Santana Suffers Tough Loss Vs. His Favorite Opponent

From Elias: Ervin Santana allowed two runs in seven innings in the Royals' 2-1 loss at Oakland. Despite the loss, Santana owns a 2.05 career earned-run average against the Athletics, the lowest by any active pitcher against any team (minimum 150 innings). Next best: Jake Peavy's 2.27 vs. the Dodgers.

Milone overcomes early struggles

Fantasy Facts - Santana throws strikes

Ervin Santana has thrown a strike on 69 percent of his pitches, fourth best among pitchers who have made at least five starts. The A's are hitting .277 in at-bats ending with a pitch in the strike zone, the seventh-worst rate in the league.

FANTASY FACTS - Santana slides to victory

Ervin Santana faces a Yankees team that hits .193 against the slider. Opponents are hitting .121 against Santana in at-bats ending with a slider with 27 strikeouts, tied for 4th most in MLB.

Fantasy Facts - Santana pounds the zone

Ervin Santana has thrown a pitch in the strike zone 55.2 percent of the time this season, the 11th-highest rate among pitchers who have made at least 5 starts. As a team, the Rays have hit .269 in at-bats ending with a pitch in the strike zone, tied for seventh worst in the league.

Santana's Dominant Start To 2013

From Elias: Ervin Santana pitched seven shutout innings, striking out five without issuing a walk to lead the Royals to a 3-2 triumph over the Indians. In five starts in 2013, Santana has posted a 2.00 earned-run average and a 31-to-5 strikeout-to-walk ratio. The only other Kansas City pitcher to compile an ERA below 3.00 while striking out at least six times as many batters as he walked over his first five starts was Dick Drago (1.83 ERA, 16 K, 2 BB) back in 1971.

Wild-card berth in reach for Royals

Call it early, call it April, tell me there are still 143 games left in the 162-game schedule, but the fact is that the Kansas City Royals have developed into a legitimate wild-card contender.

It's now or never for these 10 guys

Potential and upside, even track record, can carry a career only so far. At some point, a player has to put up or shut up. Baseball is a results-oriented industry and if the production isn't there, neither are you.

Postseason Player

Ervin Santana talks about joining the Royals and how his experience in the postseason can help the team.