Royals Fall to Astros as Injuries Mount

Erceg, Pasquantino latest Royals to succumb to injury

Kansas City's playoff hopes take another hit

The Kansas City Royals' playoff hopes took another hit on Tuesday night as they fell to the Houston Astros 6-2. The loss dropped the Royals to 68-64 on the season, 3.5 games back of the Minnesota Twins for the second Wild Card spot.

The Royals were without two key players in the game, as both catcher Salvador Perez and outfielder Andrew Benintendi were out with injuries. Perez is dealing with a sprained thumb, while Benintendi is nursing a bruised knee.

The Royals also lost two more players to injury during the game. In the fourth inning, third baseman Lucas Erceg left the game with a left shoulder impingement. In the sixth inning, first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino left the game with a left knee contusion.

The injuries to Erceg and Pasquantino are particularly concerning, as both players have been key contributors to the Royals' success this season. Erceg is batting .283 with 10 home runs and 45 RBIs, while Pasquantino is batting .278 with 18 home runs and 60 RBIs.

The Royals will now have to try to make a playoff push without two of their most important players. It will be a tough task, but the Royals have shown all season that they are a resilient team.

What they're saying about the injuries:

• "It's a tough blow to lose two guys like that," Royals manager Mike Matheny said. "We're going to have to find a way to pick up the slack."
• "I'm just trying to stay positive," Erceg said. "I'm going to do everything I can to get back on the field as soon as possible."
• "It's frustrating, but I'm going to keep working hard and try to get back as soon as I can," Pasquantino said.

What's next for the Royals?

The Royals will continue their series against the Astros on Wednesday night. Brad Keller will start for the Royals, while Luis Garcia will start for the Astros.

The Royals will then head to Chicago for a three-game series against the White Sox. After that, they will return home for a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians.

The Royals have 26 games remaining in the regular season. They will need to play well down the stretch if they want to make a playoff push.