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...

Is Lucas Erceg the answer to Kansas City's bullpen issues?

In a way, Yes. No one reliever can solve this bullpen's problems — they've gone on too long and exist in too many spots. But Erceg is pitching like he wants to be the pitcher manager Matt Quatraro deploys in the highest of high-leverage situations.

We called Erceg "underrated" after the Royals acquired him in the trade deadline deal with Oakland that cost the club promising pitching prospects Will Klein and Mason Barnett, and outfielder Jared Dickey. But since bringing his commendable 2-3, 3.68 record to Kansas City, he's been excellent at all the right times.

Take Wednesday, for example. Yes, Ragans won the day, but Erceg saved it — he replaced Sam Long with the potential tying run at the plate and two out in the eighth, retired Minnesota's Jose Miranda to end the inning, then faced the minimum in the ninth to secure the Royals' win and his second Kansas City save.

That was precisely the kind of performance the Royals already expect from Erceg. In seven games as a Royal, he's recorded two saves and five holds, hasn't surrendered a run or a walk, has five strikeouts, and has retired opponents in order in four of his 7.2 innings. Not quite perfect, but pretty close to it.

Now, it will be hard for Quatraro to give anyone else the nod when the Royals are in a jam or need a save.

Is Paul DeJong making a case to stick with the Royals?

Could be.

Big league veteran DeJong came to the Royals the same day as Erceg; the Royals sent Jarold Rosado to the White Sox to get him. At the time Kansas City pulled the trigger on the deal with Chicago, DeJong was stuck on the worst team in the majors but had still hit 18 homers and driven in 41 runs in 102 games. The Royals needed to add some power and punch, ingredients that DeJong could supply.

And he's delivered.

DeJong clubbed his second Royal homer Wednesday, an important sixth-inning solo shot that increased his club's lead over the Twins to two runs. He added a single and double for good measure and is slashing .320/.400/.600 with five RBI in 10 games since reporting to the Royals.

DeJong isn't as defensively versatile as Frazier, but that's just fine. The Royals are primarily interested in his bat, so any good he does them in the field will be extra. And he might even be building a case to return next season — his current $1.75 million one-year contract suggests he'll be inexpensive next year, and he's the kind of player KC can use.

Expect to see DeJong more and more often as the Royals begin their final 41 games with a night contest at Cincinnati Friday evening. And maybe he'll be back next year.

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