The Royals’ offense led the AL in this area last year. Now, they’re dead last
If you ever wondered what is ailing the Kansas City Royals’ offense, look no further than the fourth inning of Friday’s 7-5 loss against the Detroit Tigers.
Let’s set the scene.
The Royals were down a run to the Tigers. Kyle Isbel and Jonathan India recorded consecutive singles to kick-start the frame. They later advanced on Bobby Witt Jr.’s flyout to center as Tigers outfielder Wenceel Perez raced to track the baseball down.
KC had runners on second and third base. It was a prime opportunity to either tie the game or take a one-run lead with top run producers Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez lurking in the batting order.
The Royals failed to drive in a run.
Pasquantino was caught looking on six pitches against Tigers left-hander Brant Hurter. Perez was intentionally walked to load the bases, but the Royals stranded all three runners as Maikel Garcia flew out to right field.
“We need to be better,” Garcia said. “You know, we have to get those hits in those situations. That’s what we need, be tough in those situations. And we are struggling with men on base.”
KC didn’t capitalize with runners in scoring position. And it’s been a recurring theme of the 2025 campaign.
“It just feels like you’re in one of those phases where you kind of need, want, begging for like just one person to break through and do it,” Pasquantino said. “And to be honest, it kind of starts with me because that’s my job to drive in runs. And I’ve been terrible at it this year.”
The Royals are hitting .224 with runners in scoring position (RISP). They rank last in the majors with a .315 slugging percentage in those situations.
By comparison, the Royals posted a .282 batting average with RISP last season. They ranked first in the American League in that category.
Pasquantino hit .360 with RISP in 2024. Perez hit .329 with nine home runs and 76 RBIs in clutch situations. They both were hitting below .230 prior to Friday’s game.
“In my mind, it starts with me breaking through with a big hit and doing something to help the team,” Pasquantino said. “It’s kind of how our lineup works and how we set it up. It’s how we set it up last year and how we set it up in years past. The biggest difference between this year and right now is I’m awful with runners in scoring position.”
The Royals haven’t resolved the issue. The club finished 2-for-11 with RISP and left 11 men on base in the loss.
“It’s a volatile stat,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “It’s not something you can pencil guys in to do over and over and over again. ... Clearly, if they are cashing in all those runs, we are going to be in a better spot. They know that and some of it is trying to not do too much.”
Meanwhile, the Tigers (38-20) made the most of their chances in a series-opening victory at Kauffman Stadium. Riley Greene and Dillon Dingler hit a pair of two-run homers. Spencer Torkelson added a key RBI single in the fifth inning and added late insurance with a solo homer in the eighth.
Royals starter Seth Lugo wasn’t efficient. He allowed four home runs in 3 ⅓ innings after returning from the 15-day injured list.
“It’s nice to get back out there,” Lugo said. “Obviously, want better results and would like to come back with a win. You know the finger felt good and that’s a positive.”
The Royals (30-28) dropped eight games behind the Tigers in the American League Central and have lost three of four games on the homestand.
Royals run out of steam
The Royals have a perplexing offense. While the club didn’t capitalize in the fourth inning, they did enough to chase Tigers starter Casey Mize from the game early.
In the second inning, Drew Waters hit an RBI single to keep the Royals in striking distance. He poked an 89.2 mph slider into the outfield as Pasquantino and Perez both scored on the play. Waters collected three RBIs on the night.
Earlier, Witt hit a solo homer off Mize. It was his sixth homer as the baseball traveled 442 feet into the outfield fountains.
It seemed the Royals had enough to keep pace. However, the offense stalled out in the fourth inning and added just a single run late in the game.
“The only way you cash in opportunities is to create opportunities,” Quatraro said. “And we gave ourselves some opportunities tonight and we just didn’t get the game-changing hit.”
What’s next: The Royals continue their three-game series against the Tigers on Saturday at Kauffman Stadium. Right-hander Michael Wacha (3-4, 3.21 ERA) draws the afternoon start against Tigers ace Tarik Skubal (5-2, 2.49 ERA).
This story was originally published May 30, 2025 at 10:25 PM.
