The Royals dropped four straight this stretch and didn't win a single game. It started with the finale against the New York Mets on Thursday, July 9, a 3-7 loss at Citi Field, then Kansas City went to Baltimore and got swept by the Orioles in three games, losing 3-5, 1-6, and 2-8. Add in the loss to the Mets the day before this stretch started, and that's a five-game losing streak. Over the last ten games the Royals are 3-7, and the run differential slipped from minus 71 to minus 88, a swing of 17 runs in the wrong direction. Outscored 26-9 across these four games, this was a rough one, plain and simple.
The standings didn't get any kinder. Kansas City sits fifth in the AL Central, and the gap behind the leader grew from 10 games back to 13. The Chicago White Sox took over the top spot after going 3-1, and the Cleveland Guardians were red hot too, going a perfect 4-0. The Minnesota Twins went 2-2 and sit 3 games back, while the Detroit Tigers also went 2-2 and are 6.5 back.
Not everything was bleak at the plate. Isaac Collins (LF) went 2 for 3 with a home run and an RBI on July 10, and Jac Caglianone (RF) matched him with a 2 for 4 day including a homer and an RBI that same game. Lane Thomas (CF) had hit a home run of his own back on July 9. Caglianone was the most consistent bat of the stretch, hitting .313 over the four games with 5 hits in 16 at-bats.
There's been no baseball since Sunday. The league paused for the All-Star Game on Tuesday, July 14, and the Royals have been off since their July 12 loss in Baltimore. They're back Friday, July 17 at 5:10 PM PDT, hosting the San Diego Padres at Kauffman Stadium for a three-game series.