ST. LOUIS -- So many times this season, the Royals’ excellent pitching has consistently picked up the offense.
On Thursday night, the script was flipped.
In a back-and-forth contest, the Royals came out on top, 7-5, against the Cardinals in Game 2 of Thursday’s doubleheader at Busch Stadium. That gave the Royals a doubleheader split but a series win -- and a breakout series for the offense, which scored five-plus runs in all three games.
It’s the first time all season the Royals have scored five-plus runs in three consecutive games.
“I think the offense is coming up,” said Maikel Garica, who hit a two-run homer in the first inning Thursday night. “... We’re fighting more with two strikes. We’re striking out less than we were before. And that’s who we are. We have to be fighting like we did this series.”
The Royals could have folded after the Cardinals tied the game with a four-run third inning off starter Cole Ragans, who was shaky in his first start off the injured list and gave up five runs in three innings.
But resiliency seemed to be a theme this week at Busch Stadium. Back-to-back doubles from Mark Canha and Nick Loftin gave them the lead again in the fourth, and Salvador Perez’ RBI single in the fifth gave them insurance. Meanwhile, the bullpen threw five scoreless innings, including three frames from Angel Zerpa.
“We’re always going to have each other’s backs,” Ragans said. “We’re always going to pick each other up. Sometimes the pitching picks the hitting up, sometimes the hitting picks the pitching up. It’s fun to watch these guys.”
Thursday was Ragans’ first start since May 16 after spending the last 19 days getting past a left groin strain. He said the results were more about lack of execution and command rather than physical limitations.
While the Royals need Ragans healthy and executing like he did in 2024, his return means they have their rotation back at full strength.
But there will be some reconfiguration in the coming week. The corresponding move to activate Ragans was designating Thomas Hatch for assignment, just hours after selecting the righty to help with pitching coverage for the doubleheader.
That means lefty Noah Cameron remains on the active roster, despite the Royals now having six starters after Cameron filled in for both Ragans and Seth Lugo when they were on the IL.
Cameron has just been too good to send back to Triple-A. He threw six scoreless innings in Game 1 on Thursday to lower his ERA through five big league starts to 0.85.
He’s just the second pitcher in MLB history to go six or more innings and give up one run or fewer in his first five career starts, joining Fernando Valenzuela, who did it in his first seven career starts.
“It’s what I expect out of myself,” Cameron said. “Everybody's kind of like, ‘Man, do you know what you’re doing?’ It’s like, I do, but at the same time, it’s what I expect out of myself."
Simply put, Cameron has pitched his way into staying in the big leagues.
What exactly the plan is from here remains to be seen.
“We have some discussions to have,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “This was a long day. We had to see how today went. But Noah is here. We have some things to talk about and figure out what we’re going to do.”
The Royals have Michael Lorenzen, who has a 5.12 ERA, slotted in as Sunday’s probable starter against the White Sox -- after Lugo and Michael Wacha in the first two games -- even though Sunday would be Kris Bubic’s day to pitch.
But the Royals are giving Bubic, the American League Pitcher of the Month in May, a few extra days of rest (including Monday’s off-day) -- part of their plan as Bubic returned to the rotation this year after last year was split between rehabbing from Tommy John surgery and pitching out of the bullpen down the stretch.
It’s been a triumphant return so far for him. But at 75 1/3 innings this year, he’s surpassed his innings total from 2024 (66 frames between his rehab assignment and the Majors).
The Royals need Lorenzen to start Sunday because Wednesday’s rainout pushed Cameron back a day, and he won’t be on regular rest by then. If the Royals don’t go with a six-man rotation -- and team off-days in June make that tougher -- there’s a case to be made to put Lorenzen in the bullpen.
So the Royals have decisions to make in the coming days about their rotation, maximizing how good the pitching has been all season.
After a series win in St. Louis, it looks like their offense is starting to click, too.