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      Steve Drumwright

       

      The Kansas City Royals made a move to try and improve the bullpen, calling up right-hander Beck Way from Triple-A Omaha to make his MLB debut. Right-hander Eli Morgan was sent down to Omaha.

      Also, outfielder Matt Lugo was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels and optioned to Triple-A and left-hander Bailey Falter cleared waivers and was outrighted to Omaha.

      Way was a fourth-round draft choice in 2020 out of Northwest Florida State College, a junior college. At Triple-A this year, Way had a 4.50 ERA in 19 games covering 30 innings, walking 10 and striking out 42.

      Morgan has a 5,51 ERA in 13 games and 16⅓ innings with eight walks and 15 strikeouts. He also has given up four homers. He appeared in Monday's 9-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds, allowing a run on two hits with three strikeouts.

      Lugo made his MLB debut this season with the Angels and had a  .232/.243/.464 slash line with four homers and nine RBIs. Seven of his 16 hits went for extra bases. He was designated for assignment by the Angels.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The Kansas City Royals are getting a key arm back in their bullpen.

      Left-handed reliever Matt Strahm was activated off the 15-day injured list by the Royals, who optioned right-hander Eric Cerantola back to Triple-A Omaha. Strahm missed the minimum 15 days with left knee inflammation.

      Acquired in an offseason trade with the Philadelphia Phillies, Strahm has a 3.86 ERA in 17 games and 16⅓ innings, with seven walks and 17 strikeouts.

      Cerantola, in his second call-up this year, pitched in Friday's 9-1 loss to the Texas Rangers, allowing a solo homer and striking out two.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      If you felt Kansas City Royals right-handed reliever Nick Mears was struggling for some reason, you might have your answer now.

      The Royals on Friday placed Mears on the 15-day injured list due to a right shoulder impingement and called up right-handed reliever Eric Cerantola from Triple-A Omaha.

      We have made the following roster moves:

      [image or embed]

      — Kansas City Royals (@royals.com) May 29, 2026 at 12:57 PM

      A key offseason addition after being acquired along with outfielder Isaac Collins from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for left-handed reliever Angel Zerpa, Mears has produced a 5.12 ERA over 19⅓ innings over 20 appearances, with 11 walks and 15 strikeouts. He last pitched Wednesday in a 7-0 loss to the New York Yankees, when he went two-thirds and allowed three runs on two hits and two walks and a strikeout.

      Cerantola was called up May 6 for his MLB debut and appeared in two games before returning to the minors, tossing three innings, giving up three runs on two hits with four walks and five strikeouts. At Triple-A this year, he has a 1.97 ERA over 18 appearances and 19⅔ innings, walking 10 and striking out 30.

       

      Kevin O'Brien

       

      On Wednesday morning, the Kansas City Royals announced that they had designated left-handed pitcher Bailey Falter for assignment and had recalled right-handed pitcher Mason Black from Omaha.

      Falter had come over to the Royals at the Trade Deadline from Pittsburgh last season in exchange for lefty reliever Evan Sisk. In 2024, Falter posted a 4.43 ERA in 142.1 IP, and in 2025 with the Pirates, he posted a 3.73 ERA in 113.1 IP. However, he struggled in his move to Kansas City last year, posting an 11.25 ERA in four outings (two starts) and 12 IP before landing on the IL for the remainder of the year.

      The struggles Falter experienced with the Royals in 2025 carried over into this season.

      In five outings (two starts) and 9.2 IP, the 29-year-old posted a 13.97 ERA, 3.10 WHIP, and 9.10 WHIP. He also landed on the IL early in the year due to some elbow issues and looked better in his rehab outing in Omaha. Unfortunately, the results from Omaha didn't follow Falter to Kansas City.

      As discussed in a post this morning, Falter showed an interesting TJ Stuff+ profile and extension on his pitches, but struggled to generate whiffs and CSWs this season at the Major League level.

      Bailey_Falter_percentiles (2).png

      Falter will likely declare for free agency if he clears waivers. It doesn't seem like he was happy with his role, flipping between starter and reliever, as evidenced by this quote from the Kansas City Star's Pete Grathoff.

       

      Mason Black will replace Falter on the Royals' pitching staff. Black has made four appearances with the Royals this year. In that 4.2 IP sample, he has not allowed a run, has a 1.93 WHIP, 2.24 FIP, and 13.6% K-BB%. His profile is very similar to Falter's, albeit from the right, as seen below in his TJ Statcast Percentiles summary.

      Mason_Black_percentiles (3).png

      In 13 outings and 20.2 IP with Omaha this year, Black has a 6.53 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, and 4.3% K-BB%, which isn't impressive. However, his FIP is much better at 3.49, and he's done a much better job in Triple-A of throwing strikes (67% strike rate) and limiting the long ball (0.0% HR/FB rate). 

       

      Kevin O'Brien

       

      On Monday, before their series-opening game against the Yankees on Monday, manager Matt Quatraro shared some deflating news regarding pitcher Cole Ragans, who's been on the IL since May 7th due to a left elbow impingement.

      Anne Rogers reported that he didn't bounce back from his rehab outing in Omaha and that he would need to be shut down for 2-3 days before being re-evaluated. It seemed like this elbow issue flared up after he pitched, not during his outing in Triple-A. 

      Joel Penfield of KC Sports Network shared video of Quatraro's comments in the dugout during the pregame presser. 

       

      It's been a challenging year for Ragans, who's struggled with injuries and inconsistency for a second straight season. He has a 4.84 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in eight starts and 35.1 IP. His K rate is solid at 29.8%, but his walk rate is 15.2%, nearly double his rate from a season ago (7.8% BB%). 

      When looking at his TJ Stuff+ summary from this year, Ragans is still generating whiffs at a solid rate (31.7%), and his TJ Stuff+ data is solid overall (104). However, he has struggled to find the strike zone and generate chase, and has allowed a lot of hard contact, as seen in the summary below.

      tjstats_season_summary (56).png

      Ragans had an encouraging outing on Sunday for Omaha, as he went 4.1 IP and allowed only three hits, one run, and one walk while striking out three (he also had 10 whiffs). The TJ Stuff+ metrics also looked solid in his outing as well, especially in the TJ Stuff+, chase, and xwOBACON areas. 

      tjstuff_summary (30).png

      Ragans will likely need more time on the IL as he sorts through this latest setback. The Royals are planning to have another bullpen game on Tuesday, with Bailey Falter as the opener. That said, if they need someone to start in Ragans' spot, they could opt for Mitch Spence, who's on the 40-man roster and currently pitching in Triple-A Omaha. 

      Spence has only made one outing with the Royals this year, and it was a rough one where he allowed six runs on four hits and five walks while striking out three against the Yankees in the Bronx. That said, he's been more serviceable in Omaha, as evidenced by his 4.80 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 3.88 FIP in 30 IP. He has also demonstrated solid TJ Stuff+ metrics with the Storm Chasers, as shown in his summary below.

      tjstats_season_summary (57).png

      Whether the Royals will opt for Spence or another bullpen game next week will depend on Ragans' status, which hopefully will become clearer by the end of this week.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      It is another chance for Tyler Tolbert.

      The Kansas City Royals called up Tolbert, a second baseman, from Triple-A Omaha on Friday. Catcher Elias Diaz was designated for assignment.

      This is the speedy Tolbert's second appearance on the Royals' roster this year after making the team out of spring training. But Tolbert appeared in just eight games and went 1-for-5 at the plate in the three weeks he was on the roster.

      After being optioned to Omaha on April 19, Tolbert put up a .260/.365/.288 slash line with no homers, five RBIs and eight stolen bases in 20 games. He made his MLB debut a year ago, playing in 64 games with a slash line of .280/.321/.380 with one homer, six RBIs and 21 steals.

      Diaz's DFA puts the Royals back at the traditional two catchers. The 2023 All-Star Game MVP with the Colorado Rockies slashed .227/.261/.591 with two homers and five RBIs while appearing in 10 games. It also opens up a spot on the 40-man roster.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The Kansas City Royals have lost another valuable member of their starting rotation.

      Left-handed starter Kris Bubic was placed on the 15-day injured list Monday by the Royals with a soreness in his left elbow. Right-handed reliever Eli Morgan was called up from Triple-A Omaha.

      We have made the following roster moves:

      [image or embed]

      — Kansas City Royals (@royals.com) May 18, 2026 at 12:06 PM

      Bubic joins ace left-hander Cole Ragans on the injured list. Ragans went on the 15-day IL May 8 with an impingement in his left elbow. Ragans did throw a 30-pitch bullpen session Sunday, but still needs to go through steps before returning to the rotation.

      Bubic started Thursday and gave up five runs in just four innings on five hits and three walks with four strikeouts in a 6-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox. For the season, Bubic has a 4.11 ERA over nine starts, with four homers allowed in 50⅓ innings, a 12.6% walk rate and a 24.6% strikeout rate.

      Morgan is making his third trip up from the minors this year. He has appeared in seven games with a 2.61 ERA in 10⅓ innings, allowing eight hits and six walks with nine strikeouts.

      The Royals will still have to find a starter to fill Bubic's spot in the rotation.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      One left-handed reliever is back, while another will be out for a bit.

      Matt Strahm was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday by the Kansas City Royals with inflammation in his right knee. Bailey Falter, who had been on a rehab assignment, was activated from the 15-day IL. Falter had inflammation in his left elbow and his rehab assignment, which started April 15, had expired.

      Strahm has been a big part of the Royals' bullpen thus far. Acquired in the offseason from the Philadelphia Phillies, Strahm has a 3.86 ERA in 17 appearances covering 16⅓ innings.

      Falter had made two appearances with the Royals before going on the IL April 3. He allowed five runs in 3⅓ innings, giving up eight hits and two walks with four strikeouts.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The expected became official in regards to Cole Ragans.

      The Kansas City Royals placed their ace left-hander on the 15-day injured list with a left elbow impingement. Right-handed starter Stephen Kolek, who made his season debut Tuesday before being sent to Triple-A, was recalled from Omaha. Also, left-hander Eric Cerantola, who made his MLB debut this week, was optioned to Triple-A and right-handed reliever Steven Cruz was called up.

      We have made the following roster moves:

      [image or embed]

      — Kansas City Royals (@royals.com) May 8, 2026 at 12:27 PM

      Additionally, right-handed closer Carlos Estevez was officially pulled from his rehab assignment after experiencing discomfort in his right shoulder following his first rehab appearance Wednesday.

      Ragans was pulled from Wednesday's start vs. the Cleveland Guardians after just three innings. On Thursday, it was revealed that Ragans was dealing with pitcher's elbow, with the more technical term of valgus extension overload.

      The loss of Ragans is a significant blow to the Royals, who are still trying to string some wins together.

      Kolek came off the 15-day IL and went six innings in Tuesday's 5-3 win over the Guardians. He allowed all three runs on four hits with no walks and three strikeouts.

      Cruz, in his second stint with the Royals, made five appearances after an April 1 call-up. In five innings, he allowed eight runs on seven hits, including four homers, with four walks and seven strikeouts for a 14.40 ERA. At Omaha, he had a 6.43 ERA in eight appearances, giving up eight runs on 10 hits and three walks with 10 strikeouts.

      Cerantola made two relief appearances, pitching Wednesday and Thursday. He went a combined three innings, allowing three runs, including a homer, in two innings in his second appearance. He walked four and struck out five.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The bullpen shuffle continues for the Kansas City Royals.

      Right-hander Eric Cerantola was called up from Triple-A Omaha to make his MLB debut and right-handed starter Stephen Kolek, who started Tuesday, was sent back to the Storm Chasers.

      Also, right-handed closer Carlos Estevez was sent to Omaha to begin a rehab assignment. He has been out since April with a left foot contusion.

      Kolek was called up to make a spot start in Tuesday's 5-3 win over the Cleveland Guardians. He went six innings, giving up three runs on six hits and no walks with three strikeouts.

      Cerantola was a fifth-round draft choice in 2021 out of Mississippi State and has posted a 3.59 ERA in 133 games, including 24 starts. This season at Omaha, Cerantola appeared in 12 games and had a 1.42 ERA with six walks and 18 strikeouts in 12⅔ innings.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      It is Stephen Kolek's turn to see what he can do in the Kansas City Royals' rotation.

      The right-handed starter was activated from the 15-day injured list following an oblique injury and will start Tuesday's home game against the Cleveland Guardians. Right-handed reliever Mason Black was optioned to Triple-A Omaha.

      We have made the following roster moves:

      [image or embed]

      — Kansas City Royals (@royals.com) May 5, 2026 at 12:03 PM

      The Royals' rotation has had trouble with consistency this season, just one of the reasons the team sits at 16-19. Kolek, acquired from the San Diego Padres at last year's trade deadline in the Freddy Fermin deal, was impressive in five starts for the Royals in 2025. In 33 innings, he had a 4% walk and 16.8% strikeout rate with a .168 opponent batting average. Kolek had a 2.76 ERA in four rehab appearances with Omaha.

      Black didn't allow a run in his four relief appearances, walking two and striking out five in 4⅔ innings.

       

      Kevin O'Brien

       

      On Monday afternoon, before the start of the Royals' seven-game homestand against Cleveland and Detroit, the Royals announced on social media that relief pitcher Carlos Estevez will begin a rehab assignment in Triple-A Omaha.

      Estevez has made only one MLB-level appearance this season, on the road against Atlanta on March 28th. In 0.1 IP, he allowed six runs on four hits and two walks while not registering a single strikeout. He also gave up a home run and currently has a 162.00 ERA, 18.00 WHIP, and 60.10 FIP. 

      During the Braves game, the 33-year-old reliever was hit in the foot by a comebacker and, as a result, was placed on the 15-Day IL due to a left foot contusion. 

      There was a lot of buzz surrounding Estevez this spring, as his four-seam velocity sat under 90 MPH for most of Spring Training. While he's been traditionally a slow starter when it comes to ramping up for the start of the season, the subpar velocity captured the eye of concerned Royals fans. While his velocity was slightly better against Atlanta than what he showed in the spring, it was still down compared to his historical velocity trends.

      tjstats_season_summary (3).png

      Not much has been shared about Estevez since going on the IL, though it was reported that he got sick, which bumped his rehab assignment back. In bullpen sessions back in Arizona, Royals GM JJ Picollo, in an interview with the Cody and Gold radio show on 96.5 FM on April 29th, said the velocity looked much better and was more in line with what the Royals saw a season ago, during his first season in Kansas City. 

       

      Estevez is in the last year of a two-year deal he signed with the Royals last offseason. In 67 appearances last year, he posted a 2.45 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and saved 42 games, which led all of baseball. It was the first time a Royals closer had led the league in saves since Dan Quisenberry back in 1985. 

      Currently, Lucas Erceg has been receiving a majority of the save opportunities with Estevez on the IL. In 15 appearances, the 30-year-old righty has a 3.77 ERA and 1.40 WHIP and has nine saves with two blown saves this season. A setup man in 2025, Erceg saved 14 games with the Royals and Athletics in 2024. 11 of those saves came with Kansas City after being acquired at the Trade Deadline.   

       

      Kevin O'Brien

       

      On Wednesday evening, the Royals announced via social media that pitchers Ryan Bergert and Ben Kudrna underwent successful surgeries on their arms. 

       

      Bergert and Kudrna are both on the 40-man roster, though neither made the Opening Day roster. 

      The former Padre, acquired with Stephen Kolek for Freddy Fermin at last summer's Trade Deadline, is the more accomplished of the pair. Berger pitched 76.1 IP with the Padres and Royals a season ago. In that 19-appearance sample (15 starts), he posted 3.66 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 22.6% K%, and 11.8% K-BB%. He walked fewer batters with the Royals (9.8% BB%) than the Padres (12.1% BB%), but his ERA with the Royals (4.43) was much higher than his one with the Padres (2.78). 

      Still, Bergert showcased a solid profile and a strong ability to flood the strike zone, especially with the Royals, as illustrated in his TJ Stats summary from 2025.

      tjstats_season_summary (21).png

      Bergert's chase%, whiff%, and xwOBACON left a bit to be desired, as they all rated slightly below average. However, he was showing some progress in Spring Training and Triple-A Omaha (23.8% K% and 2.79 ERA in 9.1 IP) before going down with an injury.

      As for Kudrna, the 2021 second-round pick was added to the 40-man roster this past offseason, and hopes were high that the local Kansas prep product would be a dark horse to make his MLB debut this season. Kudrna posted a 4.21 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 94 IP with the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals. However, he had a 24% K%, 15.7% K-BB%, and 3.17 FIP. 

      Omaha was a much tougher challenge for Kudrna. In four outings, three starts, and 11.1 IP, he posted a 14.29 ERA, 2.74 WHIP, 9.54 FIP, and -11.1% K-BB%. His one outing with the Storm Chasers this year wasn't much better, as he posted a 9.00 ERA, 3.00 WHIP, and 7.10 FIP. 

      Kudrna posted a solid whiff rate in Omaha as well as limited hard contact, but his TJ Stuff+, zone rate, and chase rate metrics were all mediocre, as illustrated in his TJ Stats season summary below.

      tjstats_season_summary (22).png

      The typical recovery timetable for surgeries such as Kudrna's is 3-6 months. Thus, it's possible that Kudrna could return in Late August or September if his body responds well to the recovery process. That said, at 23 years old, it's likely that the Royals will take it slow with Kudrna, which probably rules out any return to Omaha this season. 

      Both players will likely be placed on the 60-Day IL, opening two roster spots for potential pitchers in the near future. 

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The Kansas City Royals made a minor move in the bullpen Tuesday, bringing back right-hander Luinder Avila and optioned right-hander Eli Morgan to Triple-A Omaha.

      Avila made two appearances, including his first MLB start, in his first stint with the Royals this season. There is not currently a rotation opening, so a bullpen slot is his likely role entering a three-game series on the road vs. the Athletics that begins Tuesday.

      We have made the following roster moves:

      [image or embed]

      — Kansas City Royals (@royals.com) April 28, 2026 at 12:11 PM

      Avila, who made 13 relief appearances for the Royals as a rookie last year, made four starts at Omaha, but went just 10⅔ innings. He allowed five runs on 11 hits and seven walks with nine strikeouts.

      Morgan was called up April 9 and appeared in seven games with a 2.61 ERA, walking six and striking out nine, allowing eight hits in 10⅓ innings.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The Kansas City Royals' struggling offense has lost a struggling bat.

      Second baseman Jonathan India was put on the 10-day injured list Monday due to a left shoulder subluxation. Infielder-outfielder Nick Loftin was called up from Triple-A Omaha.

      We have made the following roster moves:

      [image or embed]

      — Kansas City Royals (@royals.com) April 20, 2026 at 1:37 PM

      India has not been in the starting lineup since Thursday's 10-9 road loss to the Detroit Tigers. He did come off the bench and had two at-bats Friday vs. the New York Yankees and came in defensively in Saturday's blowout loss. India did not play Sunday.

      The Royals entered Monday with the third-worst OPS at .635 and are dead last in MLB at 3.23 runs per game. India has helped contribute to that with his .167/.310/.313 slash line with two homers and eight RBIs in 17 of the Royals' 22 games.

      Loftin made the Opening Day roster, but was optioned to Omaha on April 6. He appeared in four games, two at second base, one at third base and the other in left, going 2-for-9 (.222/.364/.333) with two walks and three runs scored. At Omaha, he had a .303/.385/.455 slash line in nine games.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      Needing a fresh arm in the bullpen, the Kansas City Royals made moves Sunday affecting their relievers and the bench.

      Right-handed reliever Mason Black and catcher Elias Diaz were called up from Triple-A Omaha, while right-handed reliever Mitch Spence and middle infielder Tyler Tolbert were sent down to Omaha. Diaz was not on the 40-man roster, so right-handed reliever James McArthur (right elbow inflammation) was transferred from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL.

      We have made the following roster moves:

      [image or embed]

      — Kansas City Royals (@royals.com) April 19, 2026 at 7:28 AM

      Black will be making his Royals debut after being acquired in the offseason from the San Francisco Giants after the right-hander was designated for assignment. He appeared in 10 games, including eight starts in 2024, over the last two seasons with the Giants, with a 6.47 ERA over 40⅓ innings, with an 8% walk rate and 19.1% strikeout rate. At Omaha this year, he appeared in seven games with a 3.86 ERA with two saves in 11⅔ innings. He walked five and struck out six.

       

      Diaz signed a minor-league contract at the beginning of spring training to provide catching depth. Calling him up gives the Royals three catchers, joining starter Salvador Perez and backup Carter Jensen.

      Spence is coming off a four-inning, bullpen-saving outing Saturday in a 13-4 loss to the New York Yankees. He allowed six runs on four hits and five walks with three strikeouts. That was his only appearance since being called up April 9.

      Tolbert made the Opening Day roster, but had appeared in eight games and only had five at bats, including going 1-for-1 Saturday for his only hit this year. He played in 64 games last year, posting a .280/.321/.380 slash line with one homer, six RBIs and 21 steals.

       

      Cory Moen

      Isaac Collins was removed from a game after attempting to make a diving catch into the stands in left field against the Tigers. He didn't get up right away, but walked back into the dugout with a noticeable limp. 

      Collins hasn't had a great start to the season after being acquired in an offseason trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. Collins has hit .214/.327/.310 for an OPS+ of 85. 

      The injury is listed as a knee injury, and the Royals will update his status on Wednesday.

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The Kansas City Royals made a pair of moves to bolster their bullpen before opening a four-game series vs. the Chicago White Sox on Thursday at Kauffman Stadium.

      Right-handers Eli Morgan and Mitch Spence were promoted from Triple-A Omaha, while right-handers Luinder Avila and Steven Cruz were optioned to Omaha. Thursday's game marks the ninth of 12 straight days the Royals are playing, including pitching 7⅓ innings Wednesday in a 10-2 loss to the Cleveland Guardians, thus the need for a bullpen refresh.

      Spence will be making his Royals debut. He was acquired in February shortly after being designated for assignment by the Athletics. Spence has made 67 MLB appearances over the last two seasons with the A's, including 32 starts, so he gives the Royals' bullpen a bit of length. Spence appeared in one game at Triple-A, starting Saturday and allowing four hits and one unearned run in five shutout innings.

      This is Morgan's second time coming up already this season. He was the extra pitcher called up for Saturday's doubleheader against the Milwaukee Brewers and picked up a three-inning save, giving up one hit and no runs, in the 8-2 triumph before being sent back to Omaha. Morgan signed a minor-league contract this offseason after appearing in seven games for the Chicago Cubs in 2025.

      Avila was called up last week and made his season debut Saturday in the first game of the doubleheader, surrendering five runs on eight hits and three walks in three innings. He then appeared Wednesday in relief, tossing another three innings, giving up six hits but allowing just one run.

      Cruz has posted a 14.40 ERA in five appearances, including allowing five runs in 1⅓ innings Wednesday.

       

      Kevin O'Brien

      On Thursday morning, the Kansas City Royals unveiled their new City Connect jerseys to the public via social media.

      On March 31st, a picture of the possible City Connect jerseys leaked, though no confirmation was provided by the Royals, Nike, or Major League Baseball. With the City Connect jersey officially released on Thursday, it appeared the leak was indeed a preview of what the Royals' updated City Connect would look like for the next three seasons (City Connect jerseys have a three-year cycle).

      The new Royals City Connect shares a lot in common with the Royals' old City Connect jersey. The color scheme is obviously different, with blue, purple, and white instead of navy blue, light blue, and white. However, the new City Connect jerseys will still be utilizing the "Fountain" font that made the old City Connect jerseys so popular with Royals fans. However, instead of "KC", the new City Connect style will emphasize the old "R" logo. 

      Here's a picture of the old City Connect jersey worn by Vinnie Pasquantino during an April 14th, 2023, game against the Braves.

      Denny Medley-Imagn Images

      Per Kindle Biermann, manager of business and community communications, in addition to wearing them every Friday evening game, the Royals will also have multiple promotions and giveaways throughout the year that will utilize the new City Connect style and color pattern. 

      The Royals begin their four-game homestand against the Chicago White Sox tonight and will unveil their new jerseys, hats, and City Connect gear during Friday night's home game. 

      Kevin O'Brien

       

      On Monday morning, the Royals announced they would activate Michael Massey from the IL. The 28-year-old second baseman/left fielder was on a rehab stint in Omaha after suffering a calf injury in Spring Training. Massey started the season on the 10-Day IL. 

      With the activation of Massey, Kansas City optioned utility player Nick Loftin to Omaha.

       

      Massey had a solid spring until he was sidelined with a calf injury. In 24 plate appearances, the former Illinois product slashed .364/.417/.545 with a .962 OPS. He also hit a home run, had 3 RBIs, stole a base, and posted solid Statcast percentiles in Cactus League play, as seen below via TJ Stats.

      Michael_Massey_percentiles.png

      Massey is trying to bounce back after a lackluster 2025 campaign. 

      In 277 plate appearances, he hit .244 with a .581 OPS. He had three home runs, posted a .069 ISO, and only had a 3.2% walk rate. The Royals are hoping that Massey can be more selective at the plate and show more power, much like he did in 2024 when he hit 14 home runs in 356 plate appearances.

      With Massey coming up, the Royals optioned Loftin, who was hitting .222 with a .697 OPS in 11 plate appearances. The former Baylor product showed excellent plate discipline so far in 2026. He had a .364 OBP and had solid Statcast rankings, especially in terms of whiff rate, walk rate, and chase rate. 

      Nick_Loftin_percentiles.png

      That said, Loftin struggled to launch the ball, as evidenced by an LA Sweet-Spot% that ranked in the 18th percentile. He also showed questionable defense in the field, especially in left field, where he misplayed a ball badly that resulted in the Brewers scoring.

      Thus, the Royals may want Loftin to work on his defense and power in Omaha. With his strong plate discipline, it doesn't seem like Loftin will be waiting in Omaha for long, especially if Massey can't show progress at the plate in 2026. 

      Kevin O'Brien

      On Wednesday, the Kansas City Royals announced that they had optioned right-handed pitcher Mitch Spence to Triple-A Omaha to begin the season. This latest move now brings their Major League Spring Training roster to 49. 

      Spence was acquired by the Royals from the Athletics this offseason in exchange for right-hander A.J. Causey. Spence was the top overall pick in the 2023 Rule 5 Draft, and he pitched two seasons with the Athletics before arriving in Kansas City. 

      In 2024, the former Yankee pitching prospect was a hybrid arm for the Athletics, making 35 appearances (24 starts) and pitching 151.1 innings. In that sample, he posted a 4.58 ERA, a 1.38 WHIP, a 4.14 FIP, and 12.6% K-BB%.

      He took a step back in his second year with the Athletics, pitching only 84.2 innings and making only eight starts (32 total appearances). In that more abbreviated campaign, Spence posted a 5.10 ERA, a 1.44 WHIP, a 5.06 FIP, and 10.7% K-BB%. His Statcast percentiles were also a bit mixed last year, as seen below via his TJ Stats Statcast summary.

      Mitch_Spence_percentiles.png

      The 27-year-old did a good job of generating whiffs, limiting walks, and generating chase and groundballs last year with Sacramento. However, he also gave up a lot of hard contact, and that hurt him in Sacramento's hitter-friendly confines. He posted a 6.93 ERA at home compared to a 3.64 ERA on the road. Thus, the move to Kauffman Stadium should help Spence in 2026.

      This spring was a rough one for Spence, albeit a limited sample. In three appearances (two starts) and 7.0 IP, he posted a 10.29 ERA, 1.71 WHIP, 7.53 FIP, and 3.0% K-BB%. Spence has been hurt by the long ball, as evidenced by his 28.6% HR/FB rate. However, his TJ Stuff+ metrics have been encouraging, as shown in his TJ Stats summary below.

      tjstats_season_summary (10).png

      Spence had a 106 overall TJ Stuff+ this spring with his cutter (108), slider (111), and curveball (101) all rating as above-average pitches. He generated a 31.6% chase rate, which was above average, but his zone rate and whiff rate were slightly below average, and his xwOBACON of .424 was well below average. Thus, it was more of a command issue for Spence in Cactus League play, and hopefully, he can work that out in Omaha.

       

      With the Spence move, Bailey Falter, Alex Lange, Hector Neris, and Eli Morgan are the main relievers remaining in camp. They are battling for two spots in the Opening Day bullpen.

      Lange and Falter are likely the favorites for those remaining spots, especially since they are out of Minor League options. Morgan has had a strong spring for the Royals, however. The former Cleveland reliever is posting a 1.17 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, 1.80 FIP, and 18.8% K-BB%. He has also shown solid Statcast percentiles this spring in his Cactus League sample. 

       

      Eli_Morgan_percentiles.png

      Morgan does have a Minor League option remaining, but if he doesn't make the Major League squad out of Spring Training, he could opt to find a spot in the bullpen on another MLB team. Thus, it will be interesting to see what the Royals will do with Morgan, especially in the wake of the Spence move and Opening Day only nine days away. 

      Brock Beauchamp

      How To Install On iPhone or iPad
      How To Install On Android Device

      Developing a pure, native app for either Android or iOS is a breathtakingly expensive endeavor, which is why we haven’t done it, despite so many requests over the years. Thankfully, technology has met us halfway, and PWAs (Progressive Web Applications) have reached maturity in the marketplace.

      What is a PWA? It’s effectively a pseudo-app that works much like a native application but doesn’t require tens of thousands of dollars in development to produce. It creates a single browser instance and maintains it as if it were an application. It’s basically a standalone browser tab, dedicated specifically to Royals Keep.

      From this app instance, you can receive notifications; the typical browser interface is removed, and the site is presented clearly, using as much screen real estate as possible, all without sacrificing any functionality. The site is faster, more reliable, and offers more mobile functionality than a standard web browser.

      Additionally, a newer, completely updated Royals Keep is coming later this year, and that will add even more app-like features, making PWA usage even better for all our users.

      With that said, here’s how you turn Royals Keep into an app on your mobile device.

      How To “Install” Royals Keep on iPhone or iPad Using Safari

      First, go to the home page of Royals Keep at https://royalskeep.com/.

      1. Tap on the ellipses (…) at bottom right of screen.
      2. Tap “Share” in pop-up menu.

      ios1.jpg

      3. Tap “View More”.
      4. Tap “Add To Home Screen”.
      5. Tap “Add”.

      ios2.jpg

      That takes you to your home screen on iOS, where you can move the Royals Keep app around, just as you would any other app.

      Additionally, you can turn on notifications for them. Just go to the following link while logged into the site: https://royalskeep.com/notifications/options/.

      ios3.jpg

      How To “Install” Royals Keep on an Android Device Using Chrome

      First, go to the home page of Royals Keep at https://royalskeep.com/.

      1. Tap on the vertical ellipses (…) at top right of screen.
      2. Tap “Share…” in pop-up menu.

      android1.jpg

      3. Tap “Add to Home Screen”.
      4. Tap “Install”.

      android2.jpg

      That takes you to your home screen on Android, where you can move the Royals Keep app around, just as you would any other app.

      Additionally, you can turn on notifications for the site. Just go to the following link while logged into the site: https://royalskeep.com/notifications/options/.

      android3.jpg

      Kevin O'Brien

       

      On Tuesday, during the Royals' evening Spring Training game against the Dodgers, Kansas City announced that Cole Ragans would be the Opening Day starter for their first game against Atlanta on March 27th.

       

      This will be the third-straight Opening Day start for Ragans, as he toed the rubber for the Royals on Opening Day in 2024 and 2025. This will be his first Opening Day start away from Kauffman Stadium. 

       

      Manager Matt Quatraro was highly complimentary of Ragans after sharing the news. He pointed out in the Rogers piece that the 28-year-old ace will be key to their playoff chances in 2026.

      Quote

      "We view him as a frontline starter,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “And we want to get him as many chances to get out there on the mound as we can. We’re obviously going to be better the more starts he makes.”

      Ragans is coming off a tough 2025 marred by injury. He only made 13 starts for the Royals and pitched 61.2 innings in 2025. The ERA was high at 4.67, but his WHIP was 1.18, his FIP was 2.47, and his K% and K-BB% were solid at 38.1% and 30.4%, respectively. For context, his 30.4% K-BB% was 9.9 percentage points better than his 2024 mark. 

      An issue for Ragans in 2025 was that he gave up more barrels and allowed fewer ground balls. That said, his percentiles otherwise were encouraging, as illustrated in his TJ Stats Statcast summary below.

      Cole_Ragans_percentiles.png

      Ragans has been fully healthy this spring, making four starts and pitching 10.2 innings. The ERA is rough at 8.44, and he's been hurt by an 18.2% HR/FB rate. Conversely, his K% is 30%, his K-BB% is 24%, and the stuff metrics have been impressive, as illustrated in his TJ Stats summary below.

      tjstats_season_summary (6).png

      Even though the ERA isn't great, the solid TJ Stuff+ (104 overall), strong chase (31.1%) and whiff (35.5%) rates should make Royals fans encouraged that Ragans is not just ready for Opening Day, but for 2026 in general. 

      Kevin O'Brien

       

      On Sunday, after the Royals' 5-4 loss to the Chicago White Sox, Kansas City announced moves regarding three position-player prospects who were non-roster invitees. That included catchers Blake Mitchell and Ramon Ramirez, as well as outfielder Carson Roccaforte. 

       

      Much like the pitching moves, these transactions do not come as a surprise. Mitchell, Ramirez, and Roccaforte were likely to begin the year in the Minor Leagues, and their experience this spring was more to get them experience with the big league club. With many of the Royals' stars in the World Baseball Classic, and Opening Day approaching, it made sense for the Royals to assign the three talented prospects to Minor League camp.

      All three had their share of struggles in Cactus League play, albeit in limited samples. 

      In 10 plate appearances, Mitchell slashed .125/.300/.250 with a .550 OPS. While the Royals' No. 2 prospect had a 20% walk rate, he also had a 30% strikeout rate. The 2023 first-round pick still has potential, but he will need to cut down the strikeouts and improve in the power department in order to compete for playing time in Kansas City in 2027 or 2028. Mitchell could begin the year in High-A or Double-A, depending on the catching situation in Northwest Arkansas. 

       

       

       

      Ramirez was an even bigger long shot to make the Royals squad, especially since he hasn't played beyond Low-A Columbia. In 9 at-bats, the 20-year-old slashed .111/.273/.111 with a .384 OPS. He did score two runs and had two hits in his short Cactus League stint. It is likely that Ramirez will begin the year in High-A Quad Cities. 

       

       

       

      Lastly, Roccaforte had the best spring of the trio, slashing .200/.385/.300 with a .685 OPS in 10 at-bats. The 23-year-old showed strong plate discipline with three walks and two strikeouts. He also stole a base and hit a double.

       

       

       

      Roccaforte will likely make the move up to Triple-A Omaha, competing for playing time in the outfield with John Rave, Kameron Misner, Drew Waters, Tyler Gentry, and Gavin Cross, according to Roster Resource. 

       

      Kevin O'Brien

       

      On Saturday morning, the Royals announced via social media that they would be optioning Ben Kudrna to Triple-A Omaha, Steven Zobac to Double-A Northwest Arkansas, and Chazz Martinez to Minor League camp. That means that all three pitchers will be primarily working out of Minor League camp for the remainder of Spring Training.

      The move is not surprising, as all three were longshots to make the Opening Day roster at the start of camp. Kudrna and Zobac had just been added to the 40-man roster this offseason. As for Martinez, he was a Minor League non-roster invitee. 

      Kudrna got the most work in Spring Training and struggled in his small Cactus League sample. In 3.1 IP, he posted a 21.60 ERA and 3.60 WHIP. His FIP was better at 3.45, but he also only generated a 19% K% and 4.8% K-BB% in his limited Spring Training stint. Below is a look at his summary from Cactus League play via TJ Stats.

      pitching_summary_season (1).png

      Kudrna did a good job of finding the strike zone, as evidenced by his 52.6% zone rate. He also had a 99 overall TJ Stuff+, and his slider had a 103 TJ Stuff+. That said, he only generated a 24.3% chase and 21.2% whiff as well as a .522 xwOBACON. Those three factors explain why his WHIP and ERA were so inflated. 

      Hopefully, the 23-year-old can work on his command and four-seamer a bit in Minor League camp. He still has some upside, and he has made some progress in the Royals system over the past couple of seasons. Kudrna likely will be the anchor of the Storm Chasers staff in 2026.

      Zobac was also optioned to Double-A Northwest Arkansas, which makes sense after Zobac missed so much of 2025 due to injury. He posted a 7.68 ERA and 5.68 FIP in 36.1 IP with the Naturals last year. However, he's long showcased solid stuff when healthy, and he had a 21.1 K% and 13.1% K-BB% in Northwest Arkansas. That control was encouraging to see and explains why the Royals added him to the 40-man roster this offseason.

      Like Kudrna, the 25-year-old had a small sample, only pitching 2.2 innings. He didn't allow a run, but he sported a 1.88 WHIP and 7.7 K-BB%. The walks were a bit high at 15.4%. A contributor to that was his inability to generate chase, as illustrated in his TJ Stats summary below.

      pitching_summary_season (2).png

      Zobac sported a chase rate of 16% and an xwOBACON of .430, both blemishes on his limited Cactus League sample. However, he had a strong zone rate (54.5%), whiff rate (26.9), and decent TJ Stuff+ (100 overall). His four-seamer and slider were his best pitches, stuff-wise, with 102 TJ Stuff+ marks. 

      Martinez was also sent to Minor League camp, but he didn't make an appearance in Cactus League play prior to his demotion. He still could pitch in Cactus League play, but he just won't be a candidate to make the roster. 

      The 26-year-old lefty primarily pitched in Omaha, posting a 5.64 ERA and 1.52 WHIP in 30.1 IP last season. Martinez's stuff isn't dominant, but he did a good job of limiting hard contact last year, as illustrated in his TJ Stats summary.

      Chazz Martinez TJ-AAA-2025.png

      Martinez likely will return to Omaha in 2026, where he will provide left-handed bullpen depth.

      The Royals' Spring Training roster is now at 63 after these moves and the optioning of reliever Eric Cerantola earlier in the week. Cerantola is currently pitching for Canada in the World Baseball Classic. 

       

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