KANSAS CITY – In his 14th Major League season, Michael Wacha has a new career high in innings.
Six scoreless innings Tuesday night against the D-backs set a new mark of 182 2/3 innings for the year, surpassing Wacha’s old career high of 181 1/3 innings that he logged over a decade ago in 2015 with St. Louis.
It’s a remarkable feat in a remarkable season for Wacha, whose 3.25 ERA across 29 starts ranks seventh in the American League and is the lowest he’s posted since becoming a Royal ahead of the 2024 season.
The only thing missing was a win. For the second consecutive game, the Royals lost in extra innings to the D-backs at Kauffman Stadium. Tuesday’s was a 5-3 defeat in 11 innings with missed opportunities all over it, late comebacks that fell short and frustration at the end with the Royals’ 82nd loss of the year, officially marking a losing season.
“Tougher when you come out this side of it both nights,” second baseman Michael Massey said. ”But it’s good baseball. I think that’s kind of this time of year. Even though we’re obviously not where we want to be, that’s a team fighting for every game and trying to get in the playoffs. They’re certainly bringing that style of play to the game. Every pitch matters. Every play matters.”
The Royals came back in the ninth on John Rave’s two-out, two-run, game-tying home run. They came back in the 10th on Vinnie Pasquantino’s sacrifice fly, although they left the bases loaded when Nick Loftin grounded into a fielder’s choice.
They needed one more hero in the 11th but came up short, unable to move Loftin from second base as the automatic runner. The D-backs scored their automatic runner in both the 10th and 11th and added an insurance run in the 11th after Lourdes Gurriel Jr. tripled on a ball Rave misplayed in right field.
As far as heroes go, though, Wacha has been that for the Royals all season long.
“Running out of things to say about him,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “The way he works. The way he prepares. The way he bounces back.”
Wacha characterized Tuesday’s start as more of a grind, with four walks being atypical for him. But he was able to get out of it every time. In the fifth, Wacha allowed a two-out hit and walk to the top of the D-backs' order but got a quick groundout from Gabriel Moreno to get out of the jam. That was the inning he surpassed his career innings mark.
“Got to make pitches with guys in scoring position,” Wacha said. “I was able to focus on what was in front of me.”
He went one more frame for the sixth, which marked his 20th quality start of the year.
“Just healthy,” Wacha said. “Being able to go deeper into games this year and be able to bounce back, start after start. It’s definitely cool to be able to pass that. And then now it’s, yeah, get onto the next one and see how high you can set it.”
The final pitch of his night was his signature changeup on the black to Tommy Troy for a strikeout. That was a pitch that Wacha didn’t have a great feel for early Tuesday, but it got better as the game continued.
Wacha has been the Royals’ best and most reliable starter by far this season, and he hasn’t wavered as the innings rack up and he pitches deep into the season. He’s worked at least six innings in 22 of his 29 starts this season, and he leads the American League in innings. If that continues through the end of the season, he would be the fourth Royals pitcher to lead the AL in innings pitched, following James Shields (228 2/3 in 2013), Bret Saberhagen (262 1/3 in 1989) and Dennis Leonard (201 2/3 in 1981).
The reliability and durability are the main reasons the Royals didn’t trade the 35-year-old All-Star at the Trade Deadline, despite all the speculation they would. Aside from needing all the starting help they can get, they view Wacha as key to the club turning things around in 2027.
They’ll need him to pitch a lot like he is in 2026. With each outing he puts together, the confidence that he can stay consistent increases.
“Wacha’s incredible,” Massey said. “He’s been doing it here the last three years. He’s been doing it for a heck of a lot longer than that in his career. A lot of fun to play behind. Phenomenal pitcher. Great teammate.”