KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Hayden Wesneski, the Houston Astros’ hometown right-hander, took the mound at Kauffman Stadium on April 25, 2025, looking to anchor a rotation still finding its rhythm. Facing a Kansas City Royals lineup that had just swept the Rockies, Wesneski delivered a workmanlike effort—five innings, two earned runs, no walks, one strikeout. But the Royals, riding a devilish knack for soft contact, turned weak hits into a 5-2 victory, leaving the Astros licking their wounds.
Wesneski, a 27-year-old Cy-Fair High School grad, leaned on his six-pitch arsenal—fastball, sinker, sweeper, cutter, curve, changeup. His fastball, averaging 92.3 mph, was down two ticks from his prior starts, but the pitch shapes held sharp. He threw 80 pitches, 51 for strikes, and induced 21 balls in play. The Royals, however, made those count. Eight of those balls—averaging a measly 79.5 mph off the bat—found grass or gaps for hits. Jonathan India’s leadoff groundout was a false dawn; Kansas City’s lineup, led by Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino, kept finding ways to nick and nudge.
The Royals’ offense, averaging 3.23 runs per game this season, didn’t need home runs. Their disciplined, pesky approach exploited Wesneski’s offerings. A third-inning rally, sparked by a single from Witt, put two runs on the board. By the fifth, Kansas City had chipped away enough to chase Wesneski, who left with the Astros trailing. Seth Lugo, the Royals’ starter, was a brick wall, stifling Houston’s bats and sealing the deal.
Wesneski, acquired from the Cubs in the Kyle Tucker trade, has been a steady piece for Houston. His 4.00 ERA and 0.72 WHIP through five starts reflect a pitcher settling into a big-league role. This outing, though, showed the fine line he walks—effective but vulnerable to a team that thrives on contact. The Astros, now leaning on Framber Valdez and Hunter Brown for the weekend series, hope to flip the script.
Kansas City’s win stretched their streak to four games. Houston’s record sits at 10-11. Wesneski’s next start is slated for early May against Seattle.