Final Score: KC 3 | DET 2

Overall Record: 63-50

Winning/Losing Pitcher

• W: Chris Stratton (4-3 | 4.40 ERA)
• L: Shelby Miller (5-7 | 5.85 ERA)
• S: Hunter Harvey (1 | 4.44 ERA)

Royals Player of the Game

MJ Melendez

Game Tying Pinch-Hit Home Run (13) in the Top of the 9th

Like Ryan Lefebvre said on the broadcast, man does he sure pick a good time to hit them. MJ Melendez took matters into his own hands at the literal last possible time. With two out, in the top of the ninth inning, one out away from ending the road trip with a sour taste in your mouth. Boom. MJ lifts the ball high and deep into the Detroit skyline, and hits a go ahead pinch-hit three run homer to put an exclamation point on the road trip. I know it was off Shelby Miller who they had gotten to before, but credit to where it’s due, MJ put a beating on that ball. And we need to see more of that moving forward. 

Adding a powerful, *consistent* MJ Melendez to this offense would be the trade deadline pickup we all wanted. If he can make a name for himself in the coming weeks, raise that batting average, get on base, he could be the jolt the Royals need. I can say this with my chest that the Royals make the playoffs with a contributing MJ Melendez. Not to mention EVERYONE wants it to happen! We’ve all been rooting for MJ all year long to finally put it all together, and show what he did at the beginning of the year more often. But as fate will have it, he is a flawed piece because he seems to show up in the best of times. That’s what’s keeping him on this roster, that he seems to have a huge game when he does figure it out, and dangerous when people undervalue him. So he manages to stand out here. Add this one to the incredible run at the start of the year, the game tying homer against SEA that June afternoon, and the monster 11 pitch at bat: the grand slam against the Dodgers in LA. He just seems to show up in the best moments so he keeps a slot on the team. And although he’s batting so poor right now, I think in a few weeks we’ll be happy that he went through the adversity, and he can hopefully be a contributing spot on this roster. They truly do need a shot in the arm, and everyone wants it to be MJ. That’s why I think he’ll come through. 

Key Highlights

The first lead in this one came from the Tigers on a Gio Urshela single to give them the lead. Michael Wacha gave up a triple earlier in the inning that eventually scored, but Wacha did a nice job of battling today. He wasn’t overtly fooling anyone, but he did a great job limiting the damage. Also, going six strong helps as well, giving this starting rotation another quality start. Which has been incredible to see this season, a year ago I wouldn’t have believed you. What a turn around. But Wacha did what quality starting pitchers do, he kept you in the game and limited damage when necessary. It’s all you can ask for. As for the Kansas City offense? Silent. Other than the occasional single and the eventual end of the inning. Royals only had five hits going into the top of the ninth. So the Tigers young arms kept the Royals quiet all afternoon. Crazy that this team can score five off the AL Cy Young frontrunner on Friday, but then proceed to make these incredibly young Tiger arms look great. Wacha only gives up two runs through six, and turns it to the combination of Smith, Stratton, and Harvey. Who only give up two hits with Hunter Harvey getting his first save as a Royal. Of course it wasn’t until MJ Melendez’s pinch hit three run jack until we were able to get this, but Hunter Harvey getting revenge after Saturday night is important. Take both bullpen blow ups away from last night, Harvey gave up two in the ninth to force extras, and virtually lose the Royals the game. So it’s nice to see him get back on the saddle and have no problem riding the bull. Talk about a great way to avoid a slump as a team as well. Especially after last night, to come out and be lifeless today for 8.2 innings offensively. It could’ve turned into a BIG problem. Particularly because the Red Sox are coming to town, and since they’re right on your tails, they could totally take advantage of that loss of energy. But they don’t because MJ comes through! MJ against the Red Sox again, watch out. Of course a bunch about MJ above, but just to reiterate his importance to the Royals moving forward. His power is a spark plug, he’s a huge glue guy in the locker room as well, so if MJ goes good. This team will go with him. Since he’s been pretty underwhelming the past couple years, we forget how important he was to this young team when they were taking their form in late 2022. And although they’re very different now, he was one of the main contributors then, and NEEDS to be one of the main contributors NOW. 

Anyway, the offense waited til the last possible second to come back, but they did. Thankfully, we go into Monday with a winning vibe back home where they play the best. It should be a breath of fresh air to get home, and focus on finishing off the season on a high note. We talk about the Red Sox catching them, but you also have to think about the inverse. Which is the opportunity to gain more ground on them, and make the gap even steeper between you and the rest of the AL Wild Card Picture. I certainly think the division is still achievable, but you have to win the games against contenders, and do what you can to retain your spot. 

Okay. A 6-1 road trip was great, so now the games start getting more important. The Royals start off a series against the Boston Red Sox, who are 2.5 games back of the Royals in the AL Wild Card Race. This was said a few weeks ago from Jared Carrabis, a Red Sox reporter on X.com, that this might be the most important Royals Red Sox series of all time? Definitely some truth to that, because other than the series during the Boston marathon bombings, the Royals don’t seem to have any big series, moments, or stories against the legendary Red Sox. Just seems like every time the Royals have been good, Red Sox have been bad and vice versa. But of course, Red Sox have four World Series Championships since 2000 to the Royals only having one. So… if we go by that formula, obviously, Boston has been better than KC during that time. 

Summary of the Next Game

For the game on Monday, back in Kansas City, the Royals send out their starter that has been magnificent his last few times out, Brady Singer, with a 2.08 ERA in his last seven starts. One of those starts was against Boston and was his only dud of that stretch. Giving up four earned runs in only two and two thirds innings. Brady will look to come home and have a bounceback start against Boston in an important game for KC. The Red Sox will trot out veteran lefty James Paxton, who was just traded back to Boston for the rest of this season. He’s made one start back in his old uniform and struggled, giving up three earned and six runs allowed over only four and a third. The Royals bats will have to wake up against an arm they should be able to hit off of. But, the Royals have been a bit unpredictable when it comes to hitting starting pitchers this year, so we’ll see. Boston looking up in the standings surely sees this as the easiest way to make up ground in the Wild Card standings, so this one will be one hell of a ballgame. We got a 7:10p first pitch at the beautiful Kauffman Stadium. I’m looking forward to taking this one in myself at the K, where this playoff push will continue against a team in the hunt. It should be fun.