KC Royals on pace to shatter team pitching record after 10-1 win over White Sox

Royals general manager J.J. Picollo met with the media Thursday, and made a not so bold prediction while talking about the rotation.

“I don’t think we can expect a 1.45 ERA throughout the season, but if we are, we’ll be playing in October,” Picollo said with a slight laugh. “But it’s hard not to get excited. It’s a good thing. It’s hard not to have the feeling of healthy competition going on every single night from one start to the next and that’s exciting.”

Seth Lugo continued the rotation’s sensational April by allowing just one run in 6 2/3 innings of the Royals’ 10-1 win over the White Sox. That lowered the ERA for Royals starting pitchers to 1.43 while the Royals improved to 3-4.

A year ago, the Royals rotation had a 5.12 ERA, which was 27th in Major League Baseball. The lowest ERA for a season by Royals starting pitching was 3.22 in 1972.

Nelson Velázquez was an offensive spark for the Royals. He had an RBI single that scored MJ Melendez in the second inning and a 429-foot home run into the fountains in left-center two innings later.

The Royals blew the game open in the seventh inning by scoring eight times. Velázquez opened the frame with a walk, one of three in the inning. A two-out error by White Sox shortstop Braden Shewmake on a grounder by Salvador Perez allowed three runs to score.

Melendez followed with a 421-foot homer to right center to cap the outburst.

Hunter Renfroe saves a run

The White Sox scored a run in the sixth inning and had runners on the corners with one out. Shewmake lifted a fly into right field that Hunter Renfroe caught and then quickly fired home to catch Gavin Sheets trying to score. That kept the Royals’ lead intact.

It was the second straight game with an outfield assist for Renfroe.

“Credit to him,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said before the game. Everybody’s gonna make something out of his lack of offense early on in the season, but he doesn’t take one pitch, one inning off defensively, and it’s been evidenced numerous times already and things that go under the radar. But just (a) throw like that certainly goes noticed.”

MLB.com’s Sarah Lang noted that Renfroe’s 66 outfield assists since the start of the 2017 season are the most in the majors, eight more than anyone else.

Double-play delight

That double play was one of four twin killings for the Royals.

Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. made a dazzling play in the third inning to start a double play.

Injury report

Second baseman Michael Massey will begin a rehabilitation assignment Friday at Double-A Northwest Arkansas. Massey has been out because of a lower-back strain.

Triple-A Omaha is playing this week in Columbus, Ohio, where rain has been and continues to be in the forecast.

“He’s going to Northwest Arkansas more because of the weather,” Picollo said. “Get him through the weekend, reevaluate on Sunday after the game and there’s an open Monday for both teams.

“Once you get past Monday it’s more of a baseball decision than medical.”

What’s next: The Royals will face the White Sox three more times. Brady Singer will be on the mound Friday, facing Erick Fedde. First pitch is at 6:40 p.m.