By MATT PIKE
St. Joseph Post
The Kansas City Royals offense struggled to make any solid contact off Red Sox starting pitcher Kutter Crawford, falling 5-0 in the penultimate game of the first half of the MLB season.
The Red Sox scored all five runs through five innings and held the Royals to just four hits in the shutout, Crawford striking out four, walking one, and giving up two of the hits.
Royals starter Seth Lugo struggled through five innings, giving up 10 hits and all five runs, however he did strike out six batters. Despite the rough start, Lugo still has a strong case to start the All Star game on Tuesday, his record at 11-4 with a 2.48 ERA.
If Lugo does earn the starting nod on Tuesday, he would be the first Royal to start a Midsummer Classic since Bret Saberhagen in 1987.
The Royals and Red Sox will wrap up their series on Sunday before heading into the All Star Break. Brady Singer is scheduled to start against Brayan Bello. First pitch is at 12:35pm with pregame at noon on KFEQ.
Royals add reliever Hunter Harvey in trade with Nationals
Kansas City acquired right handed relief pitcher Hunter Harvey Saturday in a trade that sent third base prospect Cayden Wallace and their Competive Balance A pick, No. 39 overall, to the Washington Nationals. 4
Harvey this season has recorded a 4.29 ERA in 43 appearances for the Nationals. Last season, he had a 2.82 ERA and recorded 10 saves and 19 holds. Since 2022, Harvey has a 27.8% strikeout rate and a 6.4% walk rate.
The Royals have been searching for a power arm and more strike-throwing in the bullpen, which ranks 21st in baseball with a 4.26 ERA. Harvey, with his 98 mph fastball, fits the profile
Harvey’s also not a free agent until 2026, giving the Royals a full season of control following this year. That was something the Royals were adamant about acquiring, especially if they had to give up top prospects
Wallace, 22, was the Royals’ second-round pick in 2022 out of Arkansas and has been in Double-A Northwest Arkansas this year, although he has missed a good chunk of the season, first with an oblique strain and now a rib fracture, which he suffered while on a rehab assignment for his oblique. He has a career .265/.342/.420 slash line in the Minors with 18 home runs over the last three seasons.