McArthur (4-4) allowed five runs on four hits and a walk while striking out one over one inning, taking the loss and a blown save Wednesday versus the Diamondbacks.
McArthur had been better of late, allowing just two runs (one earned) over his previous 12 innings, but it was a full meltdown for the right-hander in Wednesday's contest. He blew a one-run lead on a Gabriel Moreno two-run double and then surrendered a three-run home run to Ketel Marte. McArthur is now 17-for-22 in save chances this year with a 4.91 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 33:9 K:BB through 40.1 innings. He's hardly been convincing throughout the campaign, though the Royals previously lacked better options to replace him in the ninth inning. That may change going forward with Hunter Harvey on the roster, though Harvey was used in the eighth inning Wednesday and could remain in a setup role he's filled all year both with Washington and Kansas City.
Royals' James McArthur: Notches pair of saves Wednesday
Rotowire
McArthur earned a save in both games of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Cardinals, pitching two total innings during which he gave up one run on three hits while striking out two batters.
McArthur gave up a Paul Goldschmidt solo homer and a Nolan Arenado single in the first game of the twin bill but managed to get through the ninth frame in 15 pitches. That left him fresh enough to be called upon again in the ninth inning of Game 2, and he finished off that contest in 19 pitches without yielding a run. McArthur thus became the first Kansas City pitcher with two saves in one day since Greg Holland in 2013. McArthur went through a stretch between June 7 to 23 during which he didn't record a single save (or get a single save opportunity), but since then he's registered five saves while giving up just one run over 7.2 frames.
McArthur picked up his 15th save of the season in Wednesday's win over the Rays, allowing a hit and no walks while striking out one in 1.2 innings.
McArthur entered in the eighth with two runners on and one out with the Rays already having scored a run in the inning. He was able to navigate through the traffic and then pitched around a leadoff single in the ninth to lock down the save. McArthur has been lights-out of late, throwing eight scoreless innings over his last eight appearances since June 13, and he's converted each of his last four save chances.
