KANSAS CITY – Cristopher Sánchez’ second-to-last audition to win the starting assignment for the National League in next week’s All-Star Game did not go well Monday afternoon.

In fact, it was awful.

Or, to use his explanation: “It was crap.”

The left-hander was rocked for nine runs in 3 1/3 innings as the Phillies were hammered, 15-1, by the lowly Kansas City Royals for the second day in a row at Kauffman Stadium. Sánchez was tagged for a career-high three home runs, all on his vaunted changeup.

“It’s tough to see,” he said. “They hit three homers off me with my pitch.

“Credit to them. They got me. They made me pay.”

As bad as the results were for Sánchez, things might have gone differently for him and the Phillies had one of the team’s gnawing concerns not reared its head.

You hear a lot about the bullpen, the back-end of the starting rotation and the lack of a strong right-handed hitting outfielder as being the Phillies’ biggest flaws.

But Trea Turner’s defense at shortstop is a significant deficiency that the club cannot hide from.

Turner, who entered the game as the lowest-ranked shortstop in the majors with minus-8 defensive runs saved, according to Fangraphs, threw away a potential inning-ending double-play ball that opened the door for the Royals to score six first-inning runs against Sánchez. Turner was charged with an error, his 12th, allowing the runners to advance. But since a double play can’t be assumed, all the runs against Sánchez in that inning were ruled earned. His ERA jumped from 2.00 to 2.44 in the course of one inning and to 2.62 by the end of the day.

Now, Sánchez should not be let off the hook here. He clearly did not do a good job limiting the damage. He allowed four straight hits, including a three-run homer, after Turner’s error. But not getting that inning-ending double play was a game-changer.

“Absolutely,” Turner confessed. “It’s a play you’ve got to make. Who knows how that game ends up if he gets out of that inning clean and gets on a roll. He’s thrown the ball so well this year. If he gets out of that, he could easily put up five, six, seven scoreless.”

Turner said he rushed the throw.

Sánchez will make his final start before the All-Star break on Saturday in Detroit. He’s probably still in the driver’s seat to make the start next Tuesday night in Philadelphia. But, recently, some of the luster of his run to the All-Star Game has been stripped away. He has allowed 14 runs in 8 1/3 innings in two of his last three starts, both on the road. Beyond that, he’s allowed 18 runs in 14 innings in his last three road starts.

“I have no answer why,” Sánchez said. “It’s something we have to improve on.”

Sánchez added that he feels “super bien” – great – physically.

“That’s why I’m surprised to have such an outing,” he said.

The start was the shortest by Sánchez in over a year. He exited after two innings against the Mets on April 22 of last season, but that was due to forearm soreness. The 12 hits allowed by Sánchez matched a season and career high. His sinking fastball averaged 94.8 mph, down a tick from its 95.2 season average. His signature changeup produced six swings and misses, but there were times when it was up in the zone and the Royals didn’t miss it.

As for Turner, the day started off promising. He opened the game with a double off the center field wall and scored on a double by Alec Bohm as the Phillies took a 1-0 lead in the first inning. The Phils looked to have some momentum going but everything changed in the bottom of the first inning.

Sánchez said Turner’s error had nothing to do with his poor outing.

“Those things happen,” he said. “No one wants to make an error or fail in a game.”

Kansas City lefty Noah Cameron pitched five innings and, despite walking five, did not allow another run after the first. He used a six-pitch mix and a fastball that averaged just 92.7 mph to hold the Phillies at bay.

Phillies hitters were just 1 for 9 with runners in scoring position and they left 15 men on base, including the bases loaded twice early in the game. They were out-hit, 22-10. Yes, the Royals feasted on the bullpen, as well.

“We had chances to creep back in but couldn’t get the hit we needed,” manager Don Mattingly said.

Turner led the Phillies with three hits, but his 12th error loomed large.

Turner is in the fourth year of an 11-year contract that runs through 2033. He made 40 errors his first two seasons with the Phils. His defense improved last season and he made just eight. Now, the defense is an issue again. President of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski has said in the past that the club has not considered moving Turner to the outfield. The team might have to think about it before long because it’s getting difficult to hide from this gnawing concern.

“I feel like I’ve gotten some tough plays lately, haven’t made as many as I want to make,” Turner said. “I don’t think this year has been nearly as good as last. I feel a little sped up. I feel last year the game slowed down quite a bit.

“It’s still in there. I feel like I can do it. I feel like at times I’ve made some good plays in the last few weeks. But then it’s just been that one hiccup here or there that’s been costly. So, keep working and try to get back to last year as much as I can. I have to be more consistent for those guys out there and make more plays.”