Kansas City Royals DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Seth Lugo (9-2) pitched seven innings and allowed four runs on eight hits with one walk and four runs allowed in a 4-2 loss Monday night against the New York Yankees. The loss was only the second of the season for the 34-year-old veteran, who owns a 2.36 ERA and 1.04 WHIP in 91 1/3 innings pitched. Though he's been outstanding so far this year, this is the second game in a row Lugo has allowed four earned runs or more after only having one such outing in his first 12 starts combined. The road doesn't look like it will get any easier for Lugo, as he's projected for a matchup with two-way superstar Shohei Ohtani and the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday.

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Cole Ragans dominated the Seattle Mariners on Sunday, striking out nine over six innings of one-run ball in a 6-5 extra-innings loss. Ragans did all he could to get a win in this one, allowing just three hits and a walk, but the bullpen let him down. Outside of a couple blow-up starts, the 2023 breakout has lived up to expectations and then some this season. He now owns a 3.08 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 98 strikeouts in 79 IP. He should be treated as a fantasy ace at this point.

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Cole Ragans went six strong against the Padres on Sunday in a 4-3 win. Ragans didn't pick up the win as he left in a 1-1 tie, but he was solid enough to earn a quality start. The lefty allowed just one run on five hits and two walks while punching out six. It was his fourth start in a row allowing two or fewer earned runs while striking out six or more. While the ratios aren't eye-popping, his 3.21 ERA and 1.19 WHIP are solid while his 89 strikeouts in 73 IP put him near the top of the leaderboard. He should be viewed as a high-end starter in fantasy, and buying him now might be worth a shot.

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha (foot) was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left foot fracture. As a result, Daniel Lynch IV will take Wacha's spot in the rotation. Wacha said he never felt any pain on the mound but did feel sore after his most recent start on Friday May 31. The 32-year-old posted a 4.24 ERA and 1.25 WHIP across 68 innings this season and is likely to miss an extended period of time. Lynch has made two starts this season and has looked quite strong with a 1.50 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, and an 8:2 K:BB ratio through 12 innings. He is worth a look in AL-only formats in favorable matchups.

Texas Rangers starting pitcher Michael Lorenzen went six-and-a-third innings in Saturday's 7-0 victory over the Marlins, allowing zero runs on five hits and two walks while striking out seven on his way to picking up the win. The outing was Lorenzen's fourth straight quality start, pitching to a 1.05 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, and a 21:12 K:BB in 25 2/3 IP during this stretch. The righty has been mostly good aside from two outings since coming off the IL, going 3-3 while posting a 2.96 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and a 44:26 K:BB on the season. The 2023 All-Star will get the Giants at home in his next start next Saturday.