The Royals have struggled during the 2026 MLB season.
The Kansas City Royals are fresh off a sweep of the Los Angeles Angels. However, the team has struggled overall this season. At 11-17 overall, Kansas City is tied with the Chicago White Sox for last place in the American League Central division.
So, what is going wrong for the team?
The Royals have questions all around the roster. The offense has been far from stellar, but it is close to league average in a number of statistics. Pitching has been an issue, though.
The Royals have a 4.62 ERA in 2026. That mark is good for 25th in all of MLB. Kansas City needs a better overall pitching performance in order to bounce back.
Royals' Pitching Struggles
The entire pitching staff is not struggling. However, a number of talented hurlers have endured down seasons.
Cole Ragans has a 5.00 ERA so far in 2026. It is too early to panic, but Kansas city needs Ragans to be an ace. He is one of the best pitchers in baseball when he is on top of his game.
Noah Cameron has also failed to find success for the most part, as he has pitched to a 5.13 ERA. Meanwhile, Kris Bubic has a 4.08 ERA as of this story's publication.
Seth Lugo (2.63 ERA) and Michael Wacha (2.51 ERA) have both performed well. The veterans are getting the job done, but the rest of the rotation needs to step up.
Relievers such as Lucas Erceg (4.76 ERA), John Schreiber (5.00 ERA) and Alex Lange (7.71 ERA) have also underperformed. A good bullpen is crucial to success, and that has not been the case at times for Kansas City.
The good news is that many of the pitchers mentioned feature more than enough talent and potential to bounce back sooner rather than later. Kansas City' pitching could take a step forward without question. Still, the aforementioned pitchers need to get going. Having potential is one thing, but coming through when it matters is what the ball club needs.
The Royals had an off day on Monday after sweeping the Angels over the weekend. On Tuesday, the team will start a three-game series with the Athletics on the road. Kris Bubic will get the start in the game. He is a guy who certainly has the aforementioned potential but has been up and down this year.
First pitch is scheduled for 9:40 PM EST.