The Royals were defeated by the Brewers on Sunday.
The Kansas City Royals lost to the Milwaukee Brewers on Sunday. Kris Bubic started in the 8-5 defeat. He did not have his best stuff, as Bubic allowed four runs across five innings of work. He did strike out eight hitters, however.
The 2025 All-Star was coming off of a strong first start of the 2026 campaign. While the strikeouts were present, Bubic was not on top of his game against the Brewers. Manager Matt Quatraro commented on Bubic's performance following the contest.
"It was a battle for him," Quatraro said. "We've talked about it all series, I mean, they make you work. But his command was a little bit off, that's unusual. They made him pay for the walks."
Bubic walked three hitters. Between the eight strikeouts and three walks, his pitch count increased quickly. While allowing runs obviously played a role, his pitch count also led to his short start.
"I don't think he was sharp," Quatraro added.
The Royals know how talented Bubic is when he is on top of his game. The fact that eight strikeouts and only four runs allowed is well below their standards for him says everything fans need to know about how much belief Kansas City has in Bubic.
Royals Lose to Brewers
Bubic did not have too much help from the bullpen after leaving the game. Kansas City relievers surrendered four more runs in the defeat. Christian Yelich and Willson Contreras led Milwaukee with two hits each. The Brewers' offense features plenty of talent, and the Royals figured that out on Sunday.
For the Royals, Maikel Garcia had two hits and a home run to go along with three RBIs. He was an All-Star last year and is looking to have another big season in 2026. Vinnie Pasquantino added two hits and two RBIs as well.
Offense was not the problem for the Royals against the Brewers in the game. Five runs will often leave the team in a quality position to earn a victory. The pitching simply never found a rhythm, however.
What's Next for the Royals?
The Royals are now 4-5 overall after losing their series 2-1 to the Brewers during the weekend. It was a difficult series. Nevertheless, Kansas City should be able to bounce back soon.
The Cleveland Guardians currently hold a lead over the Royals for first place in the American League Central. The Royals will play the Guardians in Cleveland in a three-game series this week, with the first contest scheduled for Monday night.
The series will last from Monday-Wednesday. First pitch is scheduled for 6:10 PM EST on Monday night in the series opening game.