Seth Lugo’s shot at starting MLB All-Star Game may have vanished with KC Royals loss

Royals manager Matt Quatraro placed a phone call to a rival manager a few days ago.

The topic of discussion was who should start Tuesday’s All-Star Game, and while chatting with Texas’ Bruce Bochy, Quatraro made a case for right-hander Seth Lugo.

“I pushed as hard as I could to recommend Seth to start. He certainly merits it with his accomplishments through the year,” Quatraro said before the Royals’ 5-0 loss Saturday to the Red Sox at Fenway Park. “And I understand that there are a lot of guys there that deserve it and their managers are campaigning for them as well.

“So I don’t know when they’re making that decision ... but I do hope it’s Seth.”

Unfortunately, Lugo’s candidacy took a hit in Saturday’s loss to the Red Sox. He gave up a season-worst 10 hits and allowed five runs, which tied a season-most, over five innings. It was his shortest outing of the year.

Boston was on Lugo’s pitches for much of the afternoon. Eight Red Sox batters had an exit velocity of 100 mph or faster on batted balls against Lugo. Five more had an exit velocity of at least 95 mph, so even some of the outs were loud.

Quatraro praised the hitting approach of the Red Sox batters. But Lugo said he struggled early in the game.

“They put up good approaches, but I couldn’t really locate glove side, wasn’t getting inside well, until about the fourth or fifth inning,” Lugo said. “I think that’s when I started finding a little groove for myself. But yeah, the first three innings couldn’t really locate breaking balls or fastballs glove side.”

Lugo had pitched at least six innings in his nine previous starts.

The Royals, 52-44, fell a game back of the Red Sox, 52-42, for the third and final AL Wild Card spot.

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Here are more notes from Saturday’s game...

Red Sox’s Kutter Crawford cruises

Even if Lugo had produced a customary solid start Saturday, it may not have been enough for the Royals because of how well Boston’s Kutter Crawford threw.

Crawford allowed two hits in seven-plus shutout innings with a walk and four strikeouts. He was pulled after Maikel Garcia’s leadoff single to open the eighth inning.

Of Crawford’s 96 pitches, 76 were strikes (79.2%), and Quatraro was impressed.

“It’s one of the higher strike percentages I’ve seen in a long time,” Quatraro said. “I don’t know how it finished, but he was up in the mid to high 80s for most of the game. So he kept us on our heels. The cutter was outstanding. He’s deceptive. We know that with his arm action.

“He didn’t even really use the curveball that much or the split as much as I would have thought but just kept us off the barrel with the cutter for the most part.”

Royals’ Kris Bubic shines

Left-hander Kris Bubic continued his strong return from Tommy John surgery a year ago.

Bubic, who came in relief of Lugo, struck out two and allowed a bunt single in two innings. It was his third outing of the season and the first time he’s gone more than one frame.

Injury report

Catcher Salvador Perez, who left Friday’s game in the eighth inning because of cramping, was back in the starting lineup Saturday. He was the designated hitter. Perez had a ninth-inning single in four at-bats.

What’s next: The Royals close out the first half of the season with a series finale against the Red Sox at Fenway Park on Sunday at 12:35 p.m. Brady Singer will face off against Boston’s Brayan Bello.