Three Takeaways From the Royals' 4-0 loss to Astros
Going into Tuesday's game, the Kansas City Royals were on a hot streak, winning seven of their last eight games. This included a four-game series sweep of the Houston Astros in Kauffman Stadium. Following Monday's 7-1 win at Minute Maid Park, things were looking up for the Royals.
“I think it’s more just building off [Sunday],” manager Mike Matheny said following Monday's win. “And each day, just taking something positive that we’ve been doing.
Brady Singer got the starting nod for Tuesday's game and had a rough start. Singer gave up one earned run in the start, with three unearned runs off of field errors making the score 4-0. Neither team scored following the third inning, making for a quiet, yet decisive loss.
No one in the lineup had an answer for Astros pitcher Luis Garcia, who threw a seven-strikeout shutout through 6 2/3 innings. The Houston bullpen took it from there, securing the shutout.
In a dreadful 2021 season, each game offers lessons learned and more insights into the future of the club. What should fans and the organization take away from Tuesday's loss?
1. Singer is Not a Bust, but Not a Success Yet
Singer's stat line has not been ideal in 2021. Currently sporting a 3-9 record with a 5.07 ERA, he has one of the rougher career starts out of the 2018 Royals draft class.
While his start Tuesday only yielded one earned run, Singer looked shaken with runners on base. He gave up seven hits and walked four more batters. It was an ugly start, but only allowing one run and striking out six are good points. With that said, Singer has not registered a win since June 1 against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Singer's struggles could be linked to 94.5% of his pitches either being a sinker or slider. He has said previously that a changeup is coming, but he's only thrown that pitch 3.6% of the time.
"I feel I’ve done pretty well with two pitches," Singer said during a Mar. 9, 2021 interview with FanGraphs' David Laurila. "Something that’s kind of overlooked… like we were talking about earlier: I’m manipulating the two pitches I do have. I’m changing around both my slider and two-seamer, and I’m not just throwing them in the same spots."
Singer's struggles reflect the Royals' struggles in 2021, and losses and ugly games are a part of letting young players learn. 2022 should be a different story for Singer and the team though.
2. The Royals Go With the Bats
It is either all or nothing, it seems, for the Royals batting order. Kansas City logged its eighth shutout of the year and its second in August. While a shutout may be acceptable during a pitching duel, the Royals have lost all their shutouts by at least three runs and average losing by five runs when shut out. When the bats are cold for Kansas City, they are ice cold.
"Situational hitting really does set the tone for our club," Matheny said following Tuesday's loss. 'When we miss an opportunity... it puts us into an even worse spot. Give credit to [Luis Garcia] who had some swing-and-miss stuff today, too."
The Royals only mustered four hits Tuesday, none from Whit Merrifield or Salvador Perez. Michael A. Taylor and Jarrod Dyson were threatening to core in the third inning, but neither crossed the plate.
Tuesday is yet another example of the top-heavy batting order for Kansas City. Outside of Perez, the Royals struggle to quickly produce runs. Bringing scoring players playing small ball requires executing when the situation is right. If that does not happen, Kansas City looks floundering and lost.
3. The Royals Lineup Holds Back Present and Future Success
Back to the bats, the struggles of Kansas City are exacerbated by the batting power in Triple-A. The Omaha Storm Chasers currently have the batting future of the Royals, including top prospect Bobby Witt Jr. and rising star MJ Melendez.
The players' success in several levels of the farm system may frustrate fans. Several regular members of the batting order are not inspiring confidence or do not figure into the Royals' long-term plans. Ryan O'Hearn, Hunter Dozier and Dyson play at positions that the Royals have suitable prospects for. Despite having replacements and obvious weak points in the lineup, Royals assistant general manager J.J. Picollo doubts major change.
“I think it’s really going to operate just like it did in April, May, June, July and August,” said Picollo. “Guys are going to come up [to Kansas City] on a need basis.”
While the argument is valid for letting players stay and have success in the farm system, fans pay to see the Royals win. Tuesday's ugly loss only adds more fuel to the fire.
