Lugo will start Wednesday in Game 3 of the ALDS against the Yankees, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Lugo will toe the rubber Wednesday night after the Royals were able to even the series Monday. The right-hander turned in a decent outing in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series against Baltimore, allowing one run on five hits and one walk while striking out six over 4.1 innings.
Lugo allowed a hit and a walk while striking out three over two scoreless innings in a no-decision versus Atlanta on Saturday.
The Royals clinched their playoff spot Friday, so Lugo stayed on turn but only threw 36 pitches (23 strikes) in his final start of the regular season. The light workload should keep him fresh enough to make a start in the wild-card round. He finishes with a 16-9 record, 3.00 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 181:48 K:BB over a career-high 206.2 innings across 33 starts this season. Seattle's Logan Gilbert could surpass Lugo for the major-league lead in innings pitched this year, as the former enters his scheduled start Sunday with 203 frames over 32 starts.
Lugo (16-9) yielded two runs on three hits over seven innings Sunday, striking out five and taking a loss against the Giants.
Both runs and all three hits against Lugo came during the second inning, and he retired the final 16 batters he faced. Despite the strong outing, he was given the loss as the Royals were shut out by Blake Snell and the Giants' bullpen. Lugo has posted four quality starts over his last five appearances, producing a 2.02 ERA during that span. The veteran righty owns an impressive 3.03 ERA and 178:47 K:BB through 204.2 innings this season. Lugo is projected to finish his 2024 regular season with a start in Atlanta next weekend.
Royals' Seth Lugo: Can't escape fifth in no-decision
Rotowire
Lugo did not factor into the decision in Monday's 7-6 loss to the Tigers, allowing four runs on eight hits and two walks with four strikeouts over 4.2 innings.
Lugo entered the fifth frame with a 5-1 lead but was pulled after yielding four hits and three runs, including a two-run homer by Colt Keith. The 34-year-old had surrendered just two earned runs over three consecutive seven-inning efforts, but he has also yielded four earned runs or more in five of his past 10 outings. On the season, he owns a 3.05 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 173:47 K:BB across 197.2 innings and will try to eclipse the 200-inning mark for the first time in his career against the Giants this weekend.
Lugo (16-8) picked up the win in Tuesday's 5-0 victory over the Yankees, scattering three hits over seven scoreless innings. He struck out 10 without walking a batter.
The right-hander didn't even let a runner reach second base in a masterful performance, as Lugo fired 77 of 105 pitches for strikes en route to his third straight quality start and 21st of the year -- one back of major-league leaders Logan Gilbert and Zack Wheeler. Lugo will look to keep rolling in his next outing, which is scheduled for early next week at home against the Tigers.
