Royals' Michael Wacha: Ambushed early in third loss
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Wacha (4-3) took the loss Sunday against the Rangers, allowing six runs on eight hits and four walks across five innings. He struck out five.
Wacha got into trouble early, surrendering three extra-base hits that contributed to a four-run first inning for the Rangers. After permitting another pair of runs in the fourth frame, the right-hander tied a season high with six runs allowed. Despite the poor showing Sunday, the veteran's numbers on the season remain strong with a 3.23 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and 65:26 K:BB across 75.1 innings (12 starts). His next outing is tentatively scheduled for Friday against the Twins.
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Royals' Michael Wacha: Settles for no-decision vs. Yankees
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Wacha did not factor into the decision Monday against the Yankees, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five over seven innings.
Wacha surrendered two runs in the second inning, including a solo homer by Cody Bellinger, but the veteran right-hander settled in afterward. Over his final five innings, Wacha allowed just two hits and closed the outing by retiring 10 straight batters. Monday marked his fifth consecutive quality start and also his fifth outing of at least seven innings this season. He lowered his season ERA to 2.69 while carrying a 1.02 WHIP and 60:22 K:BB across 70.1 innings. Wacha is scheduled to face Cincinnati in his next start.
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Royals' Michael Wacha: Quality start in no-decision
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Wacha didn't factor into the decision Wednesday against the Red Sox, allowing two runs (one earned) on six hits and two walks with eight strikeouts across six innings.
All four of Wacha's outings this month have resulted in quality starts. He left with a 3-2 lead Wednesday, but Steven Cruz coughed up a two-run homer to Jarren Duran in the top of the seventh inning to spoil a potential victory for Wacha. The right-hander still racked up a season-high eight strikeouts and lowered his ERA to 2.70 with a career-best 1.03 WHIP and 55:20 K:BB across 63.1 innings this year. Wacha is slated to make his next start at home against the Yankees early next week.
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Royals' Michael Wacha: Posts quality start Friday
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Wacha didn't factor into the decision Friday against the Cardinals, allowing three runs on five hits and a walk while fanning five across six innings.
Wacha was unable to repeat what he'd done the last time out, when he tossed seven scoreless innings against the Tigers on May 9, but at least he posted a third consecutive quality start. Wacha owns a 2.25 ERA and 14:4 K:BB across 20 innings in three appearances since the beginning of May, and he'll aim to keep it rolling in his next start against the Red Sox next week.
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Royals' Michael Wacha: Excels again Saturday
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Wacha (4-2) earned the win over Detroit on Saturday, tossing seven scoreless innings during which he gave up two hits and walked two batters while striking out six.
Wacha faced little resistance from the Tigers, who managed just two hits against him. The veteran righty tossed 54 of 89 pitches for strikes and tallied six punchouts despite inducing only four whiffs. Wacha registered his second straight quality start and sixth overall through eight outings on the season. As usual, he hasn't been racking up punchouts with a modest 42 through 51.1 frames overall, but Wacha has otherwise been a valuable fantasy asset given his 2.63 ERA and 0.99 WHIP, both of which rank within the top 20 among qualified pitchers.
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Royals' Michael Wacha: Seven strong innings in third win
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Wacha (3-2) earned the win Monday against the Guardians, allowing two runs on four hits and one walk in seven innings. He struck out three.
After giving up 10 runs across his prior two starts, the 34-year-old right-hander got back on track Monday. It was the fifth time this year that Wacha worked at least six frames while yielding two runs or fewer, though the three punchouts did tie a season low. Wacha carries a steady 3.05 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 35:16 K:BB over 44.1 innings, but he's set to be tested with a tough matchup against the division-rival Tigers this weekend.
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Royals' Michael Wacha: Yields four runs in loss
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Wacha (2-2) allowed four runs on eight hits and four walks while striking out five over five innings to take the loss versus the Athletics on Wednesday.
Wacha threw 64 of 105 pitches for strikes. The biggest hit against him was Lawrence Butler's three-run blast in the fourth inning. After allowing just three runs over his first four starts, Wacha's given up 10 runs across 10.1 innings over his last two outings. He's at a 3.13 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and 33:14 K:BB through 37.1 innings over six starts this season. The veteran right-hander has kept his ERA under 4.00 in each of the previous four seasons, so he should be pretty close to leveling off after his unsustainable hot start to the year. He's projected to make his next start at home versus the Guardians.
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Royals' Michael Wacha: Takes first loss
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Wacha (2-1) took the loss Wednesday against the Orioles, allowing six runs on seven hits and two walks over 5.1 innings. He struck out five.
After giving up a two-run homer to Pete Alonso in the first inning, Wacha would settle in and hold the Orioles scoreless over his next four frames. However, things would unravel in the sixth, when four straight batters reached safely against the right-hander, all of whom would come around to score. Wacha had been stellar prior to Wednesday -- he turned in quality starts in each of his first four outings, allowing just three runs across 27 innings. Wacha will carry a 2.51 ERA with a 0.93 WHIP and 28:10 K:BB into his next start, currently slated to come on the road against the A's.
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Royals' Michael Wacha: Strikes out six in no-decision
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Wacha did not factor into the decision in Friday's 4-2 loss to the Yankees, allowing two runs on three hits and three walks with six strikeouts over six innings.
Wacha surrendered a two-run homer in the fourth inning but otherwise kept the Yankees in check. It actually marked a season high in runs allowed for the 34-year-old, and he's now 4-for-4 in quality starts to open the campaign. He'll carry a sterling 1.00 ERA, 0.78 WHIP and 23:8 K:BB over 27 innings into a home matchup against the Orioles next week.
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Royals' Michael Wacha: Tosses eight scoreless innings
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Wacha (2-0) earned the win against the White Sox on Saturday, allowing four hits and one walk while striking out seven across eight scoreless innings.
It was another spectacular performance from Wacha, who tossed only 88 pitches (63 strikes) across his eight innings of work, generating 15 whiffs and 10 flyouts in the process. The veteran right-hander has logged quality starts in each of his three outings this season and has a 0.43 ERA. 0.95 WHIP and 17:5 K:BB over 21 innings. Wacha will look to extend his winning streak to three games in his next start, which is slated for next week on the road against the Yankees.
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Royals' Michael Wacha: Strong through seven
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Wacha (1-0) earned the win Monday against the Guardians, allowing one run on three hits and three walks while striking out three in seven innings of work.
Wacha missed his original scheduled start date Friday with illness, but he delivered a performance worth the wait Monday. The 34-year-old worked his way ahead of hitters well, throwing first-pitch strikes to 18 of the 26 batters he faced, and found his way to 21 outs while allowing just one run. The right-hander has been tough to touch in his first two starts this season, sporting a 0.69 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, 10 strikeouts and four walks in 13 innings pitched.
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Royals' Michael Wacha: Tabbed to start Monday
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Wacha (illness) is slated to start against Cleveland on Monday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Wacha came down with an illness in the middle of this week and couldn't make his scheduled start Friday versus Milwaukee. However, the right-hander appears to have turned a corner in his recovery over the weekend and will now slot back into the rotation Monday. Noah Cameron is slated to start Tuesday, while Cole Ragans is scheduled to start the series finale Wednesday.
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Royals' Michael Wacha: Dealing with illness
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Wacha (illness) will be forced to miss his scheduled start Friday against the Brewers, Jaylon T. Thompson of The Kansas City Star reports.
Wacha is dealing with an apparent illness and as a result will now have his turn skipped in the Royals' rotation. The 34-year-old will shift his sights on being ready to go for his next tentative turn on the mound in Cleveland next week. In the meantime, Kansas City recalled Luinder Avila from Triple-A Omaha on Thursday, and he's expected to toe the rubber in the team's series opener against Milwaukee at home Friday.
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Royals' Michael Wacha: Settles for no-decision
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Wacha took a no-decision Saturday against Atlanta, allowing no runs on three hits and one walk in six innings. He struck out seven.
Wacha performed about as well as one could have expected in his season debut against a tough Atlanta lineup, scattering three singles across six shutout frames. The veteran right-hander had been in line for the win, but Carlos Estevez imploded in the ninth inning by yielding six runs and blowing the save. Wacha threw 80 pitches Saturday, so he'll be looking to increase his pitch count in his next scheduled start at home versus the Brewers.
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Royals' Michael Wacha: Tosses five frames in exhibition
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Wacha allowed two runs on four hits and three walks across five innings in Monday's exhibition loss to the Rangers. He struck out five.
In his final outing before the start of the regular season, Wacha turned in his longest appearance of the spring, tossing five serviceable frames, with the primary blemish coming on a Brandon Nimmo two-run homer in the third inning. It wasn't a stellar spring for the right-hander, who posted a 6.89 ERA and 1.72 WHIP with a 21:10 K:BB across 15.2 innings, though there shouldn't be too much stock put into the preseason performances of an established veteran. Coming off a 2025 campaign in which he registered a 3.86 ERA and 1.22 WHIP across 31 starts and 172.2 innings -- his fourth consecutive season with an ERA below 4.00 -- Wacha will aim to remain a steady presence in the Royals' rotation entering 2026.
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Royals' Michael Wacha: Clean spring outing
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Wacha allowed no hits or walks across two scoreless innings in Sunday's Cactus League win over the Brewers. He struck out three.
Wacha followed Sunday's starter, lefty Kris Bubic, and looked in control, recording three strikeouts and allowing no baserunners over two innings. The veteran right-hander bounced back from a shakier first Cactus League outing Tuesday, when he surrendered a run on three hits and three walks across two frames. Coming off a 2025 campaign in which he posted a 3.86 ERA and 1.22 WHIP over 31 starts and 172.2 innings -- his fourth consecutive season with an ERA below 4.00 -- Wacha will aim to remain a steady presence in the Royals' rotation entering 2026.
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Royals' Michael Wacha: Gets to 10-win mark
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Wacha (10-13) allowed two hits and three walks while striking out five over six scoreless innings to earn the win Saturday over the Athletics.
Wacha was able to end the season on a high note with his first quality start in five outings. The veteran right-hander earned a decision in each of his last 10 starts, going 6-4 with a 4.55 ERA after the start of August. His year as a whole was a little better than that last stretch despite the poor record, as he finished 2025 with a 3.86 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 126:45 K:BB over 172.2 innings across 31 starts, though it was a slight step back from his work over the previous three seasons.
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Royals' Michael Wacha: Yields six runs in loss
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Wacha (9-13) took the loss against the Blue Jays on Sunday, allowing six runs on eight hits and one walk while striking out four across five innings.
It was another tough outing for Wacha, who gave up three runs in both the second and fifth frames and generated just seven whiffs on 89 pitches (58 strikes). The veteran right-hander had a 3.45 ERA and 1.18 WHIP over 159 innings prior to landing on the 7-day injured list due to a concussion. In his two starts since being reinstated from the IL, Wacha has allowed 13 runs on 17 hits over 7.2 innings. He's slated to make his last start of the regular season next weekend on the road against the Athletics.
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Royals' Michael Wacha: Shelled in return from IL
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Wacha (9-12) took the loss Tuesday, allowing seven runs on nine hits and no walks over 2.2 innings against the Mariners. He recorded no strikeouts.
Wacha was rocked in his first start back from a brief injured list stint for a concussion, lasting fewer than three innings while surrendering six extra-base hits, including homers to Dominic Canzone and Cal Raleigh. The veteran right-hander entered with a 3.45 ERA and 1.18 WHIP, but those marks climbed to 3.79 and 1.22, respectively, across 29 starts and 161.2 innings this season.
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Royals' Michael Wacha: Returning from IL on Tuesday
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The Royals will reinstate Wacha (concussion) from the 7-day injured list to start Tuesday's home game against the Mariners, Jaylon T. Thompson of The Kansas City Star reports.
Kansas City will restore two of its top starters to the rotation during the upcoming series with Seattle, as Cole Ragans (shoulder) is in line to return from the 60-day injured list Wednesday. After being placed on the 7-day IL last Tuesday, Wacha will wind up just a little over the minimum amount of time due to the concussion, which he sustained in what the team described as an "off-field accident," per MLB.com. Wacha was cleared to resume throwing shortly after being deactivated and shouldn't be operating with any restrictions Tuesday.
