Latest power rankings see Royals at a competitive crossroads (but reveal one X-factor)

The Kansas City Royals may be riding the high of starting a mini two-game winning streak on Sunday, however that doesn't erase the fact that it was preceded by a crushing 1-10 stretch. It's now Memorial Day and the Royals sit 22-31, 9.0 games back of the Guardians for first in the AL Central and now 4.0 games back of a wild card spot. While there's still plenty of baseball to be played, the Royals have to come up with some answers quick if they don't want to squander their competitive hopes.

This week's FanSided MLB power rankings reflected the exact gravity of the situation. After being rather optimistic despite a low ranking last week, a fall into the bottom five in baseball at No. 27 shows just how quickly the Royals' season and preseason competitive hopes might be slipping away.

"Any team swept by the 2026 Boston Red Sox needs to take a long, hard look in the mirror," FanSided's Chris Kline wrote.

Now, the offense has always come into question, as besides the unanimous MVP contender in Bobby Witt Jr. there is questions, albeit to a varying degree, surrounding everybody else. This week however, it was the rotation that came into question after the first full week without ace Cole Ragans and 2025 All-Star Kris Bubic, leaving veteran Seth Lugo as the most pivotal piece to the Royals hope fo sustained success on the mound.

"The Royals will pin their hopes on an excellent rotation, but recent injuries to Kris Bubic and Cole Ragans leave Kansas City in a precarious position," Kline wrote. "Especially if Seth Lugo lets his foot off the gas pedal, like he did last season."

Seth Lugo's looked great so far, but 2025's midseason collapse looms large

After posting a 2.67 ERA along with a 1.08 WHIP and .214 BAA in the first half of the season last year, it looked as though Lugo's rise to stardom in 2024, where he finished runner-up in AL Cy Young voting, was no fluke. However, then the second half came, where a 7.51 ERA, 1.78 WHIP and .302 BAA before landing on the season-ending IL in August said otherwise.

This has surely made fans wary of Lugo and ensured their hope don't get to high when it comes to the 36-year-old hurler. That being said, there's no denying that Lugo, along with fellow veteran Michael Wacha, have been the glue that's held this rotation together from both injury, underperformance and a combination of both when discussing Ragans.

Has Lugo been the same arm he was in 2024 or the first half of 2025? No. However, a 3.74 ERA paired with a 3.08 FIP is not damaging at all.

The concern will be in his more recent form, as after looking lights out in his first five starts - surrendering over two earned runs just twice, he's looked shakier since. In his last six starts, he's surrendered two or more earned runs in each appearance. This doesn't mean he's on the path to another collapse per se, but even slight slip ups like this are magnified that much more in a depleted rotation of team that's fighting for relevancy at nine games under .500 at Memorial Day.

The good news is, the damage has been minimized in his last two appearances on the mound, surrendering just two runs on May 18 and three tis past Sunday against the Mariners. So, perhaps he's beginning to turn a new leaf on brief hiccup in form. The Royals will hope though anyways.

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