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    Notes about the team are posted here.

    88 rumors in this category

      Kevin O'Brien

       

      On Thursday afternoon, the Royals shared on social media that Maikel Garcia will play for Venezuela in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

       

       

      This will be Garcia's first appearance in the WBC with his home country. His inclusion on the Venezuelan team was merited, especially after a breakthrough season in 2025.

      In 666 plate appearances last year, he hit 16 home runs, scored 81 runs, collected 74 RBI, stole 23 bases, and hit .286. He also posted a 121 wRC+ and a 5.6 fWAR, the latter being the second-best mark of Royals players last season. In 449 career MLB games, Garcia has accumulated a 9.1 fWAR. 

      In addition to his gaudy metrics, he played in his first All-Star game, won a Gold Glove, and won the team's Special Achievement award (which typically goes to the second-best player on the team). The stellar campaign helped Garcia earn a five-year, $57.5 million extension this offseason. He is guaranteed to stay under contract in Kansas City until 2031. 

       

      The Royals' third baseman will be joining family member Ronald Acuna Jr. (of Atlanta) and teammate Salvador Perez in the World Baseball Classic. Perez was named the captain of Team Venezuela back in November. 

       

       

      Pool play for the WBC will begin on March 5th and go until March 11th. The WBC final will be on March 17th at loanDepot Park in Miami. For more information, check out the World Baseball Classic's official site here. 

      Photo Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

      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.

       

      Kevin O'Brien

       

      The Winter Meetings ended on Wednesday, but the hot stove discussion didn't conclude by any means. On Wednesday evening, it was reported that Mike Yastrzemski, who came over to Kansas City at the Trade Deadline last year, agreed to a multi-year deal with the Atlanta Braves.

       

      Yastrzemski was a massive boost to a Royals lineup that was stagnant for most of the season.

      In 50 games and 186 plate appearances, the 35-year-old outfielder slashed .237/.339/.500 with a 127 wRC+, 1.14 BB/K ratio, and 1.3 fWAR. His fWAR was 0.3 higher than his fWAR in 97 games with the Giants earlier in the season. The outfielder also showcased excellent plate discipline and strong launch ability with the Royals, as illustrated in his Statcast percentiles via TJ Stats.

      Mike Yastrzemski TJ Statcast-2025.png

      For the season, the Royals' offense ranked 22nd in baseball with a 93 wRC+, according to Fangraphs. However, from August until the end of the season, the Royals ranked 11th in wRC+ with a 107 mark. Yastrzemski's presence in the lineup had a significant effect on that turnaround. 

      According to Sam Forsberg of Discuss Baseball, the Royals and Braves were the two primary teams in the mix for Yastrzemski this offseason. 

       

      While nothing official was confirmed, the Royals likely offered Yastrzemski a deal. MLB.com Royals beat writer Anne Rogers mentioned at the conclusion of the Winter Meetings that the Royals had made offers to free agents, but were waiting for their decisions. 

       

      Losing out on Yastrzemski is tough, especially considering his impact after the Trade Deadline. That said, at 35, it may be challenging for Yastrzemski to live up to the contract he just signed with Atlanta. If the Braves exercise his option, he'll be nearly 40 by the end of the deal. He also has struggled in his career against lefties, with a career 79 wRC+ against southpaws, according to Fangraphs.

      Royals GM JJ Picollo will continue to scour the free-agent and trade markets for outfield help. According to multiple reports, acquiring a couple of outfielders this offseason is the top priority for Kansas City. 

      Photo Credit: © Peter Aiken-Imagn Images

      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. 

      Matthew Lenz

      The 2025-2026 offseason officially got underway Sunday following game 7 of the World Series on Saturday. Yesterday, it was announced that the Kansas City Royals declined the mutual option for veteran Starting Pitcher Michael Lorenzen. Today, we have more news impacting the 2026 roster.

      Per the Kansas City Royals' official Twitter account, Randal Grichuk has declined his mutual option for 2026.

      Grichuk played 113 games during the 2025 season, split between the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Kansas City Royals after being acquired by the Royals in July. The outfielder primarily saw action at designated hitter (45 games) and right field (40 games). At the plate, Grichuk recorded nine home runs and produced an overall .674 OPS. Advanced metrics for the year showed a .289 wOBA and a wRC+ of 82. 

      Though he wasn't great, he provided a solid veteran depth option for a team that dealt with a variety of injuries. Looking ahead to 2026, they will likely want to target a more productive depth piece as their bench options are light. Do you think they should look to re-sign Grichuk? Let us know in the comments!

      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

       

       

      In an attempt to fortify the bullpen, the Kansas City Royals have found a possibility on the MLB merry-go-round.

      The Royals on Monday traded for right-handed reliever Connor Seabold, who had been designated for assignment by the Toronto Blue Jays. The Royals sent minor-league right-handed starter Denis Samudio and cash to the Jays. To make room on the 40-man roster, right-handed closer Carlos Estevez was transferred from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL. A spot on the 26-man roster for Seabold will need to be made once he reports, which will likely be Tuesday.

      The Royals also promoted right-hander Mitch Spence from Triple-A Omaha and optioned right-handed reliever Eli Morgan to Triple-A. Morgan was sent down Sunday.

      Seabold is on his third MLB team this season. After being released by the Jays in spring training, Seabold made the Detroit Tigers' Opening Day roster, but was designated for assignment May 24 after a 4.13 FIP (3.45 ERA) in 11 appearances and 15⅔ innings. He was dealt to the Jays, where he pitched in five games to a 4.31 FIP (8.10 ERA) in 3⅓ innings.

      The 21-year-old Samudio has pitched in two games in the Arizona Complex League, giving up five runs (two earned) in 5⅔ innings.

       

       

      Kevin O'Brien

      On Friday morning, Robert Murray of Fansided noted that left-handed reliever Matt Strahm would be heading to the Kansas City Royals, according to sources.

      Later, Mark Feinsand confirmed the move, also noting that right-handed reliever Jonathan Bowlan would be going back to the Phillies in the deal. 

      The Royals this offseason have noted that they wanted to acquire a lefty reliever who could get left-handed batters out. After trading away Angel Zerpa for Isaac Collins and Nick Mears, it seemed like the Royals' need for such a reliever was even more urgent.

      Strahm is a former 21st-round draft pick by the Royals, selected in the 2012 MLB Draft. Strahm pitched two seasons in Kansas City (2016 and 2017) and put up ERA marks of 1.23 and 5.49, respectively. Since then, he's pitched for the Padres, Red Sox, and Phillies and posted a 2.74 ERA, 2.99 FIP, and 1.5 fWAR in 66 outings and 62.1 IP.

      When looking at his metrics via TJ Stats, Strahm illustrated above-average stuff metrics, a strong ability to flood the strike zone, and a capability to generate a lot of chase as well as weak contact. 

      Matt Strahm TJ-2025.png

      Strahm will be a free agent after the 2026 season. It will be interesting to see if Strahm will be a one-year project or if the Royals are planning to extend him at some point next year. He just turned 34 years old this November.

      As for Bowlan, he had a solid year last season, posting a 3.86 ERA in 44.1 IP. He also sported strong TJ Stuff+ metrics as well as chase and whiff rates, according to TJ Stats.

      Jonathan Bowlan TJ-2025.png

      Bowlan's FIP was a bit higher at 3.97, and he didn't see a whole lot of high-leverage situations last year. He is also out of Minor League options, and he was one of the most optioned relievers in the Royals' bullpen last season. With the arrival of Mears and James McArthur returning from injury, it seems like the Royals were willing to make Bowlan expendable, despite his intriguing pitch metrics.

      The Royals have made the deal official, per their team's social media accounts.

      With it being a one-for-one trade, the Royals roster remains full at 40 players. 

      Photo Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

      Kevin O'Brien

       

      On Tuesday afternoon, the Royals announced that they had acquired right-handed pitcher Easton McGee from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for cash considerations. To make room for McGee, the Royals transferred reliever Nick Mears to the 60-Day IL. 

      McGee pitched in 9 outings and 14.2 IP last season with the Brewers, posting a 5.52 ERA and 1.36 WHIP. However, his FIP was much better at 3.24. This year, he's spent most of it in Triple-A Nashville, as he has only appeared in two games for the Brewers. In those two outings, he has a 0.00 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. He showcased an intriguing TJ Stuff+ profile, though he didn't generate many whiffs in his brief Brewers tenure this year. 

      tjstats_season_summary (10).png

      With the Sounds in Triple-A, McGee has a 5.62 ERA, 1.58 WHIP, 4.18 WHIP, and 13.6% K-BB% in 41.2 IP. In Nashville, he has done a good job of flooding the strike zone, with strong percentiles in zone rate and CSW. That is something sorely needed with this Royals bullpen, which ranks 28th in reliever BB/9 this year. 

      Easton_McGee_percentiles.png

      In a corresponding move, the Royals moved Mears from the 15-Day IL to the 60-Day IL. Mears had been on the IL since May 29th due to right shoulder impingement. The former Brewers pitcher, acquired this offseason along with Isaac Collins in the Angel Zerpa trade, had a 5.12 ERA and 1.50 WHIP in 21 appearances and 19.1 IP before going on the IL. 

       

      Cory Moen

      The Royals have acquired RHP Nolan Hoffman from the Phillies. The Royals sent RHP Manuel Colon to Philadelphia in return. 

      Hoffman has thrown 4 2/3 innings for the Phillies this year, striking out two and walking three. At the Triple-A level, Hoffman has thrown 34 1/3 innings, stirking out 40 and walking 18 with a 5.24 ERA over 30 relief appearances. He was designated for assignment earlier today.

      Colon has thrown in the Arizona Complex League and at Single-A Columbia, throwing 29 1/3 innings combined (27 in the Complex League). He has a combined 5.83 ERA with 37 strikeouts and 12 walks in that time. 

      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. 

      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.

       

      Cory Moen

      The Royals have activated Nate Pearson to the major league roster. He was acquired in a trade with the Houston Astros on July 22. The Royals sent RHP Max Martin to Houston to acquire Pearson.

      Pearson has been decent for Houston, throwing 20 innings with a 3.60 ERA and 4.10 FIP.

      To make room for Pearson on the major league roster, the Royals have optioned RHP Eli Morgan to Triple-A Omaha. Morgan has bounced back and forth between Triple-A and the Royals roster this year. He's appeared in 16 games and thrown 19 1/3 innings, recording 16 strikeouts with nine walks. In that time, he has a 5.12 ERA and 6.52 FIP. 

      Kevin O'Brien

      One of the Royals' 13 arbitration-eligible cases this offseason became clearer on Thursday. The Royals announced on social media that they had reached an agreement with reliever James McArthur, and Anne Rogers followed up by confirming that the deal would be for $810,000, about $10,000 higher than his projected amount on MLB Trade Rumors. 

      As Rogers mentioned, McArthur didn't pitch all of last season due to elbow surgery and subsequent recovery, which turned out to be longer than expected. However, the fact that he began a throwing program by the end of last season suggests he will likely be ready for Spring Training this season, barring any setbacks. 

      After a brutal MLB debut in 2023 (he gave up seven runs on six hits and a walk in an inning of work against the Guardians on June 28th), he ended up posting a respectable 4.63 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in 18 appearances and 23.1 IP. He came alive at the end of the season and took on the Royals' closer role in 2023, saving four games. He also posted a 25.6% K rate, a 23.3% K-BB%, and a 2.78 FIP in 2023, indicating he was better than his ERA suggested.

      McArthur was the Royals' closer for a period of time in 2024 after Will Smith struggled out of the gate in the role. He ended up saving 18 games in 57 appearances. However, his K rate dropped to 19.8%, his K-BB% fell to 14.2%, and his HR/9 rose to 1.27 (it was 0.77 in 2023). As a result, his ERA was 4.92, and he eventually ceded the closer role to Lucas Erceg after the Trade Deadline.

      Like in 2023, the 28-year-old former Phillies draft pick posted a better FIP (4.17) than ERA. While strikeouts were inconsistent, he has a career CSW of 31.9% and his TJ Stats metrics were solid in 2024, despite the rough patches and high ERA.

      James McArthur TJ-2024.png

      McArthur posted a 104 overall TJ Stuff+ with his sinker (65) and curveball (70) rating as elite pitches. He also had a slightly above-average zone rate (50.2%), and solid chase (30.1%) and whiff (28.3%) rates. 

      Thus, there's reason to believe that if fully healthy and in a lower-leverage role, McArthur could thrive in 2026 as a middle-innings reliever for the Royals. 

      Photo Credit: © David Richard-Imagn Images

      Kevin O'Brien

      On Friday afternoon, right before the MLB Non-Tender deadline, the Royals announced that they had avoided arbitration with second baseman Jonathan India, agreeing to a one-year deal.

      On Twitter, Ken Rosenthal reported that the deal was worth $8 million, according to sources.

      India came over to the Royals last offseason from the Reds in exchange for starting pitcher Brady Singer, a 2018 first-round draft pick (both players played college baseball at the University of Florida). Last year, the 28-year-old second baseman was in the final season of a two-year, $8.8 million deal he signed with the Reds before the 2023 season.  However, he still had one more year of club control after the 2025 season.

      It was a disappointing season for India, who posted an 89 wRC+, .301 wOBA, and a -0.3 fWAR, all career lows, according to Fangraphs. He also struggled with nagging injuries, saw his power stats decline (only nine home runs, also a career low), and failed to fit in defensively. He rotated between third base, second base, and left field early in the year but struggled and eventually settled back into his natural position of second base. Unfortunately, he posted a -9 FRV and -14 OAA, both career-worst marks, according to Statcast data.

      On a positive note, he still showed strong plate discipline with a 9.5% walk rate and 0.51 BB/K ratio. The latter mark was the sixth-best ratio of Royals hitters with 50 or more plate appearances last year. His Statcast plate discipline percentiles also looked strong, as illustrated in his TJ Stats Statcast summary.  

      Jonathan India TJ Statcast-2025.png

      It is possible that the Royals could still trade India before Spring Training. They likely will return Michael Massey, who has primarily played second base the past two seasons, though he struggled with inconsistency and injuries last season. Nick Loftin is also an internal option, but he only has a career 72 wRC+ and 0.2 fWAR in 143 career games at the MLB level. 

      If he is not traded, the Royals hope India can bounce back to the 2024 version that posted a 109 wRC+ and a 2.9 fWAR in 637 plate appearances in his final season in Cincinnati. 

      Photo Credit: © Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

      Kevin O'Brien

      On Tuesday afternoon, MLB announced the order of the two Competitive Balance rounds of the 2026 MLB Draft, as highlighted by Sam Dykstra of MLB Pipeline on Bluesky.

      For those unaware, the Competitive Balance rounds in the MLB Draft can be described as follows, according to MLB.com's Joe Trezza: 

      Quote

      Since 2017, Major League Baseball has used a formula that combines revenue, winning percentage and market score to award Draft picks to teams that fall in the bottom 10 in revenue or market size. In 2025, there were 15 teams awarded picks in the two CB rounds: eight in Round A and seven in Round B.

      This year, there are 15 teams: seven in Round A and eight in Round B.

      Competitive Balance Round A takes place between the first-round compensation picks and the second round, while Round B is held after the second round is over. The order of the picks within each round is determined by order of finish in the previous year’s standings, best down to worst.

      The Royals rank 28th in MLB franchise value, ahead of only the Tampa Bay Rays and Miami Marlins, according to Forbes. Thus, Kansas City not only tends to receive draft picks in the Competitive Balance round, but it also tends to receive an excellent draft position in those rounds. 

      Here's a layout of the two rounds, according to Trezza. 

      Quote

      Round A:

      Guardians
      Royals
      D-backs
      Cardinals
      Orioles
      Pirates
      Rockies

      Round B:

      Brewers
      Mariners
      Tigers
      Reds
      Marlins
      Rays
      A's
      Twins

      The Royals draft behind only the Guardians, who rank 25th in Forbes' franchise valuations. Competitive Balance round picks are the only draft picks that are allowed to be traded by MLB teams. In 2022, the Royals utilized their CB pick in a deal with Atlanta that netted them outfielder Drew Waters, pitcher Andrew Hoffmann, and infielder CJ Alexander. In 2024, they acquired reliever Hunter Harvey from the Nationals in a trade package that included their CB pick and third-base prospect Cayden Wallace. 

      While the Competitive Balance rounds are set, the whole draft order will not be set until December 9th, when the MLB Draft Lottery takes place, during the Winter Meetings. The Royals have 0.84% odds to win the top pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, according to Trezza. The 2026 MLB Draft is set to take place July 12th-13th in Philadelphia, home of the All-Star game next season. 

      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 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

       

      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

      The Royals have claimed LHP Connor Thomas off waivers from the Athletics. Thomas was previously DFAed on Aug 1, shortly after the A's claimed him off waivers from the Atlanta Braves on July 31.

      Thomas has struggled in the majors in his brief appearances with the Brewers in 2025 and the Braves in 2026. He's thrown 11 2/3 innings over four appearances, giving up 27 earned runs. He has struck out nine hitters and walked eight in that time as well.

      In Triple-A with the Braves this year, he has had much better results, pitching to a 1.98 ERA over 12 appearances and 27 1/3 innings. In those innings, he has struck out 20 and walked eight. He will provide the Royals with relief pitching depth.

      No 40-man roster move was needed, as LHP Matt Strahm was designated for assignment earlier in the day. 

      Kevin O'Brien

       

      On Monday, the Kansas City Royals announced that they hired Mike McFerran as assistant pitching coach. McFerran replaces Zach Bove, who left earlier this month for the head pitching coach role with the Chicago White Sox.

       

      McFerran is only 32 years old but has a diverse coaching history, with much of his time spent at his alma mater, Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, Wake Forest University, and the Sacramento Athletics. With Wake Forest, he served as an associate head coach and pitching lab coordinator, helping develop first-round draft picks such as Ryan Cusick and Rhett Lowder. After a successful tenure with the Demon Deacons, he moved on to the Athletics organization, where he primarily worked with Minor League pitchers for the past two seasons. 

      The Royals' new assistant pitching coach had a pretty interesting interview on "And That's The Game" from Pro Batter Sports last year, when he was a member of the Athletics organization. In the podcast, he discussed his unique coaching background and his overall coaching philosophy. 

      When it came to replacing Bove, the Royals were looking for someone who shared Bove's ability to work closely with pitchers, especially in game strategy and pitch design, according to MLB.com Royals beat writer Anne Rogers. With his extensive background in pitch mechanics and incorporating science, data, and technology to develop athletes, especially pitchers, it seems like Kansas City found that fit with McFerran.

      Here's a snippet from Rogers' piece that provides background on McFerran's coaching history, especially during his tenure at Wake Forest.

      Quote

      The Royals were looking for someone with a similar skillset as Bove when putting together their list of candidates. And McFerran brings an innovative mind to pitching and strategy. His time at Wake Forest is particularly interesting; as the pitching lab coordinator, he helped “interpret and define the developmental direction of throwing athletes in collaboration with the coaching staff, while using the advancement of data and technology to maximize their performance and minimize their risk of injury,” according to the Wake Forest Baseball website.

      With the McFerran hiring, the Royals' coaching staff should be complete for the upcoming season. In addition to Bove, the Royals needed to replace assistant hitting coaches Keoni DeRenne and Joe Dillon. They found those replacements in Connor Dawson of the Brewers and Marcus Thames of the White Sox. 

      Photo Credit: © William Purnell-Imagn Images

      Brock Beauchamp

      We're looking for contributors to write Royals content over the offseason!

      First, feel free to reach out via email at brock.beauchamp@royalskeep.com or reply to this article.

      Writing Articles
      If you’ve ever wanted an audience for your Royals takes, this is the perfect place. While we generally lean into analytics and analysis, we also take a “come as you are” approach to baseball and give writers a lot of leeway to write about the game in a way that interests them. That could manifest in historical pieces, previews, or regular series. It’s a matter of finding your niche in the fandom and carving out a space for it. 

      Making Videos
      We're also looking for videographers! Most of our content is on the shorter side (3-7 minutes), though we have space for plenty of different formats and ideas. Like the writing side of the site, we usually lean into analytics, but it's not the only path we're open to exploring.

      It is also noteworthy that we pay our content creators. It’s certainly not enough to quit your day job. So don’t do that. However, it might be enough to show that we value your time, talent, and effort.

      If you know someone who might be interested in creating Royals content as a side job, please share this with them!

      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

       

      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 Monday afternoon, the Kansas City Royals via social media officially announced the addition of free-agent outfielder Starling Marte. 

      Reports came out over the weekend that Kansas City had signed Marte to a deal, pending a physical. By the end of the day on Monday, it seems like they were able to get everything cleared and formally introduce their newest outfielder to the Royals fanbase. 

      MLB.com Royals beat writer Anne Rogers shared the details of Marte's one-year deal. He will have a $1 million base salary with up to $2 million in incentives, according to Rogers' report on Twitter. 

       

      With Marte's addition, the Royals' payroll goes up to at least $149 million, possibly $151 million if Marte hits those incentives. That is $13 million higher than their payroll a year ago, according to Roster Resource payroll data. 

      Roster Resource projects Marte as a bat off the bench who will likely be in the lineup against left-handed starting pitchers when their left-handed outfielders need a break. That includes Jac Caglianone and Kyle Isbel, who are projected to play left and center field, respectively. Marte is projected to get around 238 to 252 plate appearances this season, according to most projection systems. Fangraphs' Depth Charts, ZiPS, and The BAT X are the most optimistic, projecting wRC+ marks of 98, 100, and 97, respectively. 

       

      To make room on the Royals' 40-man roster for Marte, Kansas City also announced that Dairon Blanco would be designated for assignment. 

       

      Blanco made his MLB debut late at 29-years-old due to visa issues when he came over from Cuba. He didn't make his Minor League debut until 2018, when he was 25. The Cuban-born outfielder started his career in the Athletics organization and came over to the Royals in 2019 in a trade for reliever Jake Diekman.

       

      He had solid campaigns as a bench outfielder for the Royals in 2023 and 2024, posting a 102 wRC+ and 96 wRC+ in 138 and 132 plate appearances, respectively. Blanco's main strength as a player was his baserunning ability, as he stole a combined 55 bases from 2023 to 2024. That skill set made him an interesting player worth watching this spring. 

      Unfortunately, the 32-year-old outfielder dealt with an Achilles injury last year and didn't seem quite as explosive in 2025. As a result, he only played in nine games and had just eight plate appearances in the Major Leagues last season. He spent most of the year in Omaha, and while he stole 32 bases, he only hit .253 with a 93 wRC+ in 295 plate appearances with the Storm Chasers. Furthermore, his Statcast percentiles weren't all that impressive either, as seen in his TJ Stats summary from Triple-A a year ago.

      Dairon Blanco AAA TJ-2025.png

      If Blanco clears waivers, he could return to the Royals as a non-roster player. He could also opt to become a free agent and sign with another club this offseason, with the hope that he could have a better chance of making the Opening Day roster in another organization. Over 171 career Major League games, all with the Royals, Blanco has a career 99 wRC+, 1.7 fWAR, and 59 stolen bases. 

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