Royals Recap
Hosted by Big Dill
About This Episode
Generated sports podcast with host Big Dill based on prompt: Kansas City Royals daily updates. If they played a game yesterday give me the highlights.
Transcript
Welcome back to Big Dill Sports! I'm Dillon, and you're tuning in to another episode of "Royals Recap." Last night, the Kansas City Royals took on the Seattle Mariners at Kauffman Stadium. It wasn't the outcome we hoped for, as the Royals fell 12-5, marking their first loss to Seattle in this three-game set.
Seattle is on fire, extending their win streak to ten games, while the Royals' shot at a Wild Card berth seems to be slipping away. A humid Tuesday night brought 20,017 fans to the stands, but the game felt longer than its 2-hour and 55-minute duration, especially as our boys trailed significantly through the first half.
Now, let's dive into some highlights. Despite the loss, rookie catcher Carter Jensen gave us something to cheer about. Jensen was a powerhouse, going 3-for-4 with two homers and a double. His solo shot in the fourth and two-run blast in the sixth were electrifying, and his deep fly in the eighth grazed the wall for a double. Fun fact: Jensen's the first Kansas City-born player to homer at Kauffman Stadium, and that’s certainly a 'big dill' moment worth celebrating!
Alongside Jensen, Kyle Isbel delivered a 2-for-4 performance, scoring once and driving in a run. Jonathan India got on base with one hit and crossed home plate twice. Veteran Mike Yastrzemski added an RBI with a sac fly, rounding out the highlights for Kansas City’s offense.
But, oh, the pitching struggles! Michael Wacha’s return from the concussion list didn’t go as planned. In just 2 2/3 innings, he gave up seven runs on nine hits. Daniel Lynch IV followed, allowing three more runs over 2 1/3 innings. On the positive side, reliever Luis Avila provided a scoreless inning with two strikeouts. However, the deficit was too great for the bullpen to overcome.
Defensively, it wasn't our best effort either. There was a throwing error by Vinnie Pasquantino, though Bobby Witt Jr.’s double plays were a nice touch. The real trouble came from Seattle’s bats, with Cal Raleigh tying Ken Griffey Jr.’s switch-hit homer record and Dominic Canzone going 5-for-5 with three homers.
As for the crowd, a standing ovation for Salvador Perez before the game reminded everyone of his deep connection with Royals Nation. Despite being held to a single hit, his presence always energizes Kauffman Stadium.
So, where does this leave us? With the loss, the Royals are now 10 games out from the AL Central leaders and 6½ back from the Wild Card spot. Is the postseason out of the question? Mathematically, not quite, but a miraculous run is needed.
Coming up, the Royals will try to bounce back. Lefty Cole Ragans is returning to the mound against Seattle’s Bryce Miller. Can our bats stay hot? Will the pitching finally find its groove? Only time will tell.
Thanks for tuning in to Big Dill Sports. Remember, Carter Jensen's performance made him this episode’s 'big dill.' Let's hope for more sparks in the next matchup. Until next time, keep that sports spirit alive, and Go Royals!
## Game Recap
The Kansas City Royals fell to the visiting Seattle Mariners by a final score of 12–5 at Kauffman Stadium on September 16, 2025, dropping their record to 75–76 and marking their first loss to Seattle in the opening game of this three-game set ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401697173)). Seattle’s victory extended its franchise-record win streak to ten games, while the Royals saw their magic number to clinch a Wild Card berth grow ever longer. Attendance at the ballpark was 20,017 on a humid Tuesday evening, and the contest lasted 2 hours and 55 minutes ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401697173)). Through the first five innings, Kansas City trailed 10–1, as an explosive Mariners offense capitalized early against the Royals’ rotation and bullpen.
## Offensive Standouts
Rookie catcher Carter Jensen provided Kansas City’s lone spark, going 3-for-4 with two home runs, a double, three runs scored and three RBIs. Jensen’s blasts came in the fourth inning (a 382-foot solo shot off Logan Gilbert) and the sixth inning (a two-run shot off Carlos Vargas), and his deep fly ball in the eighth ricocheted off the right-field wall for a double ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401697173)). The 21-year-old became the first Royals player born in Kansas City to homer at Kauffman Stadium ([mlb.com](https://www.mlb.com/stories/game/776302)). Outfielder Kyle Isbel chipped in with a 2-for-4 night, scoring once and driving in a run on an infield single in the eighth, and second baseman Jonathan India tallied one hit and scored twice ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401697173)). Veteran Mike Yastrzemski delivered Kansas City’s other RBI on a sacrifice fly in the eighth inning, while Salvador Perez received a standing ovation from the home crowd before the game but was held to a single hit in five at-bats ([mlb.com](https://www.mlb.com/stories/game/776302)).
## Pitching Struggles
Michael Wacha, making his first start back from the seven-day concussion list, was tagged with the loss after yielding seven earned runs on nine hits in just 2 2/3 innings. The veteran right-hander, now 9–12 on the season, struck out none and walked none while allowing two homers (both to Cal Raleigh) before departing in the third inning ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401697173)). Fellow starter Daniel Lynch IV followed with 2 1/3 innings of work, surrendering three more runs (all earned) on two hits and issuing one walk; he now carries a 3.20 ERA on the season ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401697173)). Reliever Luis Avila provided a bright spot, tossing a scoreless inning with two strikeouts, but the deficit proved insurmountable by the time Cole Long, Tom Clarke and Jonathan Bowlan wrapped up the final frames.
## Defensive Notes and Crowd Reactions
Defensively, Kansas City committed one error (Vinnie Pasquantino, throwing) and turned two double plays (both initiated by Bobby Witt Jr. on grounders to second). Despite the defensive miscues, the more glaring issues stemmed from the inability to retire Seattle’s middle-of-the-order bats, including Cal Raleigh’s two homers (ties Ken Griffey Jr.’s single-season club mark for switch-hit homers) and Dominic Canzone’s 5-for-5 performance with three long balls and four RBIs ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=401697173)). Salvador Perez, a fan favorite in Kansas City, received a prolonged standing ovation during pregame introductions, underscoring the ongoing bond between the veteran catcher and Royals Nation ([mlb.com](https://www.mlb.com/stories/game/776302)).
## Implications and Next Steps
With the defeat, the Royals remained 10 games behind the AL Central–leading Detroit Tigers (85–66) and 6½ games out of the final Wild Card spot, effectively ending any mathematically realistic path to October baseball barring an unprecedented late surge ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/mlb/boxscore/_/gameId/401697173)). Kansas City will attempt to avoid the sweep on September 17 when left-hander Cole Ragans (2–3, 5.18 ERA), making his first start since landing on the injured list on June 5, toes the rubber against Seattle’s Bryce Miller (4–5, 5.59 ERA) ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap?gameId=401697173)). As the Royals close out this season-defining series, the focus shifts to whether Jensen can sustain his power surge and whether the pitching staff can find consistency over the season’s final two weeks.
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