Jump to content
Royals Keep

  • MLB Notes

    Read quick notes on the Kansas City Royals big league club, including injuries, lineup changes and roster moves.

    106 rumors in this category

      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. 

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The return of Maikel Garcia to the Kansas City Royals lasted just three games plus one at-bat.

      The third baseman was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday by the Royals due to a strained left hamstring. Right-handed reliever Carlos Duran was optioned to Triple-A Omaha, while taking their spots on the 26-man roster are outfielder Matthew Lugo and right-handed reliever Jose Cuas, who were called up from Omaha.

      Garcia was injured during the first inning Thursday after taking a big turn around third base following a misplay on a grounder to short. Nic Loftin took over at third base as Garcia exited the game. Garcia had just returned to the Royals' lineup Monday following a muscle strain in his left hand from the last week in June.

      Garcia is slashing .269/.324/.385 in 73 games, hitting three homers and driving in 32.

      The 25-year-old Lugo will be making his Royals debut. He has only appeared in the majors for 31 games last season with the Los Angeles Angels, posting a .232/.243/.464 with four homers and nine RBIs. The Royals claimed Lugo off waivers from the Angels on June 2. Between the Angels and Royals in the minors this season, he has a .265/.350/.473 slash line with 14 homers and 65 RBIs, along with 14 steals, in 100 games.

      Cuas has a 1.64 ERA in 10 games and 11 innings, with four walks and 13 strikeouts.

      Duran has appeared in two games with the Royals this year, allowing two runs in 1⅓ innings.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      With the Kansas City Royals on the verge of officially being eliminated from postseason contention, you have to give credit to Maikel Garcia for coming back for the final 13 days of the regular season.

      The Royals activated their third baseman from the 10-day injured list Tuesday and sent outfielder Matthew Lugo down to Triple-A Omaha.

      Garcia has been on the IL since Aug. 21 with a strained left hamstring. That was just a few days after returning from another IL stint for a muscle strain in his left hand that kept him out nearly two months. Garcia is slashing .269/.324/.385 with three homers and 32 RBIs in 73 games.

      Lugo, who was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels on June 2 and optioned to the minors, was called up when Garcia went on the IL. He appeared in just nine games and went 2-for-14 (.143/.200/.143).

      The Royals entered play Tuesday at 66-84, last in the AL Central, with a tragic number of three.

       

      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 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.   

       

      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.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      Following a scary incident the night before, Seth Lugo will be out for the next week.

      The Kansas City Royals on Friday placed the right-handed starter on the seven-day concussion list and promoted right-handed reliever Eli Morgan from Triple-A Omaha. Lugo took a 106.6 line drive off his forehead Thursday off the bat of good friend Brandon Nimmo of the Texas Rangers in the fourth inning of a 4-2 loss.

      Lugo was able to walk off the field under his own power and even joked with Nimmo about hitting the ball somewhere else next time. Lugo was left with a pretty good welt on his forehead with an indent from the seams of the baseball visible.

      He said he felt fine after the game, but concussions don't always present immediately. Lugo has a 3.57 FIP (3.86 ERA) in 14 starts, with a 7.5% walk rate and 19.8% strikeout rate.

      This is the fourth time Morgan has been recalled from Omaha. In his 13 games this season with the Royals, Morgan has a 6.29 FIP (5.51 ERA) in 16⅓ innings, posting a 9.9% walk rate and 18.5% strikeout rate. At Triple-A, he has a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings over 11 appearances, walking six and striking out 21.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      Another round of hamate injuries have snared a few MLB stars. One of them plays for the Kansas City Royals.

      First baseman Vinnie Pasquantino was placed on the 10-day injured list Sunday by the Royals with a fractured right hamate bone. Outfielder John Rave was called up from Triple-A Omaha. Following surgery, hamate injuries typically take between one and two months to recover from. Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez also sustained a hamate fracture Saturday.

      Pasquantino was injured Saturday on a swing in the fifth inning in which he popped up to the third baseman. He immediately grimaced and held his arm in a way that signified the injury. Pasquantino was removed from the game, replaced by left fielder Isaac Collins in the lineup with Jac Caglianone moving from the outfield to first base.

      Pasquantino is part of the heart of the Royals' offense, but his .224/.309/.350 slash line with six homers and 32 RBIs is one reason why the team is struggling.

      Rave made his MLB debut last season, slashing .196/.283/.307 with four homers and 14 RBIs in 72 games. At Triple-A this year, he has a slash line of .278/.395/.475 with 10 homers and 32 RBIs.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      What could have been a lengthier stay on the concussion list turned out to be a minimal one.

      The Kansas City Royals on Friday activated right-handed starter Seth Lugo from the seven-day concussion list and optioned right-handed reliever Mason Black to Triple-A Omaha. Lugo will be on the mound to start Friday's series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals.

      Lugo was injured Thursday of last week when he was drilled in the forehead by a line drive off the bat of the Texas Rangers' Brandon Nimmo, leaving a massive welt. He was able to walk off the mound and was even joking before entering the clubhouse.

      Concussions are a tricky injury and it can take time for symptoms to appear and longer to dissipate. At this stage, Lugo came out on the better side of that situation.

      For Black, his second call-up to the Royals included eight appearances. Overall, Black has pitched in 12 games with a 5.81 FIP (3.57 ERA), walking 13.4% of hitters and striking out 18.3%.

       

      Kevin O'Brien

       

      On Friday, the Royals acquired free-agent catcher Elias Diaz, signing the 35-year-old to a Minor League deal. He is not expected until next week, according to the announcement on the Royals' social media account.

      Diaz made the All-Star team with the Rockies in 2023. That season, he hit 14 home runs and collected 72 RBI, but only posted an 82 wRC+ and -0.1 fWAR. Last year, he played 106 games with the Padres and had nine home runs, 29 RBI, a 74 wRC+, and a 0.4 fWAR in 283 plate appearances. In terms of Statcast, Diaz didn't excel in any particular areas, though he is aggressive on pitches in the strike zone, as illustrated in his Statcast summary below.

      Elias Diaz TJ-2025.png

      Since debuting with the Pirates in 2015, he has played 830 career games and had 2,800 plate appearances at the Major League level. In that time span, he has 71 home runs and 326 RBI, but a career 78 wRC+ and 0.3 fWAR. At this point in his career, he may be a Major League backup catcher, at best. 

       

      The Royals seem set at catcher with Salvador Perez and Carter Jensen on the big league roster. Perez showed he is ready for the upcoming season in Kansas City's first Spring Training game of the year, hitting a 441-foot home run on Friday against the Rangers' Nathan Eovaldi.

       

      However, the Royals may need some catching depth this spring, as they have been down a couple of catchers. Jorge Alfaro has not been able to report yet due to visa issues. Luke Maile hasn't reported due to personal reasons. Thus, Diaz likely was acquired due to the issues with those two catchers, who both were signed on Minor League deals in the offseason.

      Diaz will likely start the year in Triple-A Omaha, though he may opt out of his deal if he doesn't make the Opening Day roster. It is unlikely Diaz will have a shot at making the active roster unless an injury happens to Perez or Jensen in Spring Training. 

       

      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 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. 

      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.

       

      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). 

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The struggles of Lucas Erceg have resulted in a demotion.

      The right-handed reliever was optioned to Triple-A Omaha as right-hander Carlos Duran was called up from Omaha. The Royals are hoping Erceg can figure some things out in a less-pressurized environment.

      In Monday's 9-5 loss to the A's, Erceg gave up a run on a hit and two walks without getting an out in the ninth inning. That leaves him with a 5.57 FIP (6.23 ERA) in 43⅓ innings over 47 appearances with a 13.9% walk rate and 14.9% strikeout rate. Those are not only below last year's marks of 7.2% and 19.3%, but off his career rates of 10.3% and 22.8%. Erceg, formerly the Royals' closer, has 12 saves in 18 chances this season.

      Duran will be making his season debut for the Royals after having his MLB debut with the A's last year with one-third of an inning, allowing three runs on one hit and three walks. He signed in the offseason with the Los Angeles Dodgers and was added to the 40-man roster in early July before being acquired by the Royals in the Kris Bubic trade at the deadline. In 40 games at Triple-A between the Dodgers and Royals, he has a 3.15 ERA with a 13.9% walk rate and 30.8% strikeout rate.

       

      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.

       

      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. 

      Steve Drumwright

      A disappointing season is resulting in at least one change on the MLB coach staff for the Kansas City Royals.

      Alec Zumwalt will not return as the Royals' hitting coach, although he remains in the system as the senior director of hitting performance, according to a report Tuesday by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.

      The Royals finished last in the AL Central at 69-93, the third-worst in the AL and fifth-worst in MLB. Hitters had a mixed bag in their performance this year. The team had the eighth-best batting average in MLB at .247, ranked 17th in on-base percentage (.316) and 16th in OPS (.718).

      Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. may get some down-ballot AL MVP votes after a .281/.359/.441 slash line with 15 homers, 54 RBIs and 45 stolen bases. Right fielder Jac Caglianone also thrived in his first full MLB season, putting up a .289/.340/.494 slash line with 23 homers and 77 RBIs. But first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (.249/.333/.428), who dealt with hamate bone surgery that hindered his performance, and key offseason acquisition Isaac Collins (.213/.320/.321), especially, were among the key underperformers.

      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. 

       

      Cory Moen

      The Royals have announced they have selected the contract of catcher Luke Maile. To make room on the 26-man roster, OF John Rave has been optioned to Triple-A Omaha.

      Since Maile was not on the 40-man roster, RHP Eric Cerantola has been designated for assignment or release.

      Maile has played 28 games with the Storm Chasers this year, hitting for a slash line of .202/.324/.303 and serving as depth behind the dish.

      Rave has played in nine games for the Royals, with 18 total at-bats. He's looked solid in the small sample size, with one home run, one triple, and one double since being recalled. Prior to being called up, he had hit for an .870 OPS with Triple-A Omaha with 10 home runs and 10 doubles over 60 games played. He also stole 16 bases in that time frame, earning his call-up, which proved to be pretty short. If he continues to hit, he will likely be back in Kansas City soon.

      Cerantola was called up for his major league debut earlier this year, pitching in four games and completing 5 1/3 innings. His results were not great, as he issued 10 walks and gave up two home runs, along with striking out 7 hitters.

      Maile will likely serve as the backup catcher behind Carter Jensen, with Salvador Perez dealing with a sore left elbow. 

      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.

      Eli Nitz

      I attended my first AFL game on October 27 at Peoria Stadium to watch the Saguaros versus the Javelinas. Here is what I noticed:

      General Notes

      • Tickets are $14, and seating is general admission.
      • Announced attendance was 271. I sat in the front row at the Saguaros on-deck circle.
      • By my count, there were 13 scouts on the stands evaluating the game.
      • The Saguaros bench got warned after razzing the umpire for a 3-2 strikeout call that was overturned to a BB.
      • Three Royals played. Felix Arronde, Austin Charles, and Angeibel Gomez.

      Felix Arronde

      Started the game and pitched one inning.

      •  Lead-off walk, pitch clock violation, K swinging, walk, stole 2B, K swinging. Single misplayed by LF runner to 2B, run scored, single between 1B and 2B, run scored. Foul tip caught by catcher K. All three outs by strikeout were impressive.
      • After the game, I asked the catcher Kehden Hettiger, a Philadelphia Phillies prospect, what he saw from Arronde. His thoughts:
      • Arronde hid the ball well, but was a bit unlucky. Had good, deceptive stuff. Maybe a little nervous being his first appearance. 

      Austin Charles

      • Line out to short, one hopper to SS got down the line to avoid the double play, strikeout on check swing, bases loaded strikeout swinging.
      • Very aggressive all game, lots of early count swings.
      • Made every defensive play.

      Angeibel Gomez

      • Worked a full count and stroked a single to left field for an RBI, stole second, and a wild pitch advanced him to third, then grounded out to shortstop.
      • First pitch swinging, fly ball to left LF, lost in the sun, fell 15 feet to his left. It is a double in the books but should have been an easy out.
      • Called strike 3. Didn't like the call but didn't challenge.

      Defensively

      • Shallow pop between 2B, CF, and RF. Looked like 2B called it and Gomez backed off. Ball fell.
      • Gomez had a ball to dead center, realized it was over his head, and played it off the wall in a textbook play.
      • Gomez made a nice catch at the warning track.
      Eli Nitz

      Here are game notes from the Saguaros versus the Solar Sox on October 28.

      Zion Rose

      In his first plate appearance, Rose drew a walk, stole second base against a left-handed pitcher, and stole third base cleanly. 

      In his second at-bat, Rose advanced the count to 3-1 and laced a solid line-drive single up the middle. There was a runner on second, so no opportunity to steal.

      In his third plate appearance, Rose hit a long fly ball down the left-field line, and the left fielder made a nice play to catch it in the corner.

      In his fourth plate appearance, Rose hit a hard grounder to second base and was thrown out at first for the third out.

      In his fifth plate appearance, Rose worked a walk on 5 pitches. There is a runner on second base, so no chance to steal. Rose scored from second on a single to center.

      In his final plate appearance, he struck out swinging.

      Brooks Bryan

      Bryan popped out to left field in his first at-bat.

      In his second at-bat, Bryan popped up to the catcher.

      In his third at-bat, Bryan swung at the first pitch and drilled a single to right field.

      Defensively, Bryan made a nice play on a ground ball to get the lead runner at second base.

      In his fourth at-bat, Bryan hit a rocket to right-center for a two-run home run, traveling 416 feet with a 101.4 mph exit velocity.
      In his final at-bat, Bryan struck out swinging.

      Justin Lamkin

      Lamkin opened the first inning by cleanly fielding a first-pitch bunt back to the mound, and he worked a clean, quick inning.
      In the second inning, Lamkin issued a one-out walk. He challenged a called ball, and the call was confirmed. He then struck out the next batter swinging.

      In the third inning, Lamkin gave up his first hit, a slow roller past the mound that deflected off his outstretched foot and trickled away for a base hit. He recorded the first out of the inning on a swinging strikeout and the second on a called strikeout.

      In the fourth inning, Lamkin gave up a leadoff home run. He struck out the next batter swinging, allowed a line-drive single to center field, and then ended the inning with another swinging strikeout.

      Lamkin worked quickly and was never threatened. His fastball sat around 93 mph throughout the outing, and the home run was his only blemish.

      Hiro Wyatt

      Wyatt walked the leadoff batter in the fifth inning. He then got a groundout to first base and a flyout to left field before issuing another walk. The next hitter sent a ground ball up the middle that bounced over the shortstop’s glove, and a run scored. Wyatt ended the inning with a strikeout.

      In the sixth inning, Wyatt got a flyout to right field and a flyout to center field, gave up a ground-ball single between first and second base, and then got another flyout to center to end the inning.

      In the seventh inning, Wyatt got the leadoff batter to fly out to left field, then struck out the next batter swinging to end his outing.

      Kevin O'Brien

       

      On Wednesday morning, the Kansas City Royals continued to add to their Cactus League roster by signing infielder Brandon Drury to a Minor League deal with an invitation to Spring Training.

      Drury is certainly familiar to baseball fans due to his journeyman career. The 33-year-old infielder has played in 867 career games, which include stops in Arizona, the Bronx (Yankees), Toronto, Queens (Mets), Cincinnati, San Diego, and Anaheim (Angels). In 3,159 career plate appearances, he has posted .308 wOBA, 90 wRC+, and 5.4 fWAR. 

      While the former 2010 13th-round pick has certainly seen his fair share of teams, he didn't play in the Majors at all in 2025. Drury played in the White Sox and Angels organizations, but he primarily stayed in Triple-A. In 53 games and 228 plate appearances in Triple-A, he posted a .315 wOBA and 70 wRC+. That included three home runs, 26 runs scored, and 17 RBI.

      Surprisingly, the infielder actually posted decent Statcast metrics in the Minor Leagues last season, especially in the categories of 90th EV, O-Swing%, and walk rate. That is illustrated in the TJ Stats summary below.

      Brandon Drury TJ AAA-2025.png

       

      Even though Drury ranked in the 19th percentile in wOBA, he actually had a 69th percentile xwOBA, which shows that he might have been a little unlucky in Triple-A last season. Furthermore, Drury sported a patient approach at the plate, which was illustrated not just in his chase (86th percentile), but also in his low swing rate on pitches in the zone (second percentile Z-Swing%). It seemed to pay off for him, as he sported a strong Z-Contact% (73rd percentile) and whiff% (63rd percentile).

      The Royals have been targeting patient hitters this offseason who minimize swinging outside of the strike zone. Isaac Collins from the Brewers and Lane Thomas from the Guardians fit that profile, as do Minor League signings such as Josh Rojas, Abraham Toro, and Kevin Newman. 

      While Drury had success in 2022 and 2023 (5.8 fWAR combined), he had a -2.1 fWAR in his last MLB season in 2024 and seems to be at the tail end of his career. Not only did he fail to make the White Sox Opening Day roster last year, he was designated for assignment, picked up by the Angels and languished in Salt Lake City (the Angels' Triple-A team). Thus, it's not a surprise that he didn't earn an MLB deal this offseason.

      He likely will have a hard time making the Royals' Opening Day roster, especially with so much competition in the infield this spring. It is likely that Drury will give the Royals Cactus League roster some at-bats while infielders Maikel Garcia and Bobby Witt Jr. play in the World Baseball Classic for Venezuela and the United States, respectively. 

      Photo Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

       

       

      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

×
×
  • Create New...