansas City’s 7-6, 10-inning home victory over San Diego.
Since returning to a full-time starter role in 2023, Lugo is 2-1 with a 1.01 ERA in four starts against the Giants. The most recent outing came in 2024 at Kansas City, where he yielded two runs over seven innings.
Following back-to-back one-run victories, with quality starts from Wacha and Luinder Avila, the Royals are 4-1 on a post-All-Star break six-game homestand.
“We got an opportunity for a sweep,” Vinnie Pasquantino, who had two hits with an RBI during the 3-2 win Tuesday, told Royals.TV.
“Gotta try to take it the best we can.”
San Francisco, meanwhile, has totaled 11 runs, 23 hits and gone 4-of-25 with runners in scoring position while losing four straight on a six-game trip.
“You got to control what you can control,” Giants manager Tony Vitello said.
Among the major league leaders in batting average at .323, the Giants’ Luis Arraez is likely to rejoin the lineup after being rested Tuesday. He’s 1-for-5 all-time versus Lugo.
Teammate Rafael Devers is 4-for-8 with two homers against Lugo.
Scheduled San Francisco starter Landen Roupp (7-8, 3.98) has recorded four quality starts in his last five, and allowed one run and five hits over 15 innings while going 2-0 in July.
On Friday, the right-hander gave up two of those hits through seven innings during the Giants’ 7-0 victory at Seattle. Roupp’s only previous start against the Royals came in 2024, when he allowed three hits and three walks over five innings of San Francisco’s 9-0 win at Kansas City.
While Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. could miss a second straight game with back tightness, teammate Jac Caglianone might also sit after he exited Tuesday’s contest with a sore right shoulder.
“Just landed hard,” Caglianone told reporters, “but I should be good.”
Salvador Perez, 0-for-2 versus Roupp, remains one shy of tying George Brett’s franchise-record 317 homers. He was hit on the wrist with a pitch Tuesday but stayed in the game.
–Field Level Media
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