This Day (March 29) in Royals History

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The date of March 29 has served as a significant bookend for the franchise—marking both the earliest start to a season in team history and the births of players who contributed to the "powder blue" legacy.

On March 29, 2018, the Royals hosted the Chicago White Sox for what was then the earliest Opening Day in franchise history. It was a high-scoring but difficult start to the season, as the Royals fell 14-7 at Kauffman Stadium. Despite the loss, it was a symbolic game that featured home runs from Lucas Duda and Mike Moustakas, signaling the final transitional chapter of the 2015 championship core.

In a game that just concluded yesterday, March 28 (recorded in news cycles as occurring on March 29), the Royals were on the wrong side of MLB history. Closer Carlos Estévez struggled in his season debut, surrendering a walk-off grand slam to Dominic Smith. This marked the first time in MLB history a player hit a walk-off grand slam in his team debut, cementing the date in the record books for a resilient Braves squad.

Several players who spent time in Kansas City celebrate their birthdays today:

Kila Ka'aihue (Born 1984): A powerful first baseman who was a celebrated prospect in the Royals system. He spent four seasons in the big leagues, including three with Kansas City (2008, 2010–2011), where he was known for his elite minor-league walk rates and left-handed power.

Sean Lowe (Born 1971): A versatile right-handed pitcher who made 23 appearances for the Royals during the 2003 season, contributing to a bullpen that helped the team post its first winning record (83-79) in nearly a decade.

Bill Wegman (Born 1962): Though he spent the majority of his career as a mainstay in the Milwaukee rotation, Wegman brought a veteran presence to the Royals' starting staff during the 1995 season.

While he never played for the Royals (as the franchise didn't exist until 1969), the greatest pitcher in history, Cy Young, was born on this day in 1867. This is significant for Royals fans as the team’s current rotation constantly chases the hardware named in his honor.