Nobody's Talking About the Royals' 22 Blown Leads and Carter Jensen's Streak Can't Hide It

Alright, so you know how it is, right? You watch every pitch, live and die with every play. Well, get this: The Kansas City Royals actually won a game yesterday, stopping a four-game skid and avoiding a sweep against the Chicago White Sox in a 5-4 nail-biter. But let me tell you, that final score doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of the wild ride, or the brutal truth that's still hanging over that team like a dark cloud. Seriously, we need to talk about it.

Jensen's History-Making Streak Can't Fix Everything

The big news, the thing everyone's buzzing about, is Carter Jensen. The rookie is absolutely on fire, extending his franchise-record hitting streak to a mind-blowing 19 games. Think about that for a second! The dude went 3 for 5 with two RBIs yesterday, making it the longest active streak in MLB and the longest by an American League rookie since 2014. He got things started right away, too, with an RBI single in the top of the first that scored Lane Thomas. Then, in the fourth, he hammered a double into the right-field corner, putting the Royals ahead for good and actually chasing White Sox starter Anthony Kay, who had been unbeaten at home, after just 3 2/3 innings. Jensen is legit, but even a streak like that can't gloss over some ugly stats.

The Numbers Are Getting Hard to Ignore

You want to know how bad it's been fo

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r the Royals? They got outscored 24-2 in the first two games of this series! Avoiding their seventh sweep of the season is a "win" in itself, but it barely covers up the deeper issues. Their starter, Luinder Avila, gave up four runs in just four innings. Thank goodness for the bullpen, seriously. Five Royals relievers, Steven Cruz, Beck Way, Lucas Erceg, Matt Strahm, and Alex Lange, combined to throw five scoreless innings, allowing only two baserunners. Lange even notched his seventh save with a perfect ninth. But here's the kicker, the stat that should make any fan frustrated: the Royals now have an MLB-high 22 blown-lead losses this season. Twenty-two! That's just brutal. On the other side, Miguel Vargas homered and doubled for the White Sox, including a 407-foot two-run shot into the wind in the first inning. Kyle Teel hit a two-run single, and Collins tied it up with a bloop double in the third. It was a back-and-forth game, but the Royals' ability to hold on was a rare sight for them. What's next for these teams? The White Sox send RHP Sean Burke (5-4, 3.71 ERA) to the mound on Monday to face RHP Shane Baz (4-8, 4.31) in Baltimore. Meanwhile, the Royals head home to host the Tampa Bay Rays beginning Tuesday. For the Royals, avoiding that sweep might give them a tiny boost, but with 22 blown leads, every game from here on out is a chance to prove they can actually finish what they start. It's a long season, and you just want to see a team fight.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.