3 big new KC Royals questions and answers

After first and second game starters Brady Singer and Seth Lugo both dug holes the KC Royals couldn't dig out of and left the club on the brink of an embarrassing series sweep at Minnesota, Cole Ragans came through Wednesday afternoon. Ragans, who's the ace of the Kansas City staff if Lugo isn't (it is, after all, a close call), stopped the Twins cold in the finale of the two teams' three-game Target field series.

He held his hosts hitless until former Royal Carlos Santana unloaded a two-out solo homer on him in the fourth inning; it was the only run Minnesota managed all day. Ragans struck out eight, didn't walk a batter, and left only after he retired Minnesota in order in the seventh. It was his fifth three-up, three-down frame of the day.

Although the Royals are in the hunt, questions still surround them

The 4-1 KC win gave Ragans a spiffy 10-7 record and lowered his ERA to 3.18. More importantly, though, the victory added a game to the Royals' soft cushion over Boston in the race for the third American League Wild Card — because Texas tied their game with the Red Sox in the ninth and won it in the 10th, Kansas City leads the Sox by two games. The Royals' win also drew them within 1.5 games of the Twins for both the second Wild Card and second place in the AL Central. The first-place Guardians won, so Kansas City remains six games behind them.

Bottom line? The Royals lost twice in three tries at Minnesota, but they're still legitimate playoff contenders.

But questions about the club still remain. Here are just three...