If the Chicago Cubs make the postseason, adding another quality starter who can slot into a playoff series would make them a serious World Series threat.

Kansas City is 25-26 in road games and 49-52 overall. Royals pitchers have a collective 3.50 ERA, which ranks second in MLB play. The teams play Tuesday for the second time this season.

It feels as though day after day, the odds of Seth Lugo remaining with the Kansas City Royals slowly erode. Lugo has been great for the Royals for the last yea

Cubs first baseman Michael Busch, left, wipes his face with a towel in the dugout during the ninth inning against the Royals on July 23, 2025, at Wrigley Field. (Eileen T. Meslar/Chicago Tribune) Photos from the Chicago Cubs’ 8-4 loss to the Kansas City Royals on July 23, 2025, at Wrigley Field.

The Cubs' Matt Shaw and Carson Kelly went deep off Noah Cameron (4-4) in the second, but the rookie lefthander was in control for most of the first six innings.

The Chicago Cubs need a third reliable starting pitcher, and the Kansas City Royals have the man for the job in last season's Cy Young runner-up, Seth Lugo.

The Cubs are favored at home (-142) against the Royals (+120). The Chicago Cubs will hand the ball to Matthew Boyd (10-3, 2.34 ERA), who is looking for win No. 11 on the season, and the Royals will counter with Richard Hill.

Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez was hit by a pitch in the left elbow during Monday night’s game against the Atlanta Braves.

Vinnie Pasquantino hit two homers and drove in four runs to lead the visiting Kansas City Royals to an 8-4 win over the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday.

THE KELLY FILES: Carson Kelly, last 19 games since June 21: .373/.441/.695 (22-for-59) with seven doubles, four home runs, eight RBI and 10 runs scored. THIS DAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Sammy Sosa’s 13th-inning single scored Ricky Gutierrez with the winning run as the Cubs defeated the Brewers 3-2. It happened 25 years ago today, Saturday, July 22, 2000.