On September 8, 2018, early in the final month of a dismal season for the KC Royals, Jorge Lopez took the mound at Minnesota’s Target Field for his fifth Royals’ start since coming over from Milwaukee in the trade that made Mike Moustakas a Brewer. A pitcher long on potential but short on results, Lopez was looking to make a second straight good impression on his new club.
Six days earlier, Lopez had decisively earned his first win as a Royal–and only the fourth victory of his career–limiting Baltimore to one run in seven innings and striking out eight in a 9-1 Kansas City victory.