Deadspin | Royals call on stellar veteran RHP Seth Lugo vs. Angels 
Apr 9, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Seth Lugo (67) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images The Kansas City Royals will go for their first series sweep of the season when they host the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday night.
The Royals rapped out 14 hits and benefited from 10 walks in a 12-1 rout of the Angels on Saturday.
Kansas City right-hander Seth Lugo (1-1, 1.15 ERA) will oppose left-hander Reid Detmers (1-2, 4.08) in the series finale — a rare nationally televised game for these teams.
Lugo will look to continue his stellar start to 2026. The 36-year-old has allowed two earned runs or less in each of his five starts and has pitched into the seventh inning four times.
Last time out, he tossed seven shutout innings Monday in a no-decision against the Baltimore Orioles. He left with a 1-0 lead after allowing one hit, striking out seven and walking four, but the bullpen couldn’t hold the lead. Baltimore won 7-5 in 12 innings.
“There were a couple of guys that I know they could hit a good breaker that’s sharp like that,” Lugo said of his strategy against the Orioles. “So I took some off for them. But the other guys are the opposite. So I added some more velocity for those guys.”
Lugo is 2-0 with a 1.61 ERA in four games (three starts) against the Angels. Both wins came in 2024.
Detmers has alternated good and not-so-good starts thus far. After allowing one run in seven innings to beat the New York Yankees 7-1 on April 14, he was touched for four runs on five his in six innings of a 5-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays last Monday. He struck out five and walked two.
Detmers is 0-1 with a 6.62 ERA in five games (three starts) against the Royals.
On Saturday, Kansas City’s Salvador Perez had three hits, including a home run. Cole Ragans pitched six strong innings and the Royals pulled away late, scoring three runs in the seventh and four in the eighth as the Angels resorted to position player Adam Frazier pitching in the eighth inning.
Nick Loftin had two hits and drove in four runs for the Royals, and Bobby Witt, Jr., Michael Massey and Kyle Isbel had two hits each.
“We all know what these guys are capable of,” Ragans said. “Watching them put in the work day-in and day-out, it’s just a matter of time. It’s an unbelievable group of guys and so much fun to watch.”
Ragans also was fun to watch Saturday, as he allowed one run on five hits and struck out 11 without a walk.
The Royals will look to win a season-high three straight games for just the second time this season.
Jo Adell homered and Vaughn Grissom had three hits and is 6-for-12 in his past three games for the Angels, who have lost six of their past seven games. They have scored two runs or less in five of the losses.
On Saturday, the Angels were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base.
“It’s one of those things,” manager Kurt Suzuki said. “When it gets rolling for the other team, it gets rolling, and it just seems like you can’t do anything right. One game. Just move on to the next.”
Los Angeles catcher Logan O’Hoppe departed the game after the seventh inning with left wrist irritation after taking a foul tip off the wrist.
–Field Level Media
#Deadspin #Royals #call #stellar #veteran #RHP #Seth #Lugo #Angels
Apr 9, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Seth Lugo (67) throws a pitch in the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images The Kansas City Royals will go for their first series sweep of the season when they host the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday night.
The Royals rapped out 14 hits and benefited from 10 walks in a 12-1 rout of the Angels on Saturday.
Kansas City right-hander Seth Lugo (1-1, 1.15 ERA) will oppose left-hander Reid Detmers (1-2, 4.08) in the series finale — a rare nationally televised game for these teams.
Lugo will look to continue his stellar start to 2026. The 36-year-old has allowed two earned runs or less in each of his five starts and has pitched into the seventh inning four times.
Last time out, he tossed seven shutout innings Monday in a no-decision against the Baltimore Orioles. He left with a 1-0 lead after allowing one hit, striking out seven and walking four, but the bullpen couldn’t hold the lead. Baltimore won 7-5 in 12 innings.
“There were a couple of guys that I know they could hit a good breaker that’s sharp like that,” Lugo said of his strategy against the Orioles. “So I took some off for them. But the other guys are the opposite. So I added some more velocity for those guys.”
Lugo is 2-0 with a 1.61 ERA in four games (three starts) against the Angels. Both wins came in 2024.
Detmers has alternated good and not-so-good starts thus far. After allowing one run in seven innings to beat the New York Yankees 7-1 on April 14, he was touched for four runs on five his in six innings of a 5-2 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays last Monday. He struck out five and walked two.
Detmers is 0-1 with a 6.62 ERA in five games (three starts) against the Royals.
On Saturday, Kansas City’s Salvador Perez had three hits, including a home run. Cole Ragans pitched six strong innings and the Royals pulled away late, scoring three runs in the seventh and four in the eighth as the Angels resorted to position player Adam Frazier pitching in the eighth inning.
Nick Loftin had two hits and drove in four runs for the Royals, and Bobby Witt, Jr., Michael Massey and Kyle Isbel had two hits each.
“We all know what these guys are capable of,” Ragans said. “Watching them put in the work day-in and day-out, it’s just a matter of time. It’s an unbelievable group of guys and so much fun to watch.”
Ragans also was fun to watch Saturday, as he allowed one run on five hits and struck out 11 without a walk.
The Royals will look to win a season-high three straight games for just the second time this season.
Jo Adell homered and Vaughn Grissom had three hits and is 6-for-12 in his past three games for the Angels, who have lost six of their past seven games. They have scored two runs or less in five of the losses.
On Saturday, the Angels were 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and left seven men on base.
“It’s one of those things,” manager Kurt Suzuki said. “When it gets rolling for the other team, it gets rolling, and it just seems like you can’t do anything right. One game. Just move on to the next.”
Los Angeles catcher Logan O’Hoppe departed the game after the seventh inning with left wrist irritation after taking a foul tip off the wrist.
–Field Level Media
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