The Royals lose 8-3 to the Mets on July 11, 2025, after the bullpen collapses, wasting a Bobby Witt Jr. homer. Read how a late lead turned into a devastating loss.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a game the Kansas City Royals had in their grasp. A solid start from Michael Wacha and a go-ahead, two-run blast from Bobby Witt Jr. in the seventh had the team poised for a crucial victory. But in a brutal turn of events, the bullpen crumbled, turning a late lead into a deflating 8-3 loss to the New York Mets, leaving fans to wonder what could have been.
Leading 3-1 in the 7th inning, the Royals ultimately fell 8-3 after a disastrous bullpen collapse.
Friday night felt like a classic Royals formula for success, right up until it wasn't. Michael Wacha was masterful, navigating five innings while allowing just a single run. When Bobby Witt Jr. launched his homer in the top of the seventh, putting KC ahead 3-1, the win felt secure. The feeling didn't last. The eighth inning proved to be the turning point, as Steven Cruz surrendered a bases-clearing double to Mark Vientos. The ninth was even uglier, with Francisco Lindor and Juan Soto adding back-to-back homers to pour salt in the wound. The loss dropped the Royals to 46-49, putting them four games back in the Wild Card hunt.
The beauty of baseball is that there's always tomorrow. Tonight, the Royals have a chance at redemption as they send Michael Lorenzen (5-8, 4.61 ERA) to the mound. He'll face Mets righty Frankie Montas, who has struggled to a 6.14 ERA this season. This looks like a favorable matchup on paper, and the Royals desperately need Lorenzen to provide a steadying presence. Offensively, the team will lean on guys like Maikel Garcia, who boasts a .301 average, and Vinnie Pasquantino, the club's leader in homers (15) and RBI (56), to get the bats going early and support their starter.
While the big league club deals with its recent skid, there were no major roster shakeups or injury reports on Saturday. This signals that management believes this current group can get the job done. Meanwhile, the future continues to look bright down on the farm. While no specific games were on the docket for Saturday, top prospects like 2024 first-rounder Jac Caglianone continue to develop, offering a glimpse of the next wave of talent that could one day help prevent the very collapses that cost the team on Friday.
Tonight's game is more than just another box score; it's a test of this team's resilience. Can the Royals shake off a gut-wrenching loss and get back on track, or will the bullpen's struggles continue to haunt them? With the Wild Card race tightening, every game counts. All eyes will be on Michael Lorenzen and the offense to right the ship and even the series against the Mets.
