It’s been a miserable season for the Kansas City Royals. For pitcher Jordan Lyles, it’s been especially bad. On Monday, things got historically bad.
Through six innings in Monday’s game against the Detroit Tigers, Lyles was doing well. He’d allowed only one run on four hits and Kansas City led 4-1. Lyles started the seventh but ran into trouble. Miguel Cabrera singled against Lyles to open the inning, then Jonathan Schoop doubled. At that point, Lyles was pulled. Jake Rogers singled against Taylor to bring Cabrera and Schoop home, with both runs being charged to Lyles. Detroit scored three more times that inning to take a 6-4 lead. That stood as the final.
That’s certainly a frustrating loss, but what made it historic? It was Lyles’ 15th start of the season. Kansas City has lost every one of those starts. That’s never happened before in the history of either the American or National League.
The Royals have lost each of Jordan Lyles' 15 starts this season.
That is the longest losing streak when a pitcher starts to begin a season in AL/NL history. pic.twitter.com/kj9UHscqx9
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) June 20, 2023
Not all records are ones that players want to set. But good or bad, broken records are rarely ever ignored.
This was no exception, as baseball fans took note of Lyles’ struggles.
— Paul Mancano (@PaulMancano) June 20, 2023
And there you have it. Jordan Lyles is the first pitcher in the live-ball era, possibly the first in MLB history, whose team lost his first 15 starts of the season. Incredible.
It wasn't really even his fault tonight. This is just a pairing that never should have come to be.
— Rany Jazayerli (@jazayerli) June 20, 2023
History! https://t.co/Z7UDCrLfLw
— Jackson Schneider (@JBane87) June 20, 2023
I am rooting for Jordan Lyles to never win a game, just because it’d be really funny, but it’s hard not to feel bad for him tonight. He pitched great for 6 innings and never should have gone back out for the 7th. Hard to imagine Clarke giving up 6 runs if he starts the 6th.
— Ryan Landreth (@ryan_landreth) June 20, 2023
Making History https://t.co/TFUmufqLmG
— Christopher Tenpenny (@Tenpenny88) June 20, 2023
Things aren’t going to get any easier for Lyles and the Royals. Assuming there are no changes in the rotation, his next start will come on Saturday on the road against the Tampa Bay Rays, MLB’s best team.
