Coming in, both clubs had actually won 2 of their last 5, so this wasn't exactly a matchup of teams playing out the string without any life. Kansas City had just blitzed Philadelphia 15-1, and New York had scratched out consecutive comeback wins over Atlanta. That recent scrappiness showed up again here — this was a game where nobody wanted to go quietly, even with both teams sitting well below .500 in mid-July.
- 10-Day-ILVinnie Pasquantino (1B) — Pasquantino (hand) will begin a rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.07/06
- 10-Day-ILKyle Isbel (CF) — Isbel will not begin a rehab assignment Tuesday as hoped after feeling soreness in his left foot while running this past weekend, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.07/06
- 10-Day-ILMaikel Garcia (3B) — Garcia (hand) is rehabbing in Kansas City but has yet to resume swinging a bat, and he'll be re-evaluated during the All-Star break, MLB.com reports.07/05
- bereavementStephen Kolek (SP) — The Royals placed Kolek (personal) on the Family Medical Emergency List on Saturday.07/05
- 15-Day-ILConnor Seabold (RP) — The Royals placed Seabold on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with a right lat strain.07/01
- 15-Day-ILNick Mears (RP) — Mears (shoulder) threw a bullpen Saturday, MLB.com reports.06/29
- 60-Day-ILKris Bubic (SP) — Bubic (elbow/shoulder) received a cortisone injection Thursday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.07/02
- 60-Day-ILCole Ragans (SP) — Ragans underwent UCL repair surgery on his left elbow Wednesday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.07/02
- 60-Day-ILCarlos Estevez (RP) — Estevez (shoulder) received an injection Wednesday and will be shut down for the rest of the week before being re-evaluated, MLB.com reports.07/02
- 60-Day-ILJonathan India (2B) — no06/04
- 60-Day-ILJames McArthur (RP) — McArthur (elbow) underwent surgery Friday to help combat continued soreness and inflammation, MLB.com reports.05/25
- 60-Day-ILAlec Marsh (SP) — The Royals placed Marsh (shoulder) on the 60-day injured list Thursday.05/08
- 10-Day-ILMarcus Semien (2B) — Semien was diagnosed Monday with a Grade 3 left hip flexor strain and is expected to be out for 4-to-6 weeks, at a minimum, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.06/29
- 60-Day-ILClay Holmes (SP) — Holmes (fibula) might begin a rehab assignment in the second half of July, Tim Britton of The Athletic reports.07/06
- 60-Day-ILLuis Robert Jr. (CF) — Robert (back) will start a rehab assignment with Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.06/29
- 60-Day-ILDedniel Nunez (RP) — Nunez (elbow) will begin a rehab assignment with Single-A St. Lucie on Thursday, Michael Mayer of MetsmerizedOnline.com reports.06/25
- 60-Day-ILReed Garrett (RP) — The Mets placed Garrett (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Tuesday.05/08
- 60-Day-ILJustin Hagenman (RP) — The Mets placed Hagenman on the 60-day injured list Saturday due to a rib fracture.05/08
- 60-Day-ILTylor Megill (SP) — The Mets placed Megill (elbow) on the 60-day injured list Thursday, Anthony DiComo of MLB.com reports.05/08
The injury lists explain a lot of the sloppiness on both sides. Kansas City is still waiting on Vinnie Pasquantino, Kyle Isbel and Maikel Garcia to work back from their own ailments, and it showed in the field — the Royals committed 3 errors. The Mets, missing Marcus Semien and Luis Robert Jr. from an already thin lineup, leaned on names like Ewing to pick up the slack, and he delivered all night.
A 5-run 5th put Kansas City in front for good at 9-5, and a 7-run 7th — capped by a Nick Loftin homer — buried any hope of a Mets rally. Lane Thomas drove in 4 for the Royals, matching Ewing's monster night at the plate for New York, but it wasn't nearly enough support behind a bullpen game that never had a chance to settle in. For two clubs jockeying for position near the bottom of their divisions, this one was a reminder of just how far both rosters still have to go before the July 31 trade deadline reshapes them.