Yost: Lack of offense affects every phase of game

KANSAS CITY -- Manager Ned Yost chalked up his sixth-inning ejection from Tuesday's 3-0 loss to the Astros as sheer frustration that simply boiled over. The root of that frustration, according to the Royals' manager, was a stalled offense.

"Our club revolves around the offense," Yost said. "When the offense isn't producing, it makes every phase of our game more difficult. The starting pitchers know that if they give up a run or two, they are probably in trouble. If the bullpen gives up a run, can we get that run back? So, you take away the freedom from the pitching staff to not worry about giving up a run or two."

Yost added that offensive woes can even affect the defense.

"Even though we've got a tremendous defense, when we're not hitting, their minds kind of gravitate to hitting more than it gravitates to defense," Yost said. "All of a sudden, you start to get a little more sloppy defensively. So, the task is to get this thing turned around offensively and get these guys to where they are feeling good about themselves. That changes the whole complexion of the way we play."

Whether Yost's ejection was a wake-up catalyst remains to be seen. The ejection came after a briefly heated conversation between Yost and home-plate umpire Kerwin Danley.

"I wasn't as frustrated with the umpiring as I was with the way we played that game," Yost said. "When I watched it on TV ... some of the pitches we were swinging at, some of the outs we were making ... it's not characteristic of who we are. Right now, we're an underperforming offense that has the capability of producing at a much higher level.

"Is there any doubt in my mind that we're going to be right in the middle of this at the end of the year? No, there's not. But you still want to get it going. There needs to be a little bit more of a sense of urgency, but not to the point where it takes them out of their game. They've got to learn that fine line and that balance."