Royals ace Seth Lugo joins exclusive company with latest historic road start
By Thomas Erbe
How about these Kansas City Royals? In a wide-open and winnable division, they are keeping pace right with the Cleveland Guardians. Now, with a record of 35-22, they are just 2.5 games behind the Cleveland Guardians. Some of their success is thanks to the ace of their pitching staff, Seth Lugo.
Lugo dominated the Twins on Wednesday in Minnesota, giving up just one run in six innings pitched. He earned his ninth win of the season, improving to a 9-1 on the year.
Lugo now has Major League Baseball's best earned run average at 1.72. The Royals' 3.35 ERA as a unit is also good enough for the sixth-best in baseball. While the Royals are good as a unit, Lugo is undoubtedly a staple and determining factor in their success.
What's really impressive is how Lugo is performing on the road. A statistic has emerged showing he is now part of a club that includes just him and an all-time great.
Greg Maddux (good at baseball) was, until yesterday, the only pitcher in the modern era (a long time) to win at least his first six (7) road starts while giving up 0 or 1 run. That was 1995 and he won the Cy Young. The @Royals Seth Lugo now is the second member of that club. pic.twitter.com/XozgIqT4wn
— Jason Hanna (@JasonHannaphoto) May 30, 2024
Seth Lugo matches Greg Maddux in early road success
Seth Lugo has now started seven games on the road in 2024. Not only has he won every one of those starts, he has given up one run at most every time. Greg Maddux is the only other starting pitcher in the modern era who can say the same. He accomplished this in 1995 with the Atlanta Braves. That year, Maddux went on to win the NL Cy Young Award, and the Braves won the World Series.
Anytime you do something alongside Greg Maddux, you're probably doing something right. Lugo is in the first year of his three-year, $45 million deal with the Royals. He has an opt-out after 2025 and will become a free agent again after the 2026 season.
The Royals have a core of young talent beginning to emerge and produce. Combined with Lugo's success, Salvador Perez's veteran leadership, and a winnable division, don't overlook this team making some noise soon.
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