Royals Roundup, Oct 22: Caglianone's Growth, 2026 Bullpen, Trade Evaluations

[Royals Keep]

Here is some of the latest Royals analysis and history from around the internet. The roundup covers Jac Caglianone's offensive and defensive growth, the 2026 bullpen's struggles, the Royals' painful trades, Roger Nelson's 1972 comeback, and Bobby Witt Jr.'s edge over Elly De La Cruz.

• After breakout 2026 with the bat, all eyes on Caglianone's defensive growth (MLB.com). Notes the 2026 offensive breakout of Jac Caglianone with the Royals, highlighting his .289 batting average, 23 home runs, and 75 RBIs, while examining his defensive versatility between right field and first base, including a .291/.316/.614 slash line at first base in 133 plate appearances.
• Grading the Royals' 2026 bullpen exposes a major concern (Kings of Kauffman). Argues that the Royals' 2026 bullpen was a major factor in their failure, citing an ERA over 5.00, 26 blown saves, and the collapse following closer Carlos Estévez's injury in March, which disrupted the entire bullpen. Notes Daniel Lynch IV's strong performance (1.96 ERA in 46 innings) and Alex Lange's disastrous season (-1.1 fWAR, .
• Playing Picollo Part 2: Painful trades (Royals Review). Argues that the Royals made four trades to rebuild their roster, acquiring Reid Detmers, George Kirby, Ryan Feltner, and Dylan Crews, while giving up prospects like Blake Mitchell, Ramon Ramirez, and Sean Gamble, with Detmers and Kirby expected to anchor the rotation.
• The Roger Nelson Comeback (Royals Review). Looks back at Roger Nelson's career, highlighting his 1972 season with the Royals, during which he set four single-season records, including six shutouts, while overcoming arm injuries and a difficult trade that sent him to Cincinnati.
• Bobby Witt Jr. has a convincing edge over the Reds' rising star Elly De La Cruz (Kings of Kauffman). Notes that Bobby Witt Jr. maintains an edge over Elly De La Cruz due to his lower strikeout rate (17.3% vs. 31.3%) and superior defensive performance (24 Outs Above Average, 8 Defensive Runs Saved vs. -8 DRS).