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  • 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

      Bryan Jaeger

      The Kansas City Royals made a minor trade to add pitching depth, acquiring Mason Black from the San Francisco Giants for minor league prospect Logan Martin. Black, a third-round pick in 2021, was designated for assignment by the Giants. He has yet to live up to his draft hype, but in the minors from 2022 to 2024, he posted a 3.77 ERA with 378 strikeouts in 320 innings, quickly advancing to Triple-A.

      Black, once seen as a top prospect, made his MLB debut on May 6, 2024. He pitched 14 1/3 innings before being sent down, then was later recalled to throw a first-season total of 36 1/3 innings, posting a 31:15 strikeout-to-walk ratio but allowing a .309 opponent batting average. This season, he pitched just four innings with a 6.75 ERA.

      Added to the Royals' 40-man roster, Black still has one remaining option year. The Royals can keep him in Triple-A Omaha, giving him time to work out his kinks. A new location may help the 25-year-old return to the strong production he showed early in his minor league career. The Royals might also test how Black performs in a relief role. Regardless, they paid a minimal price for a pitcher with MLB experience.

      Philip Ruo

      The Royals announced last week their broadcast schedule for Spring Training games in the Cactus League, outlining how fans can enjoy the Royals as they prepare for the 2026 MLB season.

      The Royals begin playing games this Friday, February 20 at 2:00 p.m. CT against the Texas Rangers at their shared stadium in Surprise, Arizona.

      Only three of their games will not be broadcast in any format this Spring. All three of those games fall on days where two games are played.

      Three games will be televised on Royals.tv, the new home for Kansas City’s regular season games:

      • March 5 vs. the Texas Rangers - 7:05 p.m. CT

      • March 13 vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks - 8:05 p.m. CT

      • March 17 vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers - 8:05 p.m. CT

      You can find our guide on how to watch Royals.tv here.

      29 games will be available for audio streaming on royals.com. 22 of those games will be available on a radio broadcast; 16 games on 96.5 The Fan (including the three Royals.tv broadcasts), and six on The Bet 1660. The remaining seven games will air exclusively at royals.com. See the post from the Royals above for the breakdown of which games will be available on which stations. All games are listed on Central Time.

      Steve Drumwright

       

      What is the purpose of a player returning for the final six games of the regular season? To prove he is healthy.

      That is the case with right-handed starter Tony Gonsolin, who was activated Tuesday off the 15-day injured list by the Kansas City Royals. Right-handed reliever Spencer Bivens was optioned to the Arizona Complex League. The minor-league season is complete at all levels, although there are young players and rehabbing players at the various team complexes.

      The 32-year-old Gonsolin is a unique case in that the Royals signed him Aug. 13 and placed the right-hander on the 15-day injured list. He underwent the internal brace procedure on his right elbow in August 2025 and made four starts, pitching 16â…“ innings at Triple-A Omaha. Gonsolin will most likely make a start Friday against the Cleveland Guardians at home in his lone appearance this year. The Royals currently do not have a starter announced for that game.

      Gonsolin, who spent his entire career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, signed a prorated $1 million contract for this year with a club option for 2027.

      Bivens was claimed off waivers from the San Francisco Giants on Sept. 12 after four MLB appearances in two stints, allowing eight runs over five innings with four walks and eight strikeouts. Bivens was optioned to Triple-A Omaha after being claimed. He was called up Saturday but did not appear in either of the two games vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates.

       

      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.

       

      Brock Beauchamp

      The 2026 MLB season is right around the corner, and we're looking to expand our video coverage. Have you ever considered being on-camera and talking about the Royals? If yes, we'd love to talk to you about it.

      Our videos are typically in a wide variety of styles: breaking news, analysis, and historical study. We're open to any and all ideas as long as they're centered around the Kansas City Royals. We're looking for serious baseball talk, so leave the hot takes at home.

      If you'd like to learn more about this cool little side gig, please email Brock Beauchamp at brock.beauchamp@royalskeep.com.

      Here is an example of a recent Royals video from us:

      Kevin O'Brien

      On Tuesday, the Chicago White Sox announced that they hired Zach Bove as their pitching coach for the 2026 season. Bove, who came to Kansas City from the Twins, where he served as an assistant pitching coordinator, had been the Royals' assistant pitching coach for the past three seasons and worked closely with pitching coach Brian Sweeney.

      The White Sox have been adding new members to second-year manager Will Venables' staff. In addition to Bove, Chicago will also be hiring a former Marlins assistant hitting coach to be the White Sox's hitting coach next season. 

      The loss of Bove is a tough one for a Royals pitching staff that has seen a resurgence under Bove and Sweeney. In 2025, the Royals' pitching staff ranked 6th in baseball with a 3.73 ERA. In 2024, they ranked 7th with a 3.76 ERA. The bullpen saw the most significant gain over the past two seasons, going from 20th in ERA in 2024 to 7th in 2025. 

      Bove was known for his work in helping pitchers refine their pitch shapes and quality during his time with the Royals. Many pitchers saw positive changes in their repertoires during their time in Kansas City, with Seth Lugo and Cole Ragans being the biggest success stories. Lugo and Ragans finished second and fourth in the AL Cy Young race in 2024. 

      No replacement for Bove has been named yet. Sweeney remains as the Royals' pitching coach, and Mitch Stetter is still the Royals' bullpen coach, according to the Royals' official website. 

      Photo Credit: © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

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