The final score of the Pirates’ 7-3 loss to the Royals on Monday night at Kauffman Stadium may show otherwise, but manager Derek Shelton and his club are encouraged by what they saw on the field. They end May with a sense of hope after a rough month that saw the club go 8-20.

In the first steps toward turning the page, right-hander Chad Kuhl was activated off the 10-day injured list to start Monday. He tossed four innings of three-run ball, striking out five and walking none.

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“I thought the slider was good, and he got stronger as the game went on,” Shelton said. “Little inconsistent with his fastball early on, but settled down. The pitch limit just kind of got to him, but I thought as the game went on he got better.”

Kuhl generated 12 whiffs on his slider and six called strikes, however, some bad luck on balls in play ended his outing a little sooner than expected.

“I felt great,” said Kuhl, whose IL stint was prompted by right shoulder discomfort. “Felt like my stuff was pretty good and felt like I threw a really good pregame bullpen and felt like I had some pretty good stuff. … Felt like I relied on the slider [and] felt like it was good stuff.”

Kuhl allowed a leadoff double to Whit Merrifield before striking out Carlos Santana and Andrew Benintendi. Up 2-2 in the count with a chance to escape, Salvador Perez laced a single that deflected off second baseman Kevin Newman’s glove and allowed Merrifield to score.

“It was a fastball, it was 97 up in the zone, and it was in the perfect spot,” Shelton said.

In the second inning, a hit batter and a double by Hunter Dozier allowed another run to score. Then Dozier came around on a Kelvin Gutierrez single that went the opposite way between first and second base.

“Had a couple balls just kind of find holes and sneak through the infield,” catcher Jacob Stallings said. “But, overall, I was happy -- first start coming back from injury -- with how his stuff looked, for sure.”

By the time the third inning came around, Kuhl was fully settled in. He got out of a jam in the third and retired the side in order in the fourth. But with 75 pitches thrown – near the 80-pitch limit -- Kuhl was done for the night.

“Obviously, it's all about the long run here, but I felt great,” Kuhl said. “[The] third and my fourth [innings] were pretty good, and I felt like I had 100 pitches tonight, physically, but, just playing it out for the long run, and making sure that I maintain health through the rest of the year.”

Duane Underwood Jr. came in and permitted a two-run homer to Adalberto Mondesi, and Luis Oviedo allowed an additional two runs to score in the eighth inning.

Oviedo, a Rule 5 Draft pick, hadn’t pitched in a live game since May 22. While the two added runs ended any hope for a late-inning rally, Shelton was encouraged by what he saw from the 22-year-old.

“He came in and threw strikes,” Shelton said. “If he comes in and scatters the ball, then we have different conversations. … This kid's got no fear, he's going to be really good. I mean, really good, and we just keep taking strides forward with him.”

Kuhl’s return and Oviedo’s emergence highlight the potential for this Pirates ballclub.

Adam Frazier, who leads the Majors in hits, rocketed a double to lead off the game and came around to score on Bryan Reynolds’ RBI groundout. Reynolds added a home run in the eighth inning, his seventh of the year, and backstop Stallings had an RBI single.

Ke'Bryan Hayes, ranked by MLB Pipeline as the sport’s No. 9 prospect, has been out since April 4 with a left wrist injury. He was seen in the dugout on Monday and is set to be activated on Thursday, when he’s eligible to come off the 60-day IL.

“That's a different type of player,” Kuhl said. “I mean, this guy is offensively, defensively, just really, really, really good. Just having that guy alone changes the complexion of the lineup.”

Infielder Colin Moran and utility player Phillip Evans are expected to begin rehab assignments within the next few days and could be back within the next week.

A Pirates team that once lacked depth soon will be closer to full force.

“We will definitely get deeper,” Shelton said. “We'll definitely be in a better spot to rest people. It's going to be important for us as we move forward.”