The last time the KC Royals faced the Baltimore Orioles, Seth Lugo left the stadium frustrated and batting his glove, even though there was still a lot of season ahead of him. Now, as he prepares to face the AL East runner-up again, the stakes are much higher and there is far less room for error.

Baltimore gave Lugo his first non-quality start on April 21, in his fifth appearance in a Royals jersey. Two home runs and nine hits led to a short stint and marked his first loss in a 5-0 loss to Kansas City. This game was the first blemish on Lugo's record and proved that he wasn't perfect – although he recovered quickly and looked like he was.

The KC Royals leaning on Seth Lugo is nothing new in 2024

The veteran's debut season in Kansas City was a success by any measure. An All-Star selection, top-five in quality starts and wins, and one of the best seasons since Zack Greinke's 2009 Cy Young campaign. But his first postseason start could either cement or tarnish all of that.

When Lugo takes the mound on Wednesday, he'll be following Cole Ragans' standout performance from the previous day. The southpaw blanked the Orioles by striking out eight while allowing just four hits in six innings. Topping that will be a tall order, but if any Royals pitcher can do it, it's Lugo.

Lugo is no stranger to postseason action, with three playoff appearances, all with the 2022 New York Mets. While that team didn't advance beyond the Wild Card, Lugo did his part by not allowing two busy innings. He's only faced nine batters, but that's still more postseason experience than most of this Royals team.

The fact is, Lugo's start in Baltimore is essentially crucial – not just for the Royals, but for him as well. Winter brings shorter days but the same number of hours. A loss or anything less than a good start leaves Royals fans room to smile and think about how Wednesday's outcome might be different if Lugo looked like his spring self, where he snapped a six-game winning streak in seven starts had. Maybe a poor performance just feels like the same thing after Lugo's weaker second half of the season.

Lugo has at least one more year in Kansas City, with the franchise that bet on him as a starter – a bet that paid off during the regular season. But now the stakes are higher, the wins and losses are more critical, and the hopes of a fan base rest on his right arm. When Lugo steps off the mound at Camden Yards, let's hope it's with signs of satisfaction and pride rather than frustration after a subpar outing.

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