Gamethread 18: Royals at Tigers
A must win game early in the season
NEW YORK, NY - APRIL 15: Bobby Witt Jr. #7 of the Kansas City Royals takes the field wearing #42 in honor of Jackie Robinson during the game between the Kansas City Royals and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Tuesday, April 15, 2025 in New York, New York. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images If you read the little text under this article, I dubbed this a must win game for the Royals.
While this is just game 18 on the season, this game tonight is huge for the vibes and direction of the team. The Royals are 7-10 on the season, mostly because of inept offense, they’ve scored 2 runs or less in 10 of their first 17 games and in 6 of their last 7 games. When they hold a lead late, like last night, it’s a lot of pressure on the bullpen to be perfect, with no cushion, and it’s a blown lead late again, similar to Sunday.
If the Royals go out there and lose another game scoring 2 runs or less, it starts to build even more frustration offensively and then the pitching can’t continue to be as excellent as they have been, because they are under constant stress to be perfect, because of the poor offense. Outside of the team, fans, especially the casual ones will keep losing interest in the ballclub, and April isn’t even over yet. The NFL Draft is next week, and we live in Chiefs country, so you know the casual fan will be tuned out quickly if things don’t turn around soon.
Good thing is, like me, most of you are diehard fans and we are in it until game 162 concludes or further beyond that. Tonight the Royals are sending Seth Lugo to the mound, he has been phenomenal all season long. The veteran right-hander has churned out good start after good start this season.