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The first seven seasons of Seth Lugo’s stint in the majors weren’t all that memorable.

Then the San Diego Padres signed him as a free agent before the 2023 season and turned him into a starting pitcher. The Kansas City Royals signed him before last season and Lugo was runner-up for the American League Cy Young Award.

The 35-year-old Lugo looks to get his 2025 campaign started on a positive note on Saturday when he starts against the visiting Cleveland Guardians in the middle contest of a three-game series.

The right-handed Lugo went 8-7 with a 3.57 ERA in 26 starts for the Padres before he moved on as a free agent to the Royals on a three-year, $45 million deal.

He exceeded all expectations last season when he went 16-9 with a 3.00 ERA and 181 strikeouts in 33 starts. Lugo also was named an All-Star for the first time.

Now he’s ready to close the book on last season’s superlatives.

“Part of how I approach the game is the past is the past,” Lugo recently told reporters. “You don’t dwell on that. You learn from your mistakes, and that’s kind of what I always remember more than some of the better outings. The tough ones stick with you a little longer, so I’m just trying to improve off of what we did last year.”

Lugo went 2-0 with a 2.84 ERA in three starts against the Guardians last season.

The Royals will be trying to land their first win after falling 7-4 in 10 innings to the Guardians in Thursday’s opener. The two teams were off Friday.

Cleveland had a late change of plans after standout right-hander Tanner Bibee was scratched prior to the season opener due to acute gastroenteritis.

“That’s a horrific way to start the (season). He is our Opening Day starter,” Guardians manager Stephen Vogt said of Bibee. “He’s more than earned that. … He wanted to go, despite feeling like he has the (previous) 36 hours.”

The Guardians pushed Bibee’s season debut to Sunday. For Saturday, right-hander Gavin Williams (3-10, 4.86 last season) is expected to make the start.

Williams, 25, is 2-1 with a 1.88 ERA in five career starts against the Royals.

On Thursday, Cleveland pushed across three runs in the 10th inning to secure the season-opening victory.

Steven Kwan hit the tiebreaking double. Later in the inning, Kyle Manzardo delivered a two-run double to cap a big outing.

Manzardo went 3-for-4 and hit a two-run homer in the sixth inning. His four RBIs tied the club’s Opening Day record shared by Hall of Famer Tris Speaker (1925) and Leon Wanger (1964).

“He could be the anchor of our lineup,” Kwan said of the 24-year-old Manzardo. “He gets to so many pitches. His pop is effortless, professional hitter, too. He’s not just trying to pull the ball, but he’ll capitalize on a mistake.

“He can work a plan. He does everything. It’s such a mature approach from such a young guy, so it’s fun to watch.”

Vinnie Pasquantino provided the bulk of the Kansas City offense with a three-run homer in the third inning.

But he couldn’t prevent the Royals from falling on Opening Day for the third straight season.

“Opening Day’s always special. It’s something you think about as a kid growing up,” said Pasquantino, who played despite a minor hamstring injury. “Haven’t been able to win one yet. But there’s always next year. And good thing is, there’s always Saturday for the next game we get to play.”

–Field Level Media