KANSAS CITY, Mo. — What once looked like a promising season is falling apart for the Kansas City Royals.

The Royals’ offense is nowhere to be found. On Saturday, the club posted three hits against Athletics left-hander Jacob Lopez. He tossed six shutout innings despite entering play with a 6.00 ERA.

There were opportunities to score. Maikel Garcia doubled to lead off the game but was left standing at second base. In the third inning, Garcia reached with a two-out single and Bobby Witt Jr., who celebrated his 25th birthday, followed with a walk.

The Royals (34-37) were set up. Lopez balked moments later as both runners moved up 90 feet in front of Vinnie Pasquantino.

Nothing came of the scoring chance. Pasquantino flew out to end the potential threat. The A’s (28-44) earned a 4-0 victory and a series win. The Royals have lost five straight games, all at home.

It was the latest entry in the Royals’ 2025 story. The club has been haunted by missed opportunities and it’s affecting the entire lineup.

So what can be done?

The Royals have nearly exhausted all their options. The front office brought up top prospect Jac Caglianone. KC has demoted MJ Melendez and designated Hunter Renfroe for assignment for poor performance.

Drew Waters, Nick Loftin and John Rave have arrived in their stead. However, the trio hasn’t made a sizable impact.

The Royals have a .595 OPS (on-base plus slugging) with runners in scoring position. And they have a combined 46 home runs through 71 games.

Both metrics rank dead last in the sport.

Can help be found outside the organization? The entire league knows the Royals need offensive help. As a result, there will be a hefty price tag for the Royals to acquire any potential difference makers.

The Royals could part with some of their top prospects. Guys like Blake Mitchell (No. 2), Carter Jensen (No. 3), Gavin Cross (No. 6) and Steven Zobac (No. 7) have a lot of promise.

The Royals would prefer to keep their top prospects, but the offensive concerns are too pressing. Last season, Royals general manager J.J. Picollo was aggressive in seeking relief help as he landed Lucas Erceg and Hunter Harvey.

A similar situation could occur in the coming weeks. The MLB trade deadline figures to be a busy time for the Royals.

At the current moment, the Royals sit 11 1/2 games behind the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central. The club entered Saturday 2 1/2 games back in the wild-card race due to the recent slide.

There are plenty of games remaining. The Royals could surge in the second half of the season and make a run. Right now, it’s clear the club needs better-producing bats and the current group to perform more consistently.

Lorenzen keeps it close

It’s hard to find fault in Michael Lorenzen’s start. He was given no run support to work with against the A’s on Saturday afternoon.

Lorenzen surrendered a two-run homer to Max Muncy in the second inning. He later issued an RBI double to infielder Luis Urias.

Still, it was enough to earn a quality start. Lorenzen allowed three runs in six innings and added three walks and four strikeouts.

The A’s had timely hits. They took advantage of the walks and didn’t squander a chance to put runs on the scoreboard.

Lopez didn’t need much help, either. He tied a career high with nine strikeouts against the Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Garcia and Salvador Perez accounted for all three of the Royals’ hits.

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