KC Royals need Seth Lugo to exorcise early-season demons against Baltimore Orioles

The last time the KC Royals faced the Baltimore Orioles, Seth Lugo left the mound frustrated, pounding his glove with plenty of season still ahead. Now, as he prepares to face the AL East runner-up once again, there’s much more at stake and far less room for error.

Baltimore handed Lugo his first non-quality start back on April 21, in what was his fifth appearance in a Royals uniform. Two home runs and nine hits led to a short outing, marking his first loss in a 5-0 Kansas City defeat. That game was the first blemish on Lugo's record, proving he wasn’t perfect — though he quickly rebounded and began to look like he was.

The KC Royals leaning on Seth Lugo is nothing new in 2024

The veteran's debut season in Kansas City has been a success by every measure. An All-Star selection, top five in quality starts and wins, and one of the best seasons since Zack Greinke's 2009 Cy Young campaign. But his first postseason start could either cement or tarnish all of that.

When Lugo takes the mound on Wednesday, he’ll be following Cole Ragans’ stellar performance from the previous day. The southpaw shut out the Orioles, striking out eight while allowing just four hits over six innings. Topping that will be a tall order, but if any Royals pitcher can do it, it’s Lugo.

Lugo is no stranger to postseason action, with three playoff appearances under his belt, all with the 2022 New York Mets. While that team didn’t advance past the Wild Card, Lugo did his part, not allowing a run across two innings of work. He may have only faced nine batters, but that’s still more postseason experience than the majority of this Royals squad.

The fact is Lugo's start in Baltimore is essentially make or break — not only for the Royals, but for him. The winter brings shorter days, but the same amount of hours. A loss, or anything less than a quality start, leaves room for Royals fans to stew, thinking about how Wednesday's result could be different if Lugo looked like his spring self, where he had a six-game winning streak across seven starts. Maybe a poor performance just feels like more of the same after Lugo's weaker second half of the season.

Lugo has at least another year in Kansas City, with the franchise that took a gamble on him as a starter — a bet that paid off during the regular season. But now, the stakes are higher, the wins and losses more critical, and a fanbase's hopes rest on his right arm. When Lugo leaves the mound at Camden Yards, let’s hope it’s with signs of contentment and pride, rather than frustration after a subpar outing.

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