Chen was placed on the 15-day Disabled List on May 11 (retroactive to May 6), with a strain, and right-handed pitcher Vin Mazzaro was recalled from the Omaha Storm Chasers.
Luke Hochevar, who was the first-round draft pick of the Royals in 2006, was chosen to pitch in his first Opening Day start.
This game also saw the major league debut of three Royals rookie pitchers: Aaron Crow, Tim Collins, and Nathan Adcock.
After giving up three walks to load the bases in the first inning, starting pitcher Kyle Davies left the game with an injury.
The 18-run deficit matched the worst margin of defeat in the team's history which has occurred twice before, the most recent being the previous season on July 26 when the Minnesota Twins also won 19–1.
During a stretch of games from September 11 to 17, the Royals won seven straight, giving them their longest winning record since the 2006 season.
During the last week of the season, Billy Butler, Alex Gordon and Louis Coleman were all struck by the flu, giving Jarrod Dyson and Lorenzo Cain a chance in the big leagues.