Royals Recap

## Game Overview
On Wednesday, September 24, 2025, the Kansas City Royals dropped a tight contest to the Los Angeles Angels by a 3–2 margin at Angel Stadium in Anaheim, Calif. It was the second game of the three-game set, following Tuesday’s 8–4 Royals win that simultaneously knocked Kansas City out of wild-card contention. The loss snapped a brief surge in momentum, leaving the Royals deadlocked at .500 with a 79–79 record as they prepare for Thursday’s series finale ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/baseball/yusei-kikuchi-gets-back-winning-track-angels-edge-royals--flm-2025-09-25/)).

## Pitching Highlights
Los Angeles starter Yusei Kikuchi rebounded from a midseason slump to hand Kansas City its third straight defeat, firing five innings of one-run, one-hit ball while striking out six and issuing one walk. Kikuchi retired the first 10 batters he faced before departing with a left-hand cramp after a pre-inning warm-up pitch, finishing his season at 7–11 with a 3.99 ERA over 33 starts ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/baseball/yusei-kikuchi-gets-back-winning-track-angels-edge-royals--flm-2025-09-25/)).
On the mound for the Royals, Stephen Kolek (5–7) turned in six innings of work, surrendering three runs (two earned) on five hits, walking two and recording two strikeouts. Despite keeping Kansas City within striking distance into the seventh inning, Kolek was victimized by both timely Angels hitting and a defensive miscue that led to Anaheim’s third run ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/baseball/yusei-kikuchi-gets-back-winning-track-angels-edge-royals--flm-2025-09-25/)).

## Offensive Struggles
Kansas City’s offense was limited to just two hits, with only Randal Grichuk and Carter Jensen reaching base via contact. Grichuk snapped Kikuchi’s bid for dominance with a 400-foot solo homer to lead off the fifth inning, marking his ninth long ball of the season. The lone tying threat materialized in the seventh when Mike Yastrzemski was plunked, moved into scoring position on a groundout, and came home on Jensen’s pinch-hit RBI single ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/baseball/yusei-kikuchi-gets-back-winning-track-angels-edge-royals--flm-2025-09-25/)).
Beyond those two instances, the Royals were unable to mount sustained rallies against an Angels bullpen that secured the final six outs, underscoring Kansas City’s season-long inconsistency at the plate.

## Defensive Miscues
Defensively, Kansas City’s normally sure-handed unit had an uncharacteristic night, committing three errors that directly contributed to Anaheim’s scoring. The most costly occurred in the fourth inning when Kolek, attempting to back-pick a runner, threw wildly into center field to allow Oswald Peraza to score and extend the Angels’ lead to 3–0. The three miscues matched Kansas City’s total defensive lapses through its previous eight games combined, highlighting an uncharacteristic breakdown in fundamentals ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/baseball/yusei-kikuchi-gets-back-winning-track-angels-edge-royals--flm-2025-09-25/)).

## Season Context and Standings
Coming off Tuesday’s 8–4 victory—which officially eliminated them from AL wild-card contention—the Royals entered Wednesday’s game with a 79–78 mark. The loss evened their record at 79–79 and left them in third place in the American League Central, seven games behind division-leading Cleveland with just five contests remaining. Kansas City’s season has been marked by highs and lows: an unexpected late-August surge vaulted them into playoff contention, only for consecutive losses in Anaheim to stall their momentum ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap/_/gameId/401697262)).

## Player Spotlights
• Stephen Kolek (5–7, 3.76 ERA) has emerged as a reliable midseason addition to the rotation, posting a 3.76 ERA over 12 starts despite last night’s uneven outing. His ground-ball tendencies and low walk rate have been bright spots in Kansas City’s staff ([thescore.com](https://www.thescore.com/mlb/events/88641?utm_source=openai)).
• Randal Grichuk continued to provide pop in the lineup, launching his ninth home run—a 400-foot drive that cleared center field—for the Royals’ only long ball of the night ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/baseball/yusei-kikuchi-gets-back-winning-track-angels-edge-royals--flm-2025-09-25/)).
• Carter Jensen delivered a clutch pinch-hit single in the seventh inning, driving in Mike Yastrzemski for the team’s second run and showcasing depth on the bench ([reuters.com](https://www.reuters.com/sports/baseball/yusei-kikuchi-gets-back-winning-track-angels-edge-royals--flm-2025-09-25/)).

## Series Recap and Next Up
With the series split at one game apiece, Kansas City and Los Angeles will conclude their three-game set on Thursday night at Angel Stadium. The Angels are expected to counter with LHP Mitch Farris (1–2, 6.52 ERA), while the Royals will turn to RHP Michael Lorenzen (6–11, 4.70 ERA) in what could be a pivotal finale for both clubs as they close the season ([espn.com](https://www.espn.com/mlb/recap/_/gameId/401697277?utm_source=openai)).

## Outlook
As the Royals return home with five games left on the schedule, offensive consistency remains a pressing concern. Kansas City ranks tied for 26th in MLB with 4.0 runs per game and sits mid-league with a .247 batting average, while their pitching staff has performed admirably with a collective 3.76 ERA (6th in MLB) ([thescore.com](https://www.thescore.com/mlb/events/88641?utm_source=openai)). A strong finish will hinge on timely hitting and clean defense, factors that must improve if the Royals hope to end the season on a positive note.