Kevin O'Brien

The Kansas City Royals are 46-67 this season, good for last place in the AL Central. On Fangraphs, their playoff odds are 0.0%, and they are nine losses worse than the Tigers, who sit in fourth place in the Central Division. Typically, when a team is facing that kind of season, they tend to be active at the Trade Deadline. That was the case in 2022 and 2023, when the Royals dealt away many well-established pieces from their roster in exchange for long-term assets. This Deadline, Royals President of Baseball Operations JJ Picollo opted to stay pat with this roster. They traded away Lane Thomas and Bailey Falter on Saturday, and then traded away Kris Bubic to the Dodgers on Monday. However, aside from a minor move involving the recently DFA'd Nolan Hoffman, Kansas City didn't acquire many assets at the Deadline, both short- and long-term. As a result, many Royals fans are asking themselves after this disappointing Trade Deadline: What is the Royals' plan? And will it work out? The Royals Added Some Much-Needed Bullpen Depth Kansas City didn't add much talent on Monday. However, they did bring in an influx of bullpen arms over the past few days. Considering the Royals' bullpen ranks 29th in reliever ERA and 30th in reliever WHIP, that was a sound strategy, especially since there aren't a lot of great options lingering in Triple-A Omaha or Double-A Northwest Arkansas. The Royals added two key arms in the Thomas/Falter trade: right-hander Lucas Braun and left-hander Carter Holton. I broke down both their outlooks in a recent post here on Royals Keep. On Monday, the Royals were able to deal Bubic to the Dodgers in exchange for right-handed reliever Carlos Duran. Bubic being traded away came as a big surprise to most people. The former 40th overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft only pitched nine games and 50.1 IP this season. He is currently on the 60-Day IL and hasn't pitched since May 14th against the White Sox. And yet, the Dodgers were not just willing to acquire him, but also throw in an intriguing arm in Duran, who was pitching in Triple-A Oklahoma City before the trade. Duran has limited MLB experience, as his only Major League appearance came in 2025 with the Athletics (he allowed 3 runs in 0.1 IP). However, he's been solid this year in Triple-A Oklahoma City. In 37 appearances and 42.2 IP, he posted a 3.38 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, 3.10 FIP, 31.1% K%, and 16.8% K-BB%. In Triple-A this season, he's not just minimized hard contact by hitters, but he's also showcased excellent stuff and generated a lot of chases and whiffs, as evidenced in his TJ Stats Statcast percentiles. Strikes and walks have been problems for Duran, as evidenced by his 17th percentile zone rate and walk rate. That said, he sports the kind of profile that this bullpen is missing beyond Steven Cruz and Beck Way, two younger relievers with upside. Duran could join the pair in giving the Royals some ceiling in the bullpen, especially since he has plenty of years of team control remaining. When looking at him throwing on tape, Duran is a big (6'7!) pitcher who may remind a lot of Royals fans of Cruz. That said, the former Dodgers prospect may have more polish and upside. In addition to Duran, the Royals also acquired Hoffman, who was recently designated for assignment by the Phillies. Much like Duran, most of Hoffman's experience this year has been in Triple-A Lehigh Valley. In 30 appearances and 34.1 IP in Triple-A, the 28-year-old righty has a 4.72 ERA, 1.63 WHIP, 3.70 FIP, 26% K%, and 14.3% K-BB%. Hoffman doesn't have elite stuff, but he throws eight types of pitches and generates a lot of groundballs and weak contact, as illustrated in his TJ Stats Statcast percentiles. In many ways, Hoffman's profile seems a lot like John Schreiber, but with more pitch offerings, Hoffman has the same kind of sidearm delivery as Schreiber, which is evident in this clip from his brief stint with the Phillies this season. eHl3TUtfWGw0TUFRPT1fQndCVVVnSldVUVFBQ0ZGV0J3QUhCbEFGQUZsVFVWZ0FBbFZVQndCVEFBRUVBQVZm.mp4 For a pitcher with years of team control and two Minor League options remaining, the Royals have a potentially valuable reliever who can help immediately and not eat into the Royals' payroll. Even though the Royals didn't make a plethora of moves by the Trade Deadline, they made transactions that helped a much-maligned bullpen for not just the remainder of the 2026 season, but 2027 and beyond. The Royals Didn't Do Enough at the Deadline The moves that the Royals made at the Deadline were solid, honestly. They traded expiring assets for long-term ones who provide some upside at a position (bullpen) that vastly needs improvement. The unfortunate aspect of all of this is that Picollo didn't make enough moves. Understandably, the Royals didn't trade away Michael Wacha or Seth Lugo at the Deadline. Considering the price of free-agent starting pitching, and the questions in the Kansas City rotation for 2027 with Cole Ragans' elbow surgery, it's easy to see why Picollo asked for a high price for the pair. Unfortunately, the price wasn't met, and that's okay, especially considering the value that Wacha and Lugo have provided this Royals team since 2024. On the flip side, Kansas City held on to many expiring assets at the Deadline, not exactly the most sound strategy for a team that is 21 games under .500. They may not have had much trade value, but it's unlikely that Schreiber, Matt Strahm, and Starling Marte will be on this Royals team in 2027. Additionally, while Alex Lange and Daniel Lynch IV have years of control, they're relievers, and there's a volatility that comes with relief pitchers. Royals fans have seen that this year with those two in particular. Lange has a 6.25 ERA and has faded in the second half in the closer's role. As for Lynch, he has a 2.00 ERA, but his xERA is 3.38, and his FIP is 3.10. Thus, regression may be coming for Lynch, especially since he doesn't strike out a ton of batters or sport great TJ Stuff+ or extension numbers. Maybe the Royals wouldn't have gotten the return that other teams got for their relievers. After all, it's tough to sell relievers when one's team is the worst bullpen (arguably) in baseball. However, the Royals need to rebuild their bullpen anyway, and getting rid of some of these pieces could have given them a head start on this goal in 2027. There's no question the Royals believe injuries hurt them in 2026, and that this team can turn things around in 2027 if they are healthy. I agree to a point. Yes, with better health, this team will be better. On May 5th, the Royals were 17-19 and 0.5 games behind the division-leading Tigers and Guardians in the AL Central. After that date, they were plagued by numerous unfortunate injuries to key players: Ragans, Carlos Estevez, Maikel Garcia, and Vinnie Pasquantino were just a few. Two things need to happen for them to avoid this issue: they need to revamp the training staff (Kyle Turner and this team aren't cutting it), and they need to add more depth on their roster to overcome these injuries. The Royals can't do anything with the former problem until after the season. Conversely, they could've addressed the latter issue more significantly at the Deadline. Picollo chose not to, which only puts more pressure on him to improve this roster this Winter. If he isn't able to be more aggressive this offseason, Picollo may see 2027 as his final season as chief executive of the Royals.

Northwest Arkansas hit six home runs and scored 19 runs at Tulsa, with Colton Becker going 5-for-5 with two homers and five RBI. Felix Arronde allowed six runs for the Naturals. Omaha managed two runs against St. Paul, both tied to Brett Squires, who doubled, homered, and scored twice. Quad Cities scored five runs in the first inning on homers by Chris Brito and Tyriq Kemp, then the bullpen allowed seven runs. Columbia's scheduled doubleheader in Augusta was postponed. Kansas City Royals Transactions Kansas City Royals placed RHP Luinder Avila on the 15-day injured list. Right forearm tightness. Kansas City Royals activated CF Kyle Isbel from the 10-day injured list. Kansas City Royals traded CF Lane Thomas and LHP Bailey Falter to Atlanta Braves for LHP Carter Holton and RHP Lucas Braun. Kansas City Royals selected the contract of LHP Aaron Bummer from Omaha Storm Chasers. Brett Squires Accounts For Both Omaha Runs In Loss To St. Paul The Omaha Storm Chasers lost the series finale to the St. Paul Saints, 4-2, at home at Werner Park. Squires had the best day at the plate for Omaha, going 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, one RBI, and two runs scored. Alejo Lopez went 2-for-2 with a triple and a walk. Matthew Lugo went 1-for-3 with a double and a walk, Abraham Toro went 1-for-5 with a double, and Jack Pineda went 1-for-3 with a walk and an RBI. Omaha finished with seven hits and five walks, and the Storm Chasers struck out nine times. Omaha scored once in the third inning. Squires doubled to right field, and Pineda followed with a single that scored him. The other run came in the eighth, when Squires hit a solo home run, his 16th of the season. Lugo doubled two batters later, but Omaha did not add to the total. Lopez tripled with two outs in the ninth and was stranded there. Ben Sears started and worked 2 2/3 innings, allowing three hits and one run, with no walks and two strikeouts. He took the loss and fell to 6-2. Ethan Bosacker recorded one out and gave up two runs on two hits and a walk. Scott Barlow followed with 1 2/3 scoreless innings, walking three and striking out two. Dan Altavilla added 1 1/3 scoreless innings with a walk and two strikeouts. Anthony Gose threw two scoreless innings without a hit or a walk, striking out two. Eli Morgan allowed one run on two walks without giving up a hit. The Storm Chasers stranded eight runners on base and went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position. Omaha fell to 51-56. Player AB R H RBI BB K Abraham Toro, DH 5 0 1 0 0 0 Gavin Cross, RF 4 0 0 0 0 2 Brett Squires, 1B 4 2 2 1 0 0 Jack Pineda, SS 3 0 1 1 1 1 Matthew Lugo, CF 3 0 1 0 1 1 Peyton Wilson, 2B 3 0 0 0 1 2 Brandon Drury, 3B 3 0 0 0 1 1 Luca Tresh, C 4 0 0 0 0 2 Alejo Lopez, LF 2 0 2 0 1 0 Totals 31 2 7 2 5 9 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Ben Sears 2 2/3 3 1 1 0 2 0 Ethan Bosacker 1/3 2 2 2 1 0 0 Scott Barlow 1 2/3 2 0 0 3 2 0 Dan Altavilla 1 1/3 2 0 0 1 2 0 Anthony Gose 2 0 0 0 0 2 0 Eli Morgan 1 0 1 1 2 0 0 Totals 9 9 4 4 7 8 0 Becker Goes Five-For-Five With Two Homers In Naturals Rout The Northwest Arkansas Naturals broke out offensively in the series finale on Sunday against Tulsa, winning 19-7. The Naturals collected 20 hits and hit six home runs. Becker went 5-for-5 with two home runs, a double, five RBI, a walk, and three runs scored. Connor Scott went 3-for-6 with a home run, a double, and three RBI. Justin Johnson went 3-for-5 with a home run and one RBI. Jorge Alfaro went 3-for-5 with two RBI, a walk, and a stolen base. Carson Roccaforte went 2-for-6 with a home run and three RBI, and Sam Kulasingam went 1-for-5 with a home run, a walk, and two RBI. Trailing 6-0, Northwest Arkansas scored eight runs in the third inning. Johnson and Alberto Rodriguez scored on a Kulasingam fielder's choice, Roccaforte singled home Luke Pelzer, Alfaro singled home Kulasingam and Roccaforte, Becker hit a two-run home run, and Rodriguez singled home Scott. The Naturals scored eight more in the fourth. Roccaforte, the Royals' No. 9 prospect, hit a two-run home run, Scott hit a three-run home run, Johnson hit a solo home run, and Kulasingam hit a two-run home run. Becker added a three-run home run in the fifth, his second of the game, for the final margin. Arronde, the Royals' No. 16 prospect, started and gave up six runs on seven hits over four innings, walking three and striking out four. Chase Jessee followed with two innings, allowing one run on two hits with no walks and four strikeouts, and he earned the win to move to 2-2. Caden Monke allowed two hits and a walk over two-thirds of a scoreless inning. Anthony Simonelli threw 1 1/3 scoreless innings with a walk and a strikeout, and Zachary Cawyer closed it out with a scoreless inning, allowing two hits and striking out one. The Naturals stranded six runners on base and went 6-for-13 with runners in scoring position. With the win, Northwest Arkansas improved their record to 42-58. Player AB R H RBI BB K Luke Pelzer, CF 5 2 1 0 1 0 Sam Kulasingam, 3B 5 3 1 2 1 1 Carson Roccaforte, DH 6 2 2 3 0 3 Spencer Nivens, LF 6 1 1 0 0 1 Jorge Alfaro, C 5 3 3 2 1 1 Colton Becker, SS 5 3 5 5 1 0 Connor Scott, 1B 6 2 3 3 0 2 Justin Johnson, 2B 5 2 3 1 0 0 Alberto Rodriguez, RF 5 1 1 1 0 0 Totals 48 19 20 17 4 8 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Felix Arronde 4 7 6 6 3 4 1 Chase Jessee 2 2 1 1 0 4 1 Caden Monke 2/3 2 0 0 1 0 0 Anthony Simonelli 1 1/3 0 0 0 1 1 0 Zachary Cawyer 1 2 0 0 0 1 0 Totals 9 13 7 7 5 10 2 Five-Run First Inning Not Enough For The River Bandits The Quad Cities River Bandits lost to Dayton, 9-5, at home, and all five of their runs came in the first inning. Brito hit a three-run home run, his third of the season, that scored Nolan Sailors and Erick Torres. Jose Cerice was later hit by a pitch, and Kemp followed with a two-run home run, his ninth. Unfortunately, Quad Cities did not score again. Brito went 1-for-4 with three RBI. Kemp went 1-for-3 with two RBI, a walk, and a stolen base, his 25th of the season. Blake Mitchell went 1-for-4 with a double. Sailors, Torres, Trevor Werner, and Angel Acosta each had one hit. The River Bandits finished with seven hits and one walk, and they struck out 10 times. Emmanuel Reyes started and worked six innings, allowing two runs on three hits, with one walk and six strikeouts. It was his fifth quality start of the season. Nick Conte gave up four runs on two hits and two walks in one inning, striking out two, and he took the loss to fall to 0-2. Yimi Presinal walked five and allowed three runs on one hit while recording two outs. Aiden Jimenez finished with 1 1/3 scoreless innings, allowing two hits with no walks and two strikeouts. Dayton scored two runs in the seventh inning and five in the eighth. Four of the five runs in the eighth came without a hit, on a wild pitch and three consecutive bases-loaded walks. The River Bandits stranded four runners and went 1-for-6 with runners in scoring position. Quad Cities fell back to .500 with the loss and are now 49-49. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nolan Sailors, DH 4 1 1 0 0 2 Erick Torres, CF 4 1 1 0 0 2 Blake Mitchell, C 4 0 1 0 0 0 Chris Brito, 1B 4 1 1 3 0 1 Derlin Figueroa, LF 3 0 0 0 0 3 Pedro Roque, LF 1 0 0 0 0 0 Jose Cerice, 3B 3 1 0 0 0 0 Tyriq Kemp, SS 3 1 1 2 1 1 Trevor Werner, RF 4 0 1 0 0 1 Angel Acosta, 2B 4 0 1 0 0 0 Totals 34 5 7 5 1 10 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Emmanuel Reyes 6 3 2 2 1 6 1 Nick Conte 1 2 4 4 2 2 1 Yimi Presinal 2/3 1 3 3 5 1 0 Aiden Jimenez 1 1/3 2 0 0 0 2 0 Totals 9 8 9 9 8 11 2 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio, DNP David Shields, DNP Josh Hammond, DNP Blake Mitchell, 1-for-4 with a double for Quad Cities Sean Gamble, DNP Ramon Ramirez, DNP Zion Rose, DNP Asbel Gonzalez, DNP Carson Roccaforte, 2-for-6 with a home run and three RBI for Northwest Arkansas Taylor Rabe, DNP Yandel Ricardo, DNP Justin Lamkin, DNP Drew Beam, DNP Michael Lombardi, DNP Jack Slightom, DNP Felix Arronde, four innings, seven hits, six runs, three walks, and four strikeouts for Northwest Arkansas Angeibel Gomez, DNP Ben Kudrna, DNP Steven Zobac, DNP Blake Wolters, DNP

Henry Williams spun six scoreless innings as Omaha blanked St. Paul 4-0, with Abraham Toro and Jack Pineda supplying the home runs. Carson Roccaforte homered, and Hunter Patteson earned the win in Northwest Arkansas's 8-7 escape at Tulsa. Quad Cities swept its doubleheader behind Derlin Figueroa's six RBI, including a grand slam, while Kamden Edge and L.P. Langevin combined for four hitless innings of relief in the opener. Mason Miller added three scoreless innings in the nightcap. Columbia's game on Saturday was postponed due to weather. They have a scheduled doubleheader on Sunday, August 2nd. Kansas City Royals Transactions No Roster Moves Williams Blanks St. Paul As Omaha Rides Two Home Runs Omaha shut out St. Paul 4-0, and Henry Williams set the tone in the Storm Chasers' victory. Williams started and worked six innings, allowed three hits and one walk, struck out five, and did not give up a run. That gave him a quality start, and he handed the bullpen a lead it never gave back. Jose Cuas followed with two innings on one hit, no walks, and no runs. Justin Topa added a hitless inning with no walks. The offense took a while to show up. Omaha went scoreless through three innings before Gavin Cross doubled and came home on a sacrifice fly from Brett Squires for a 1-0 lead. The sixth inning provided the cushion for Omaha. Toro reached ahead of Pineda, and Pineda drove a two-run home run to right-center field, his first of the season with the Storm Chasers, to make it 3-0. Toro produced the last run himself two innings later with a solo home run to the same part of the park, his 19th. Toro, hitting in the cleanup spot, finished 2-for-4 with two runs and one RBI. Pineda also had two hits and drove in two. Cross went 1-for-4 with a double and a run. Elih Marrero hit a ground-rule double, and Stone Russell reached twice on a single and a walk. Omaha totaled seven hits and one walk. St. Paul was held to four hits and one walk for the game. The Storm Chasers went 0-for-2 with runners in scoring position. They are now 51-55. Player AB R H RBI BB K Kyle Isbel 4 0 0 0 0 1 Gavin Cross 4 1 1 0 0 2 Brett Squires 3 0 0 1 0 0 Abraham Toro 4 2 2 1 0 0 Jack Pineda 4 1 2 2 0 0 Drew Waters 3 0 0 0 0 1 Peyton Wilson 3 0 0 0 0 1 Elih Marrero 3 0 1 0 0 0 Stone Russell 2 0 1 0 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Henry Williams 6 3 0 0 1 5 0 Jose Cuas 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 Justin Topa 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Northwest Arkansas Holds Off A Late Tulsa Push In An 8-7 Win Northwest Arkansas scored in four separate innings, built an 8-2 lead, and then held on for an 8-7 win at Tulsa. The Naturals finished with 13 hits, two walks, and two hit batters. Patteson started and went five innings, giving up four hits and two runs while walking four and striking out four. He left with the lead and earned the win. Grant Gambrell followed with 3 2/3 innings, four hits, four runs, two walks, and three strikeouts. Dennis Colleran Jr. worked one-third of an inning with one hit, one run, one walk, and one strikeout for his third save. The scoring opened with singles from Luke Pelzer and Roccaforte, and Pelzer came around on a force out. Justin Johnson stretched it the next inning with a two-run home run, his fourth, that also scored Connor Scott. The third inning was the difference. Colton Becker singled, Roccaforte followed with a two-run home run to center field, his 24th, and Scott singled home Daniel Vazquez. A fourth run crossed before the inning ended for a 7-2 lead. Canyon Brown drove in Vazquez again two innings later with a single to center field. Scott led the game at 3-for-4 with a walk and one RBI. Vazquez went 2-for-4 with two doubles, two runs, and a hit by pitch. Becker and Roccaforte each collected two hits. Northwest Arkansas struck out 14 times as a team, so the 13 hits had to carry it. Player AB R H RBI BB K Luke Pelzer 4 1 1 0 1 2 Colton Becker 5 1 2 0 0 1 Carson Roccaforte 5 1 2 2 0 2 Spencer Nivens 5 0 1 0 0 1 Daniel Vazquez 4 2 2 0 0 2 Omar Hernandez 4 1 0 0 0 3 Connor Scott 4 1 3 1 1 0 Canyon Brown 4 0 1 1 0 3 Justin Johnson 4 1 1 2 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Hunter Patteson 5 4 2 2 4 4 2 Grant Gambrell 3 2/3 4 4 4 2 3 2 Dennis Colleran Jr. 1/3 1 1 1 1 1 0 Quad Cities Piles Up Ten Runs In The Doubleheader Opener Quad Cities scored in all six innings it batted and beat Dayton 10-4 in the opener of a doubleheader. The River Bandits piled up 13 hits. David Shields started and gave up eight hits and four runs across three innings. He issued no walks and struck out five, and one of the hits was a home run. The bullpen took over from there. Edge threw two hitless innings with one walk and three strikeouts to earn the win. Langevin matched that with two hitless innings, three walks, and four strikeouts. Dayton did not record another hit after Shields was done. The first inning got the River Bandits off to a winning start. Nolan Sailors, Asbel Gonzalez, and Blake Mitchell all got on base. Derlin Figueroa singled in Sailors, and Jose Cerice brought Gonzalez home on a force out. Mitchell singled in Diego Guzman the next inning, and a fly ball from Chris Brito accounted for another run. The River Bandits kept up the pressure on the Dragons in the middle of the game. Erick Torres singled, Pedro Roque tripled him in, and Guzman singled home Roque. An inning after that, Mitchell singled, Brito reached on an error, and Figueroa and Cerice delivered back-to-back RBI singles. Brito later doubled home Sailors, and Gonzalez was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to score Cerice for the final run. Figueroa and Cerice each went 2-for-4 with two RBI. Mitchell was 2-for-4 with a walk, an RBI, and a run. Gonzalez reached three times on one hit and two hit by pitches, and he scored twice. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nolan Sailors 4 2 1 0 1 2 Asbel Gonzalez 3 2 1 1 0 1 Blake Mitchell 4 1 2 1 1 1 Chris Brito 4 1 1 1 0 0 Derlin Figueroa 4 0 2 2 0 0 Jose Cerice 4 1 2 2 0 0 Erick Torres 4 1 2 0 0 0 Pedro Roque 4 1 1 1 0 2 Diego Guzman 3 1 1 1 1 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR David Shields 3 8 4 4 0 5 1 Kamden Edge 2 0 0 0 1 3 0 L.P. Langevin 2 0 0 0 3 4 0 Figueroa Grand Slam Powers Quad Cities In The Nightcap Quad Cities finished the doubleheader sweep with a 7-1 win over Dayton, and the first inning settled it. Tyriq Kemp, Asbel Gonzalez, and Mitchell singled to load the bases, and Figueroa cleared them with a grand slam to right field, his 21st home run of the season. The River Bandits kept going the next inning. Angel Acosta doubled and scored on a double by Gonzalez, and Mitchell followed with a single that brought Gonzalez home for a 6-0 lead. Jose Cerice added a solo home run, his third, later in the game. Miller started and gave Quad Cities three innings without a run, allowing two hits and two walks while striking out two. Dash Albus worked two innings, gave up three hits and one run, walked nobody, and struck out four to earn the win. The only run charged to him came on a home run. Tommy Molsky added two innings on one hit, no walks, and no runs. Gonzalez finished 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI, and two runs. Mitchell went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run. Figueroa drove in all four of his runs on the one swing, and Cerice reached twice on a hit and a walk. Quad Cities managed just eight hits, but seven of them came in the first two innings and produced six runs. Dayton was limited to six hits and one run. Quad Cities pitchers walked two and struck out seven, and the defense behind them did not make an error. The River Bandits stranded five runners on base and went 4-for-8 with runners in scoring position. With the two wins, they are back over .500 at 49-48. Player AB R H RBI BB K Tyriq Kemp 4 1 1 0 0 0 Asbel Gonzalez 4 2 2 1 0 1 Blake Mitchell 4 1 2 1 0 1 Derlin Figueroa 3 1 1 4 0 1 Jose Cerice 2 1 1 1 1 0 Erick Torres 3 0 0 0 0 1 Hyungchan Um 3 0 0 0 0 2 Trevor Werner 1 0 0 0 1 1 Angel Acosta 3 1 1 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Mason Miller 3 2 0 0 2 2 0 Dash Albus 2 3 1 1 0 4 1 Tommy Molsky 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: 3 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 5 K, 1 HR Josh Hammond: DNP Blake Mitchell: Game 1: 2-for-4, RBI, BB, K; Game 2: 2-for-4, RBI, K Sean Gamble: DNP Ramon Ramirez: DNP Zion Rose: DNP Asbel Gonzalez: Game 1: 1-for-3, RBI, 2 HBP, K; Game 2: 2-for-4, 2B, RBI, K Carson Roccaforte: 2-for-5, HR, 2 RBI, 2 K Taylor Rabe: DNP Yandel Ricardo: DNP Justin Lamkin: DNP Drew Beam: DNP Michael Lombardi: DNP Jack Slightom: DNP Felix Arronde: DNP Angeibel Gomez: DNP Ben Kudrna: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Blake Wolters: DNP

On Saturday night, during the Royals' loss to the Rockies (a rough season continues to get worse), Kansas City traded outfielder Lane Thomas and pitcher Bailey Falter (who's currently pitching in Omaha) to Atlanta in exchange for pitching prospects Lucas Braun and Carter Holton. Neither Braun nor Holton needs to be added to the 40-man roster just yet, though Braun will be Rule 5-eligible this offseason. Considering all the pitching injuries this year, the acquisition of these two pitchers from the Braves organization gives the Royals pitching depth a much-needed boost. And not just for the remainder of this season. Braun and Holton are long-term options who give the Royals depth beyond 2027, which they need, especially with top pitching prospect Kendry Chourio and David Shields probably a couple of years away from making their MLB debuts (at the earliest). So what did the Royals gain in Braun and Holton? Let's break down these newest pitchers in the Kansas City organization. Braun is the more MLB-Ready of the Pair. If Royals fans are looking for a pitcher who could make his MLB debut this year, it is definitely Braun, who has recently pitched in Triple-A Gwinnett this season. In 43.2 IP with the Stripers, the former Cal State Northridge product posted a 3.92 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 4.61 FIP, and 1.94 K/BB ratio. He started the season in Double-A and was more dominant, posting a 3.20 ERA, 1.22 WHIP, 3.04 FIP, and 4.64 K/BB ratio. Overall, in 19 appearances and 94.1 IP between Double-A and Triple-A this year, he has a 3.53 ERA and 3.77 FIP. When looking at his Statcast percentiles in Triple-A, he hasn't quite been a strikeout or swing-and-miss machine. However, he does a good job of throwing strikes, limiting walks, and generating a good amount of chase and weak contact. His profile looks very similar to Stephen Kolek, who was acquired by the Royals last year and was having a solid season until a recent injury. Back in Spring Training, the former 6th-round pick in the 2023 MLB Draft was catching the eyes of scouts, especially with his slider and cutter. When looking at his TJ Stuff+ summary from Triple-A, Braun's TJ Stuff+ metrics weren't eye-popping on any of his pitches, though his cutter, four-seamer, and slider have been his best pitches. That said, what makes Braun a productive starting pitcher is his six-pitch mix. That variety of pitches allows him to be successful, even without a premium pitch. The cutter is really a solid pitch for Braun and could be key in his eventual transition to the Major Leagues. His primary pitch, which he throws 20.2% of the time, generated a 53.5% zone%, 45.8% chase%, 28.6% whiff%, and .274 xwOBACON. Those were all above-average marks. The only pitch that came close to that was his curve, which also had above-average marks in those four categories. However, the marks were only "slightly" above average in those categories compared to "well" above average, as was the case with the cutter. In Double-A Columbus, Braun was producing more strikeouts, so there is some upside for him to get to those levels with minor adjustments. His K% was 25.1%, and his K-BB% was 19.7%. He also set a Columbus single-game record with 12 strikeouts back in May, shortly before his promotion to Gwinnett. The No. 8 prospect in the Braves' system before the trade, Braun is easily a Top-10 prospect in the Royals system. He probably rates around 9 or 10 in the Royals' system, bumping Carson Roccaforte or Asbel Gonzalez out of that group. He will start his Royals career in Triple-A Omaha. That said, he could see an MLB call-up in a matter of weeks, especially if Kansas City engages in more trades by Monday's August 3rd deadline. Holton is Talented, but Has Struggled With Injuries Holton was a second-round pick by the Braves in the 2024 MLB Draft. There was word that Kansas City was interested in the Vanderbilt product. Unfortunately, Atlanta swooped him up before he got to the Royals' pick (Kansas City ended up selecting David Shields as a result, which hasn't been a bad consolation). It hasn't been smooth for Holton as a professional in the Braves organization. He has struggled with injuries, having pitched only in 51.2 total innings in the Minor Leagues since 2024. He pitched only two innings in Low-A ball in 2024, shortly after being drafted, and missed all of 2025 due to Tommy John surgery. Holton has returned to the mound this year and has mostly pitched in Low-A Augusta of the Carolina League. In seven outings and 33.2 IP, he has a 5.08 ERA and 1.37 WHIP. However, his FIP is slightly better at 4.98, and he has a 21% K% and a 2.31 K/BB ratio. Much like Braun, the 23-year-old lefty limits walks and throws strikes, though he hasn't generated a ton of swing-and-miss this year, as evidenced by his percentiles in Augusta via TJ Stats. However, he hasn't pitched competitively since 2024, so some adjustment is to be expected with Holton. He has shown flashes of living up to that second-round pick status, as illustrated in his first start with Augusta this season. Holton sports a diverse pitch mix, with four pitches: a fastball, slider, curve, and changeup. Scouts were high on Holton's stuff, despite his 5'11 stature, as illustrated in his scouting report by MLB Pipeline when drafted. The former Commodore is definitely more of a project than Braun, especially since Holton hasn't advanced beyond Low-A yet, atypical for a college pitcher. However, there is a lot of stuff and potential there for the lefty, as long as he can stay healthy. Overall Thoughts on Trade In their analysis of the deal, Baseball Trade Values noted that it was more favorable to the Royals, calling it a moderate "overpay" by Atlanta. Thus, it feels like the Royals made out well in this deal, especially on two expiring assets in Thomas and Falter, both scheduled to be free agents this offseason. Throwing Falter in the deal, who was pretty much just wasting payroll in Omaha, was a nice little throw-in by Picollo, especially since it netted the Royals two of the Braves' Top-30 prospects in this trade. Kansas City, like other MLB teams, has less than 48 hours to make trades before Monday's deadline. While this is a good start for Picollo and the Royals, they may need to make 2-3 more moves to make this Deadline more impactful in both the short and long term. This move also opens up some more time for some outfielders in the Royals organization who could use some more playing time for evaluation. That includes John Rave, Matthew Lugo, and Gavin Cross. The latter two are in Omaha. So far, Picollo is off to a nice start to the Trade Deadline with this initial deal.

It's been a tough week for the Kansas City Royals, a common theme of the 2026 season, unfortunately. After taking two of three in Detroit over the past weekend, the Royals lost two of three to the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis, both in walk-off style. Thursday was particularly brutal, as the Royals blew a three-run lead with two outs in the ninth inning as Lucas Erceg and Matt Strahm were unable to close out a brilliant start by Noah Cameron (eight innings of one-hit, shutout ball). Safe to say, Kody Clemens had been one of the Royals' main adversaries over the past couple of seasons. If that wasn't enough, the Royals dropped their first game of their three-game set in Colorado against the Rockies on Friday. Colorado is 43-67, worse than the 46-65 Royals. However, the Rockies, led by Tomoyuki Sagano, absolutely shut down the Royals, with a home run by Carter Jensen being the lone Kansas City run in a 3-1 loss. Right now, frustration is at an all-time high with Royals fans. After Thursday's brutal loss, it seems like many fans are calling for a complete overhaul, not just of the roster, but of the organization in general. That frustration has been amplified by reports that the Royals are going to hold onto pitcher Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo, Daniel Lynch IV, and Alex Lange by Monday's Trade Deadline. After such a brutal season, it's easy to think that the Royals should throw in the towel, clear the organization, and do a complete overhaul from top to bottom. Granted, the Royals need to make moves. They need to improve, and they cannot have another season like this one, especially with a new stadium on the horizon and franchise star Bobby Witt Jr having the option to opt out by the 2030 season. That said, Kansas City doesn't need to blow things up by Monday, or even by the end of the 2026 season. The Royals' Lineup Can Bounce Back Quickly Once Healthy There's no question that injuries have absolutely decimated this team. Of the 26 players that made the Royals' Opening Day roster, eight are currently on the IL. That includes key hitters like Maikel Garcia, Vinnie Pasquantino, and Kyle Isbel Since 2024, Garcia, Isbel, and Vinnie have been the Royals' second, third, and fourth-most valuable players, based on fWAR. They have combined for a 14.4 fWAR from 2024 to 2026. This year, they have combined for a 2.0 fWAR, with Garcia accounting for 1.5 of that total. That said, these three could easily be fully healthy again in 2027 after a ton of nagging injuries that need a full offseason to recover from. These injuries haven't been major ones, but nagging ones that have not just kept them on the shelf, but have impacted performance, especially on the offensive end. With those three hitters back, the Royals could be in good shape for a quick turnaround in 2027. The Royals have seen Michael Massey bounce back and take hold of the second base job in 2026. After a slow start, Isaac Collins has been one of the Royals' best left fielders since Alex Gordon, with a 102 wRC+, .712 OPS, and 0.7 fWAR (and this was despite a disastrous first month defensively). Nick Loftin has emerged as a productive player, with a 105 wRC+ and 0.7 fWAR while filling in for Garcia at third. Lastly, the Royals have seen the development of two key recent draft picks: Carter Jensen (2021 Draft) and Jac Caglianone (2024 Draft). They have fWAR marks of 2.0 and 1.1, respectively, and have combined for 32 home runs this year. Here's a look at a potential 2027 Royals lineup, before JJ Picollo adds anyone this offseason. Jensen Witt Jr. Cags Garcia Pasquantino Massey/Loftin Perez Collins Isbel/Tolbert/FA Outfielder That's a pretty good lineup at first glance. And if the Royals add someone like Taylor Ward or Seiya Suzuki this offseason? Well, the lineup gets a whole lot better and more competitive. The Royals' Pitching Staff Needs Stability While the Royals' lineup is in a good place for 2027, the pitching staff is a little shakier. Kansas City was decimated by injuries to Cole Ragans, Kris Bubic, and Carlos Estevez this season. Those were three pitchers who were key in 2024 and 2025 and would have had a positive impact on this pitching staff if they had been healthy. Ragans, Bubic, and Estevez have combined for a 12.5 fWAR over the past three years. This is despite only one year from Estevez and a ton of missed time over those three years due to injury from Ragans and Bubic. This healthy trio would have had a major impact on the Royals' pitching staff, especially Estevez, who would have helped a bullpen that's been absolutely disastrous. Unlike the lineup, the Royals have to absorb these injuries and potential losses to the pitching staff in 2026. Bubic and Estevez will likely be gone this offseason, as they will both be free agents. Ragans won't be back until mid-season in 2027 due to surgery, and he may need to move to the bullpen initially to preserve his arm, much like Bubic in 2025. The rotation has seen the emergence of Luinder Avila this year, and Noah Cameron has bounced back in his past two starts after taking over pitch-calling duties and making some adjustments with his pitch mix. However, with Bubic and Ragans out of the rotation, the Royals need stability. When looking at options on the 40-man roster, the returns of Alec Marsh, Ryan Bergert, and Stephen Kolek for 2027 are hazy. Ben Kudrna is hurt and unproven, and Steven Zobac hasn't advanced beyond Double-A. Thus, it's understandable why the Royals wouldn't want to trade Lugo and Wacha, especially with a free-agent starting pitching class that isn't great. Tarik Skubal is a prize that's out of their price range (and is probably going to the Dodgers, anyway). Sonny Gray is 36, the same age as Lugo and one year older than Wacha. Robbie Ray, Shota Imanaga, Zac Gallen, Kevin Gausman, and Chris Bassitt are proven, but all have qualifying offers, meaning the Royals would have to forfeit draft picks to sign them. The Royals need to add draft capital, not lose it. The Royals see the free-agent market and may feel that if they trade Lugo and/or Wacha, they will need to replace them with a pitcher of equal or lesser production value who would cost just as much, if not more. Hence, Kansas City may be more comfortable pitching assets they know and are comfortable with here than taking a flier on free agents who may not even sign with the Royals in the first place (thus putting their rotation even more in a bind). The bullpen is a much different story. Not only do the Royals need an overhaul, but they also need to change their approach to acquiring and using relievers. Not only have they struck out on so many veteran pieces during the Picollo era (Will Smith, Chris Stratton, Matt Strahm, etc.), but they have also let guys go who have been productive in other organizations and would've been a lot cheaper (Jonathan Bowlan, Collin Snider, Will Klein, etc.). Picollo needs to address the bullpen's lack of chase and make an adjustment, whether through acquisition or development. That said, fixing a bullpen can be done in the offseason and much more quickly if they do it right. The White Sox did this by making slight adjustments to the bullpen, making it at least tolerable. Now, they are at the top of the AL Central division. The Royals could learn from what the White Sox did this offseason, fixing the bullpen with a mix of outside acquisitions and promoting the right kind of arms. The Royals Still Need to Be Active at the Deadline Kansas City doesn't need to "give away" players. They may not be trading Wacha, Lugo, Lynch and Lange because the offers they are receiving right now are inadequate. That seemed to be the case with Lugo last year, who wasn't getting the kind of trade package that was deemed acceptable by Picollo and the Royals. While trading is fun, the Deadline doesn't always have a great track record of return "success" for those "rebuilding" teams, especially for starting pitchers. That said, the Royals shouldn't avoid any Deadline deals. They still need to make this team better. One way is to improve the bullpen. They can do that with their current trade assets, such as Lane Thomas and John Schreiber. They also need to be open to deals on guys who may be tough to let go of at first glance (which is why I think they should push to trade Lynch, especially given the return for A.J. Minter ). Picollo did that last year with Freddy Fermin. While both are currently on the IL, Bergert and Kolek have been a great return. Kansas City is in the midst of a tough year. However, it's easy to forget that the projections on this 2026 team were solid (around the 82-83 win mark, which was better than their 2024 projections). They are more solid in the outfield than they were in 2024 and 2025, when they had winning seasons. For as critical as people have been of Matt Quatraro, he's had two winning seasons in four years. For context, Ned Yost, a Royals Hall of Famer, didn't have his first winning season until his fourth year. It's easy to think that this franchise is hopeless, and it has felt that way at times. However, the Royals need to be judicious at this Deadline. Their farm system is improving, with prospects at the lower levels receiving more acclaim (they have four in the Top-100, according to Pipeline). They have a chance to add to that system with the right moves, as well as some controllable talent who could thrive in a change of scenery. The Royals don't need a blow-up. However, they don't need to sit on their hands either. We have roughly 48 hours to find out.

Blake Wolters turned in a quality start, and Quad Cities beat Dayton 8-4 for the system's only win of the night. Erick Torres and Jose Cerice each collected two hits. Ryan Ramsey allowed four runs in Omaha's 4-1 loss, though Scott Barlow followed with 2 2/3 hitless innings. Drew Beam surrendered nine runs in Northwest Arkansas' 9-3 defeat. Moises Amezquita worked 2 2/3 scoreless innings for Columbia, which fell 15-3, while Ivan Sosa doubled twice. Kansas City Royals Transactions No Roster Moves Storm Chasers Held To Three Hits In 4-1 Loss To St. Paul The Omaha Storm Chasers were held to three hits Thursday night at Werner Park, falling 4-1 to St. Paul. Ramsey took the loss, allowing four runs on four hits over 5 1/3 innings with two walks and six strikeouts. Almost all of the damage arrived before he had settled in. A three-run homer to left field in the top of the first put St. Paul ahead 3-0, and a wild pitch in the third made it 4-0. Ramsey did not allow another run after that, and the Storm Chasers bullpen kept the deficit where it was. The veteran Barlow followed with 2 2/3 hitless innings, walking one and striking out two. Dan Altavilla worked a hitless ninth. Omaha pitching combined for eight strikeouts. The only Omaha run came in the fifth inning. Drew Waters opened the inning with a single to left, Luca Tresh singled him to second, and Alejo Lopez walked to load the bases. Gavin Cross then lifted a sacrifice fly to center that scored Waters and moved Tresh to third, but a strikeout stranded two runners and ended the threat. Cross' six-game home run streak came to an end on Thursday. Waters finished 1-for-3 with a walk and the club's only run. Abraham Toro and Tresh had the other two hits. The Storm Chasers struck out 13 times and left five runners on base. Omaha Storm Chasers AB R H RBI BB K Gavin Cross RF 3 0 0 1 0 3 Jack Pineda SS 4 0 0 0 0 2 Brett Squires 1B 4 0 0 0 0 3 Abraham Toro DH 4 0 1 0 0 1 Matthew Lugo LF 3 0 0 0 1 1 Drew Waters CF 3 1 1 0 1 2 Brandon Drury 3B 3 0 0 0 0 1 Luca Tresh C 3 0 1 0 0 0 Alejo Lopez 2B 2 0 0 0 1 0 Pitchers IP H R ER BB K HR Ryan Ramsey (L) 5 1/3 4 4 4 2 6 1 Scott Barlow 2 2/3 0 0 0 1 2 0 Dan Altavilla 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Six-Run Third Sinks Naturals In 9-3 Loss At Tulsa A six-run third inning sank Northwest Arkansas on Thursday night at ONEOK Field, where the Naturals dropped a 9-3 decision to Tulsa. Beam, the Royals' No. 13 prospect, took the loss after allowing nine runs on 10 hits over 2 2/3 innings. The former Tennessee product did not walk a batter and struck out four, but he gave up two home runs in the third, turning a 3-0 game into a 9-0 game. Beam was pulled with two outs in the inning, his ERA inflating to 7.13. Four relievers held the line the rest of the way, combining for 5 1/3 scoreless innings on four hits with eight strikeouts. Oscar Rayo allowed one hit over two innings. Tyson Guerrero struck out three across 1 1/3 innings, and Anthony Simonelli fanned four over 1 2/3 innings. Dennis Colleran Jr. recorded the final out of the seventh. Jorge Alfaro put Northwest Arkansas on the board with a leadoff homer, his 11th, in the fifth. The Naturals added a run in the seventh when Omar Hernandez singled, Alfaro walked, and Justin Johnson lined a single to center to bring Hernandez home. Sam Kulasingam and Spencer Nivens opened the eighth with back-to-back singles, and Daniel Vazquez grounded out to third to score Kulasingam. Johnson finished 2-for-4 with an RBI. Alfaro reached base twice with the homer and a walk. Carson Roccaforte, the Royals' No. 9 prospect, drew two walks. Northwest Arkansas managed six hits and left eight runners on base. Northwest Arkansas Naturals AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte CF 3 0 0 0 2 2 Colton Becker 3B 4 0 0 0 0 3 Sam Kulasingam RF 3 1 1 0 1 0 Spencer Nivens LF 4 0 1 0 0 2 Daniel Vazquez SS 3 0 0 1 1 1 Omar Hernandez C 4 1 1 0 0 0 Jorge Alfaro 1B 3 1 1 1 1 1 Canyon Brown DH 4 0 0 0 0 2 Justin Johnson 2B 4 0 2 1 0 0 Pitchers IP H R ER BB K HR Drew Beam (L) 2 2/3 10 9 9 0 4 2 Oscar Rayo 2 1 0 0 1 1 0 Tyson Guerrero 1 1/3 1 0 0 0 3 0 Anthony Simonelli 1 2/3 2 0 0 3 4 0 Dennis Colleran Jr. 0 1/3 0 0 0 0 0 0 Wolters and Torres Lead River Bandits Past Dayton, 8-4 Wolters, the Royals' No. 20 prospect, turned in a Quality Start, and Quad Cities scored in four separate innings, beating Dayton 8-4 on Thursday night at Modern Woodmen Park. Wolters earned the win, working six innings and allowing three runs on five hits with two walks and five strikeouts. He carried a 4-0 lead into the fifth before a three-run homer trimmed it to 4-3, then came back out and worked a scoreless sixth to finish his night. Rob Hensey followed with two innings, allowing one run on two hits with three walks and four strikeouts, and Yimi Presinal closed it out with a scoreless ninth. The River Bandits went to work immediately. Asbel Gonzalez singled with one out in the first, Jose Cerice singled him home, and after a Derlin Figueroa walk, Erick Torres singled to left to make it 2-0. Figueroa doubled the lead in the third with his 20th homer, a two-run shot to right-center that also scored Blake Mitchell. The sixth broke the game open. Cerice walked and stole second, Torres tripled him in, Hyungchan Um, recently called up from Low-A Columbia, doubled home Torres, and Tyriq Kemp singled home Um for a 7-3 lead. Mitchell walked to open the seventh and scored on a Figueroa sacrifice fly. Torres finished 2-for-3 with a triple, a walk, and two RBI. Cerice went 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a walk. Figueroa drove in three. Mitchell walked twice and scored twice. Quad Cities River Bandits AB R H RBI BB K Tyriq Kemp SS 5 0 1 1 0 3 Asbel Gonzalez CF 4 1 1 0 0 1 Blake Mitchell DH 2 2 0 0 2 1 Jose Cerice 3B 3 2 2 1 1 1 Derlin Figueroa LF 2 1 1 3 1 1 Erick Torres RF 3 1 2 2 1 0 Hyungchan Um C 4 1 1 1 0 2 Trevor Werner 1B 3 0 0 0 1 2 Pedro Roque 2B 3 0 0 0 1 1 Pitchers IP H R ER BB K HR Blake Wolters (W) 6 5 3 3 2 5 1 Rob Hensey 2 2 1 1 3 4 0 Yimi Presinal 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Fireflies Buried Early In 15-3 Loss At Augusta Columbia never recovered from a five-run first inning and lost 15-3 at Augusta on Thursday night. Jose Gutierrez took the loss, allowing eight runs on five hits over 3 1/3 innings with four walks, three strikeouts, and two home runs. Augusta sent eight men to the plate in the first, capped by a grand slam, and added a two-run homer in the second and a run in the fourth before Gutierrez was lifted. Amezquita was the exception out of the bullpen, working 2 2/3 scoreless innings on two hits with no walks and four strikeouts. The rest of the relief corps could not find the plate. Jhon Reyes, Brandon Herbold, and Gabriel Silva combined to walk nine over two innings as Augusta scored three in the seventh and four in the eighth, with five of those runs walked or hit in. Ivan Sosa carried what offense there was, going 2-for-4 with two doubles and two RBI. He doubled in the fifth and came around to score on an error, then doubled home Roni Cabrera and Connor Rasmussen in the ninth for the final margin. Josh Hammond, the Royals' No. 3 prospect, reached three times on a single and two walks. No. 11 prospect Yandel Ricardo, Jhosmmel Zue, JC Vanek, and Angel Ramirez each added a hit. Columbia finished with seven hits and left eight runners on base. Columbia Fireflies AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos LF 5 0 0 0 0 2 Josh Hammond DH 3 0 1 0 2 0 Yandel Ricardo SS 3 0 1 0 0 0 Josi Novas 3B 1 0 0 0 0 1 Jhosmmel Zue C 3 0 1 0 1 1 JC Vanek 1B 3 0 1 0 0 0 Roni Cabrera RF 4 1 0 0 0 1 Connor Rasmussen 2B 2 1 0 0 2 0 Angel Ramirez CF 4 0 1 0 0 1 Ivan Sosa SS 4 1 2 2 0 0 Pitchers IP H R ER BB K HR Jose Gutierrez (L) 3 1/3 5 8 8 4 3 2 Moises Amezquita 2 2/3 2 0 0 0 4 0 Jhon Reyes 0 2/3 2 3 3 3 0 0 Brandon Herbold 0 2/3 0 4 4 4 1 0 Gabriel Silva 0 2/3 1 0 0 2 0 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: DNP Josh Hammond: 1-for-3, 2 BB Blake Mitchell: 0-for-2, 2 BB, SB, 2 R, K Sean Gamble: DNP Ramon Ramirez: DNP Zion Rose: DNP Asbel Gonzalez: 1-for-4, R, SB, K Carson Roccaforte: 0-for-3, 2 BB, SB, 2 K Taylor Rabe: DNP Yandel Ricardo: 1-for-3, SB Justin Lamkin: DNP Drew Beam: 2 2/3 IP, 10 H, 9 R, 9 ER, 0 BB, 4 K, 2 HR (L) Michael Lombardi: DNP Jack Slightom: DNP Felix Arronde: DNP Angeibel Gomez: 1-for-2, 2 R, BB Ben Kudrna: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Blake Wolters: 6 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, 1 HR (W)

There may not be a hotter hitter in Omaha, and maybe the International League in general, than outfielder Gavin Cross. The 9th overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft by the Kansas City Royals, Cross has been on fire at the plate. Over the past 30 days, Cross is hitting .340 with a 1.063 OPS in 102 plate appearances. He also has seven home runs and 22 RBI. Last week, the former Virginia Tech outfielder had an incredible stretch in Salt Lake City against the Bees. Not only did he hit .444 with 12 hits, but he also had nine runs scored, 10 RBI, and home runs in five consecutive games. As a result, Cross was named the International Player of the Week. If that wasn't enough, Cross extended his home run streak to six games with a homer on Sunday in the series finale against St. Paul at Werner Park in Omaha. Due to a slow start, Cross's numbers haven't been overly impressive in Omaha this year. In 91 games and 353 plate appearances this year, he is hitting .249 with a .736 OPS and 91 TJ Bat+. That includes 11 home runs, 48 runs scored, 40 RBI, and 21 stolen bases. Those numbers aren't much different from what he did in Double-A Northwest Arkansas in 2025. In 114 games and 507 plate appearances with the Naturals last year, Cross hit .241 with a .704 OPS and 92 TJ Bat+. He also had 17 home runs, 75 runs scored, 64 RBI, and 23 stolen bases. A big issue for Cross the past two years has been the strikeouts. He had a 26.4% K% in 2025 with the Naturals, and he has a 27.2% K% with the Storm Chasers this year. That said, Cross has made some adjustments at the plate, resulting in improved performance. That was profiled in a recent piece on MLB Pipeline. It appears that the addition of a toe tap, rather than a leg kick, was the major adjustment Cross made in late May. Here's what Cross said in the Pipeline piece. It's been theorized that Cross adjusted May 21st and 24th. Since May 26th, the 25-year-old outfielder is hitting .307 with 10 home runs, 34 runs scored, 29 RBI, and a .912 OPS. Granted, the approach is a little free-swinging, as evidenced by a 24.5% K% and 0.30 BB/K ratio. That said, not only have the numbers been better since Memorial Day, but the Statcast percentiles have also been impressive. When looking at Cross' percentiles from before the adjustment (left) and after (right), he has pulled the ball more in the air, is hitting the ball harder, barreling more balls, and making more contact while swinging less. That is not just a recipe for success in Triple-A but also one that could translate well to the Major Leagues. Thus, when will Cross see a call-up to the Major Leagues? Cross will likely get that opportunity after the Trade Deadline, when many key outfielders are moved. Thomas and Marte's Likely Departures Should Clear the Way for Cross On Wednesday night before the Royals' second game against the Twins, MLB insider Mark Feinsand reported that the Royals were going to hold onto some key players at the Deadline, including Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo, Daniel Lynch IV, and Alex Lange. However, two names that weren't mentioned were outfielders Lane Thomas and Starling Marte. Thomas may be the Royals' best and most sensible trade chip. He's on a one-year deal and will be a free agent after this year. Furthermore, he's been performing well in his first season in Kansas City, with 10 home runs, a .325 OBP, and .721 OPS in 317 plate appearances. He doesn't hit for a high average (.229), and the barrel and K rates haven't been great this year. That said, his Statcast profile is impressive, especially for a guy who can play all three outfield positions. As for Marte, he's been strictly limited to a platoon role, which explains his 142 plate appearances, his lowest total since the 2020 COVID-affected season. In that small sample, he's hitting just .258 with a .630 OPS, and the Statcast profile is pretty lackluster, especially compared to what he had done in the past with clubs like the Mets, Diamondbacks, A's, Marlins, and Pirates. Marte hits the ball hard and has been able to barrel the ball well despite the few plate appearances. However, he hasn't been able to pull the ball, doesn't walk, and doesn't launch it well enough to be effective. As a result, his 79 wRC+ ranks in the 33rd percentile, which isn't great, even for a platoon player. Thomas will likely be traded by next Monday's Deadline. Marte may be traded, but if he isn't, he probably will be designated for assignment. By August 4th, the Royals should have two outfield spots open. Unless they get an outfielder from another organization in a trade return, Cross should be the most sensible candidate to get a promotion to Kansas City, especially with John Rave already up due to Vinnie Pasquantino being added to the IL. Other outfielders in Omaha could be called up to Kansas City instead of Cross. That said, the former Hokie has the best combination of skills and upside of the current Storm Chasers outfield group. Does Cross Being a Lefty Hurt His Chances? The main roadblock for Cross' promotion right now may be because he's left-handed and the Royals are flush with lefties on their 40-man roster. In addition to Rave, Josh Rojas (on the MLB roster), Brett Squires (another call-up candidate), and Abraham Toro (who's been very good in Omaha this year) are left-handed hitters. Kyle Isbel, who's on a rehab in Omaha, is also left-handed and should return soon. Thus, the Royals may be better served by promoting a right-handed bat, especially if Thomas and Marte, both righties, are traded away. When looking at his Statcast splits via TJ Stats, Cross is clearly a stronger hitter against righties than lefties. Interestingly enough, his Pull Air% is the same against both lefties and righties, and he actually makes more contact on pitches in the zone and strikes out less against lefties. That said, in terms of exit velocity, barrel ability, launch angle, and hard-hit rate, Cross is CONSIDERABLY more effective against right-handed pitchers. However, Kansas City may be worrying about "splits" less during a lost season like this one. Going into Wednesday's game against Minnesota, the Royals are 45-63 with 0.2% odds to make the postseason. Yes, there will be occasions for playing the splits, which manager Matt Quatraro is prone to do (like many MLB managers, frankly). However, I think the splits matter less during a season like this. What matters most is evaluation, and Cross is a player worth evaluating. Cross is also worth evaluating, as he will be Rule 5-eligible again this year. He was Rule 5 eligible last year, but went unselected, mostly because teams are unwilling to pounce on a hitter in the December Draft who has an OPS under .730 in Double-A. Conversely, what Cross is doing in Triple-A feels legitimate, and it's easier for a team to give him an active roster spot and see if he can figure it out, like some recent Rule 5 success stories like Akil Baddoo and Ryan Noda. The Royals may not want to risk losing Cross, especially if they are not able to replace Thomas this offseason with a free-agent outfielder replacement. Outfielders Isaac Collins and Jac Caglianone seem to be set for the 2027 Opening Day roster. However, the Royals may be tempted to trade Kyle Isbel, who is good but may be limited in terms of ceiling. Cross is athletic enough to play center field and maybe platoon with a right-handed center fielder, whether in the organization or via a trade or free agency. Cross hasn't had the best career as a prospect in the Royals system. His best season as a prospect came in 2024 in Double-A, as he hit .261 with a 114 wRC+ in 436 plate appearances. Unfortunately, he regressed in a repeat of Double-A in 2025, hitting .241 with a 92 wRC+. It seems like Cross is looking more like his 2024 self and at a higher level to boot. With the Royals 18 games under .500, Kansas City needs to give Cross his chance in August or September, even if it is in a limited role.

Columbia turned an eight-run second inning, built on home runs from Yandel Ricardo, Sean Gamble, and JC Vanek, into a 9-8 escape at Augusta. Omaha wasted six sparkling innings from Mason Black, tying the game in the seventh before losing 4-3 on a ninth-inning home run. Northwest Arkansas managed only six hits at Tulsa and fell 6-2. Quad Cities left 11 runners on base and struck out 12 times in a 3-0 shutout loss to Dayton. Kansas City Royals Transactions Kansas City Royals placed 1B Vinnie Pasquantino on the 10-day injured list. Right wrist soreness. Kansas City Royals recalled RF John Rave from Omaha Storm Chasers. Black Dominates, But Chasers Drop 4-3 Decision To St. Paul Black gave Omaha nearly everything it needed, and the Storm Chasers still could not close it out, falling 4-3 to St. Paul. Black worked six innings, allowed just one hit and one run, walked three, and struck out four. St. Paul scratched out a run in the first on a sacrifice fly to center field. Omaha answered with two in the fifth. Brandon Drury opened the inning with a walk, Elih Marrero doubled him to third, and Alejo Lopez lifted a sacrifice fly to right field to bring Drury home. Marrero then scored from third on a wild pitch during Kyle Isbel's bunt single, and Omaha led 2-1. The seventh turned the game around. Matt Moore allowed three consecutive singles without retiring a batter, the third tying the score, and he was charged with a blown save. Ben Sears entered, recorded a lineout and a strikeout, gave up a two-out double that pushed St. Paul ahead 3-2, then struck out the final batter of the inning. Omaha came right back in the bottom half. Drury walked again, Lopez walked with two outs, and Isbel singled to right field to bring Drury home, with a throwing error from right field moving Isbel up to second base, and the game was tied 3-3. Justin Topa could not hold the tie. He surrendered a one-out solo home run in the ninth, retired the next hitter on a lineout, walked a batter, allowed a single, and picked a runner off first base to end the inning. Omaha went down in order in the ninth. Isbel finished 3-for-4 with an RBI, Marrero went 2-for-4 with a double, and Drury reached twice on walks and scored twice. The Storm Chasers collected six hits and three walks, and struck out seven times. Omaha went 1-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left seven runners on base. They are now 49-54. Player AB R H RBI BB K Kyle Isbel 4 0 3 1 0 1 Stone Russell 1 0 0 0 0 1 Jack Pineda 4 0 0 0 0 0 Brett Squires 4 0 1 0 0 1 Drew Waters 4 0 0 0 0 1 Matthew Lugo 3 0 0 0 0 1 Brandon Drury 2 2 0 0 2 1 Peyton Wilson 4 0 0 0 0 1 Elih Marrero 4 1 2 0 0 0 Alejo Lopez 2 0 0 1 1 0 Totals 32 3 6 2 3 7 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Mason Black 6 1 1 1 3 4 0 Matt Moore 0 3 2 2 0 0 0 Ben Sears 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 Jose Cuas 1 1 0 0 0 2 0 Justin Topa 1 2 1 1 1 0 1 Totals 9 8 4 4 4 8 1 Roccaforte And Johnson Homer, But Naturals Fall 6-2 In Tulsa Carson Roccaforte, the Royals' No. 9 prospect, wasted no time, leading off the game with his 23rd home run of the season, but Northwest Arkansas never built on that start and lost 6-2 at Tulsa. Hunter Owen took the loss after 4 2/3 innings in which he gave up nine hits, four runs, and three home runs, though he did not walk a batter and struck out six. Tulsa answered Roccaforte's leadoff shot with a solo home run in the first, added two more on a home run in the second, and pushed the lead to 4-1 with another solo home run in the fifth. The Naturals had their best early chance in the opening inning. After Roccaforte's home run, Luke Pelzer singled, but a double play and a strikeout ended the threat. Canyon Brown singled in the third and doubled in the fifth, and Spencer Nivens drew a walk in the seventh, yet Northwest Arkansas never had more than one runner on base after the first. Tulsa put the game away in the seventh, when Caden Monke walked two batters, gave up a two-run home run, and allowed a single in two-thirds of an inning. Brandon Johnson had been sharp before him, retiring four batters in a row over 1 1/3 scoreless innings with two strikeouts, and Zachary Cawyer worked 1 1/3 innings without allowing a run. Justin Johnson provided the only other offense, hitting a solo home run in the eighth, his third of the year. Brown finished 2-for-3 with a double, and Roccaforte went 2-for-4. The Naturals totaled six hits, one walk, and seven strikeouts. They went 0-for-1 with runners in scoring position and left three runners on base. They are now 40-56. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte 4 1 2 1 0 1 Luke Pelzer 4 0 1 0 0 1 Sam Kulasingam 4 0 0 0 0 1 Spencer Nivens 3 0 0 0 1 1 Daniel Vazquez 4 0 0 0 0 0 Omar Hernandez 3 0 0 0 0 0 Connor Scott 3 0 0 0 0 2 Canyon Brown 3 0 2 0 0 1 Justin Johnson 3 1 1 1 0 0 Totals 31 2 6 2 1 7 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Hunter Owen 4 2/3 9 4 4 0 6 3 Brandon Johnson 1 1/3 0 0 0 0 2 0 Caden Monke 0 2/3 2 2 2 2 1 1 Zachary Cawyer 1 1/3 1 0 0 1 0 0 Totals 8 12 6 6 3 9 4 River Bandits Strand 11 Runners In 3-0 Shutout Loss To Dayton Quad Cities put 11 runners on base and never got one of them home, dropping a 3-0 decision to Dayton. Tanner Jones deserved better after his solid outing. The right-hander went 5 2/3 innings, allowed four hits and two runs, walked nobody, and struck out six, with both runs coming on solo home runs in the third and the sixth. He was charged with the loss and fell to 3-6 for the season. The River Bandits had chances in every stretch of the game and could not convert any of them. Asbel Gonzalez led off the sixth with a double and Blake Mitchell walked behind him, putting two on with nobody out, but a strikeout, a flyout, and a groundout ended the inning. Gonzalez singled to open the eighth and Mitchell walked again, and again the inning died on two strikeouts and a groundout. The ninth brought one last opportunity. Trevor Werner singled with one out, and after a strikeout, Nolan Sailors singled to move Werner to third. A strikeout ended the game. Kamden Edge was excellent in relief, retiring four batters over 1 1/3 innings without allowing a hit while striking out two. Nick Conte worked the final two innings and allowed one run, which came on a two-out single in the eighth. Gonzalez led the offense at 2-for-5 with a double, and Mitchell reached base twice on walks. Jose Cerice, Tyriq Kemp, Werner, and Sailors each singled. Quad Cities managed six hits and four walks, and struck out 12 times. The River Bandits stranded 11 runners and went 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position. They are now 46-48. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nolan Sailors 4 0 1 0 1 2 Asbel Gonzalez 5 0 2 0 0 2 Blake Mitchell 2 0 0 0 2 0 Jose Cerice 4 0 1 0 0 2 Derlin Figueroa 4 0 0 0 0 2 Erick Torres 4 0 0 0 0 0 Tyriq Kemp 4 0 1 0 0 1 Trevor Werner 3 0 1 0 0 0 Angel Acosta 3 0 0 0 1 3 Totals 33 0 6 0 4 12 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Tanner Jones 5 2/3 4 2 2 0 6 2 Kamden Edge 1 1/3 0 0 0 1 2 0 Nick Conte 2 2 1 1 1 2 0 Totals 9 6 3 3 2 10 2 Fireflies Ride Eight-Run Second To Wild 9-8 Win At Augusta Columbia scored nine runs in the first two innings, then held on for dear life, beating Augusta 9-8. Henry Ramos started it with a leadoff home run in the first, his sixth of the year. The second inning was an avalanche of runs for Columbia. Connor Rasmussen reached on an error, Ricson Gonzalez was hit by a pitch, and Gabriel Silva moved both runners up with a sacrifice bunt. Ramos then tripled home two runs, No. 3 prospect Josh Hammond walked, and No. 11 prospect Ricardo hit a three-run home run for a 6-0 lead. No. 5 prospect Gamble followed with a home run, Vanek homered on the next at-bat, and Roni Cabrera doubled. Rasmussen struck out but reached first base on a passed ball that moved Cabrera to third, Gonzalez walked, and Silva singled home Cabrera to cap an eight-run inning and make it 9-0. Randy Ramnarace started and gave Columbia 2 2/3 innings, allowing one hit while walking two and striking out four, and he was charged with the run Augusta scored on a triple in the third. Adrian Belen worked 1 1/3 innings, allowed two hits, and earned the win. Augusta got most of it back in the sixth. Jesus Oliveira walked four batters in the inning, one of which forced in a run, and Michael Braswell III balked home another before a groundout, a single, and a single made it a five-run inning and a 9-6 game. Augusta added single runs in the seventh to put the Green Jackets in striking distance. Thankfully for the Fireflies, Andy Basora recorded a hold in the eighth, and Manuel Colon retired all three hitters he faced in the ninth for his first save. Ramos finished 3-for-5 with three RBI, Cabrera went 3-for-5 with a double, and Vanek was 2-for-4. Columbia's staff issued 10 walks. The Fireflies went 3-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranded eight runners. With the win, Columbia improved to 51-47 this season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos 5 2 3 3 0 0 Josh Hammond 4 1 1 0 1 0 Yandel Ricardo 5 1 1 3 0 1 Sean Gamble 4 1 1 1 0 2 JC Vanek 4 1 2 1 1 2 Roni Cabrera 5 1 3 0 0 1 Connor Rasmussen 5 1 0 0 0 3 Ricson Gonzalez 2 1 0 0 2 0 Gabriel Silva 3 0 1 1 0 1 Totals 37 9 12 9 4 10 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Randy Ramnarace 2 2/3 1 1 1 2 4 0 Adrian Belen 1 1/3 2 0 0 1 1 0 Jesus Oliveira 1 1/3 0 4 4 4 0 0 Michael Braswell III 1 2/3 4 2 2 1 1 0 Andy Basora 1 2 1 1 2 1 0 Manuel Colon 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals 9 9 8 8 10 8 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: DNP Josh Hammond: 1-for-4, BB Blake Mitchell: 0-for-2, 2 BB Sean Gamble: 1-for-4, HR, RBI, 2 K Ramon Ramirez: DNP Zion Rose: DNP Asbel Gonzalez: 2-for-5, 2B, 2 K Carson Roccaforte: 2-for-4, HR, RBI, K Taylor Rabe: DNP Yandel Ricardo: 1-for-5, HR, 3 RBI, K Justin Lamkin: DNP Drew Beam: DNP Michael Lombardi: DNP Jack Slightom: DNP Felix Arronde: DNP Angeibel Gomez: DNP Ben Kudrna: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Blake Wolters: DNP