Kevin O'Brien

Quad Cities beat Fort Wayne 5-4 when Zion Rose singled home Asbel Gonzalez, after Yimi Presinal struck out four over two innings and Aiden Jimenez closed it out. Michael Braswell III threw three innings without a run, but Columbia fell 5-4 in 11. Felix Arronde gave Northwest Arkansas 5 1/3 innings in a 9-8 loss, and Maikel Garcia, Luke Pelzer, and Carson Roccaforte each had three hits. Omaha lost 6-2 behind two hits from Matthew Lugo. Kansas City Royals Transactions No Roster Moves Storm Chasers Held To Seven Hits In 6-2 Loss At Columbus Omaha dropped a 6-2 decision in Columbus, managing seven hits and one walk against eight strikeouts. Columbus scored twice in the first inning after two walks and a two-run single that Drew Waters misplayed in center field for an error, and the Storm Chasers spent the rest of the night chasing. Henry Williams took the loss after allowing five hits and four runs, three earned, over 4 2/3 innings. He walked four and struck out six. Easton McGee followed with 1 1/3 innings, allowing two hits and striking out two without giving up a run. Anthony Gose worked an inning without allowing a hit and struck out two. Nolan Hoffman gave up two runs on two hits and two walks in his inning. The Storm Chasers were helped early on by some solid defense, including a diving catch by Jacob Berry in the fourth. Omaha did not score until the sixth, when Alejo Lopez came home on Vinnie Pasquantino's ground ball double play. Matthew Lugo added the other run with a single that scored Peyton Wilson in the ninth. Lugo finished 2-for-4 with a triple and an RBI, the only Storm Chaser with more than one hit. Waters, Pasquantino, Brett Squires, Brandon Drury, and Lopez each had one hit. Squires drew the team's only walk. Jacob Berry struck out four times in four at-bats, and Jack Pineda and Elih Marrero were both held without a hit. Omaha left five runners on base and did not have an extra-base hit other than Lugo's triple. The Storm Chasers left five on base and went 1-for-7 with runners in scoring position. They are now 56-60 this season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Drew Waters, CF 4 0 1 0 0 1 Jack Pineda, SS 3 0 0 0 0 0 Vinnie Pasquantino, 1B 4 0 1 0 0 0 Peyton Wilson, PR 0 1 0 0 0 0 Brett Squires, LF 3 0 1 0 1 1 Jacob Berry, RF 4 0 0 0 0 4 Matthew Lugo, DH 4 0 2 1 0 1 Elih Marrero, C 4 0 0 0 0 1 Brandon Drury, 3B 3 0 1 0 0 0 Alejo Lopez, 2B 3 1 1 0 0 0 Totals 32 2 7 1 1 8 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Henry Williams 4 2/3 5 4 3 4 6 1 Easton McGee 1 1/3 2 0 0 0 2 0 Anthony Gose 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 Nolan Hoffman 1 2 2 2 2 1 0 Totals 8 9 6 5 6 11 1 Naturals Lose 9-8 After Springfield Answers An 8-1 Lead Northwest Arkansas carried an 8-1 lead into the bottom of the sixth inning in Springfield and lost 9-8, giving up eight runs over the final three innings. Arronde allowed eight hits and four runs, three earned, over 5 1/3 innings. He walked one and struck out three before leaving in the middle of the sixth with the lead. Brandon Johnson recorded two outs and allowed two runs on two hits, both of them home runs. Augusto Mendieta gave up three runs on three hits over two innings and was charged with the loss and a blown save. The Naturals staff allowed four home runs in all. The offense did its work in the middle innings, scoring five times in the fifth and twice in the sixth. Garcia, on a rehab stint, went 3-for-5 with a double and scored three runs out of the leadoff spot. Pelzer went 3-for-5 with a double, a triple, and three RBI. Roccaforte also had three hits in five at-bats, including a double, and drove in two. Northwest Arkansas finished with 12 hits, two walks, and 10 strikeouts, and did not hit a home run. Daniel Vazquez, Connor Scott, and Justin Johnson each singled. Spencer Nivens and Johnson drew the two walks. Roccaforte singled with one out in the ninth, but the Naturals did not score, and they left six men on base and went 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position. The Naturals dropped to 45-65 after the loss. Player AB R H RBI BB K Maikel Garcia, 3B 5 3 3 0 0 1 Luke Pelzer, LF 5 2 3 3 0 0 Carson Roccaforte, CF 5 1 3 2 0 0 Spencer Nivens, RF 4 1 0 0 1 3 Daniel Vazquez, SS 5 0 1 0 0 0 Javi Vaz, DH 3 0 0 0 0 1 Omar Hernandez, C 4 0 0 0 0 2 Connor Scott, 1B 4 0 1 0 0 1 Justin Johnson, 2B 3 1 1 0 1 2 Totals 38 8 12 5 2 10 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Felix Arronde 5 1/3 8 4 3 1 3 1 Brandon Johnson 2/3 2 2 2 0 1 2 Augusto Mendieta 2 3 3 3 0 2 1 Totals 8 13 9 8 1 6 4 River Bandits Walk Off Fort Wayne 5-4 On Zion Rose Single Quad Cities won 5-4 in the ninth inning, finishing off Fort Wayne with a walk-off single from Rose. Gonzalez started the rally with a walk, moved up on a wild pitch, and came home on Rose's line drive to right field. Blake Wolters started and lasted one inning, giving up three runs on one hit and three walks with two strikeouts. All three runs came on one swing, a three-run home run in the first. Mason Miller then threw three innings, allowing three hits and one run with three strikeouts. Jackson Cleveland and Ethan McElvain each worked an inning without allowing a run. Yimi Presinal struck out four over two innings and gave up one hit and two walks. Aiden Jimenez worked the final inning without allowing a hit and picked up the win. Derlin Figueroa answered the early deficit with a two-run home run, his 24th, and finished 2-for-4 with two runs scored. Nolan Sailors singled in a run in the fourth, and Stone Russell tied the game in the eighth with a single that scored Jose Cerice. Russell went 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Rose went 2-for-5. The River Bandits drew five walks, two of them by Angel Acosta, and struck out eight times. Blake Mitchell walked and scored a run. Gonzalez walked, and he was the last of five Quad Cities runners to cross the plate. The River Bandits finished with eight hits, left nine runners on base, and went 4-for-11 with runners in scoring position. Quad Cities has the best record of any of the Royals' full-season affiliates at 55-51. Player AB R H RBI BB K Asbel Gonzalez, CF 4 1 0 0 1 1 Zion Rose, LF 5 0 2 1 0 1 Blake Mitchell, C 3 1 0 0 1 2 Derlin Figueroa, RF 4 2 2 2 0 1 Jose Cerice, 3B 3 1 1 0 1 1 Nolan Sailors, DH 2 0 1 1 0 1 Tyriq Kemp, SS 4 0 0 0 0 1 Stone Russell, 1B 4 0 2 1 0 0 Angel Acosta, 2B 2 0 0 0 2 0 Totals 31 5 8 5 5 8 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Blake Wolters 1 1 3 3 3 2 1 Mason Miller 3 3 1 1 0 3 1 Jackson Cleveland 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Ethan McElvain 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Yimi Presinal 2 1 0 0 2 4 0 Aiden Jimenez 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 9 7 4 4 5 10 2 Fireflies Tie It In The Eighth, Fall 5-4 In 11 Innings At Wilson Columbia tied the game with a three-run home run in the eighth inning and lost 5-4 in 11 innings at Wilson, which ended the game with a bases-loaded walk. Coleman Picard allowed six hits and three runs over five innings, walking two and striking out two. Jhon Reyes gave up three hits and a run over two innings. Braswell III was the best of the group, throwing three innings and allowing one hit and one walk while striking out one, and he did not give up a run. Randy Ramnarace recorded one out and walked three, and the last of those walks brought in the winning run. Wilson scored twice in the first and added runs in the third and sixth. JC Vanek provided the tying blow with his 12th home run, a three-run shot that scored Josh Hammond and Sean Gamble. Vanek finished 1-for-4 with three RBI and a walk. Gamble had the best day at the plate, going 2-for-3 with a double and a walk. Jhosmmel Zue was 2-for-5, and Yandel Ricardo had a single and two walks. Henry Ramos had a hit and scored a run. The Fireflies drew seven walks and had chances in extra innings but could not convert. Hammond, the zombie runner in the 10th, moved to third on Gamble's sacrifice bunt and was stranded there. The zombie runner in the 11th was retired at third base on a fielder's choice. Columbia left 10 runners on base and went just 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position. The loss dropped Columbia to .500, as they are now 55-55. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos, LF 5 1 1 0 0 2 Yandel Ricardo, 2B 3 0 1 0 2 0 Josh Hammond, SS 4 1 0 1 1 0 Sean Gamble, CF 3 1 2 0 1 0 JC Vanek, 1B 4 1 1 3 1 2 Jhosmmel Zue, C 5 0 2 0 0 1 Roni Cabrera, PR 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ricson Gonzalez, C 0 0 0 0 0 0 Connor Rasmussen, DH 3 0 0 0 2 0 Jhonayker Ugarte, 3B 5 0 0 0 0 1 Daniel Lopez, RF 5 0 0 0 0 1 Totals 37 4 7 4 7 7 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Coleman Picard 5 6 3 3 2 2 1 Jhon Reyes 2 3 1 1 1 1 0 Michael Braswell III 3 1 0 0 1 1 0 Randy Ramnarace 1/3 0 1 0 3 0 0 Totals 10 1/3 10 5 4 7 4 1 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: DNP Josh Hammond: 0-for-4, BB, RBI Blake Mitchell: 0-for-3, BB, 2 K Sean Gamble: 2-for-3, 2B, BB Ramon Ramirez: DNP Zion Rose: 2-for-5, RBI, K Asbel Gonzalez: 0-for-4, BB, K Carson Roccaforte: 3-for-5, 2B, 2 RBI Taylor Rabe: DNP Yandel Ricardo: 1-for-3, 2 BB Justin Lamkin: DNP Drew Beam: DNP Michael Lombardi: DNP Jack Slightom: DNP Felix Arronde: 5 1/3 IP, 8 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 1 BB, 3 K Angeibel Gomez: 1-for-2, HR, R, RBI Ben Kudrna: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Blake Wolters: 1 IP, 1 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 2 K View full article

On Thursday afternoon during the Royals' off day, Kansas City announced that they had signed free-agent pitcher Tony Gonsolin to a one-year deal for the remainder of 2026 with a club option for 2027. To make room on the 40-man roster for Gonsolin, the Royals designated reliever Eli Morgan for assignment. Gonsolin was an All-Star with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2022 when he posted a 16-1 record, 2.14 ERA, 3.28 FIP, and 2.7 fWAR in 130.1 IP. However, the 32-year-old righty has struggled with injury the past few seasons, limiting him to just 139 innings of work since 2023. Gonsolin missed all of 2024 while recovering from Tommy John surgery in August of 2023, and he pitched only 36 innings in 2025, his season cut short by shoulder surgery. As a result, the Dodgers released him this past offseason, and he opted for free agency instead of an outright assignment to Triple-A. Due to his injury issues, no team picked him up this offseason or during the season. The Royals need pitching, especially after Luinder Avila and Stephen Kolek were the latest Royals pitchers to undergo Tommy John surgery. Avila and Kolek will be out all of 2027, and Cole Ragans, who underwent elbow surgery, won't return until the middle of 2027, at the earliest. Thus, Gonsolin gives the Royals some cheap upside, albeit with some significant injury risk. In 2025, Gonsolin struggled in seven outings, posting a 5.00 ERA and 6.02 FIP. That said, he did post a 24.2% K%, a 12.7% K-BB%, and sported an intriguing TJ Stuff+ summary profile, though his four-seamer rated as below average on a TJ Stuff+ end. If the Royals can help Gonsolin get his four-seamer back to at least "average" post-surgery, then Kansas City may be getting an underrated starting pitcher in Gonsolin who can generate plenty of "swing and miss". In 2025, he posted a 30.3% K%, with strong whiff rates on his four-seamer (23.5%), slider (35.6%), and splitter (38%). It's unlikely that Gonsolin will see any action this year, either at the Major or Minor League level. However, if Gonsolin shows progress in his development and rehab process, then the Royals will not just exercise Gonsolin's club option, but also give him a shot to earn a spot in the Royals' 2027 rotation, which is thin after Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo, and Noah Cameron. If healthy, Gonsolin will likely be battling for a rotation spot with Daniel Lynch IV (who just transitioned back to the rotation) and possibly John Means, who's also recovering from surgery last season. To make room, the Royals designated Morgan for assignment. Morgan struggled with Kansas City, posting a 5.12 ERA, 6.49 FIP, and -0.3 fWAR in 19.1 IP. Morgan signed a Minor League deal in Spring Training and impressed, but he failed to find success with the Royals. It's unlikely that Morgan will remain in the Kansas City organization after this latest move. View full rumor

I get with his speed it is tempting and he doesn’t chase which is nice. But he also struggles to generate walks and his contact on pitches in the zone is concerning. I also think with a leadoff hitter, you want someone who you feel comfortable getting the most at bats in a game and i just don’t think Q feels comfortable giving him more at bats in a game than Bobby and Jac. His profile is intriguing albeit inflated by that crazy hitter streak he had.

Image courtesy of Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports It's been a strong season for the Royals' two teams in the Dominican Summer League. As of Tuesday, the Royals' Ventura and Fortuna teams have records of 36-13 and 31-17, respectively. Both teams lead their respective divisions and have the best and 5th-best records in the 51-team DSL, as highlighted by the Raising Royals player development account. The DSL can be a bit of a crapshoot when evaluating prospects. Typically, the prospects are so young that it's difficult to tell how they will fare in the long term. It's quite common for heralded DSL prospects to struggle when they hit the States, whether it's the Complex League or Low-A Columbia. Erick Peña is a prime example of a former top international signing who floundered after moving to affiliated ball. Peña never advanced beyond Low-A Columbia, and he had a career OPS of .575 in 1,022 career at-bats before being released after the 2024 season (though he did break the franchise career home run record in his tenure). The Royals have invested heavily in rebuilding their international scouting department under International Scouting Director Daniel Guerrero, a former Washington Nationals scout who's been in the role since 2023, when JJ Picollo took over the reins from Dayton Moore. As a result of the past three years of Guerrero's work, the Royals have not only brought more intriguing international players into the farm system but have also shown a better track record of development recently. Three players who have particularly been early successes in the Royals DSL program are outfielder Angeibel Gomez and shortstops Jaider Suarez and Warren Calcaño. Two of those three players played in this year's DSL All-Star Game on July 19th and performed well in the showcase event. Hence, let's see what all three players have done this year, and what Royals fans can expect from the trio in 2027 and beyond. Gomez May Be Royals' No. 1 Prospect by Next Spring It seems blasphemous to rank anyone above pitcher Kendry Chourio, especially since Chourio was recently named Midwest Pitcher of the Month for July as an 18-year-old. That said, what the 17-year-old outfielder is doing in the DSL is incredibly impressive. In 43 games and 169 plate appearances, Gomez is hitting .356 with a 1.104 OPS. He has eight home runs, 45 runs scored, 34 RBI, and 13 stolen bases on 15 attempts. He also has an ISO of .281 and a 16% BB%, which is 5.3% higher than his K%. Thus, Gomez is doing well overall as an outfielder in his first professional exposure. He's hitting for average, he's showing discipline at the plate, speed on the basepaths, and plenty of power. In fact, in Tuesday's victory over the Astros, he launched two home runs, the first time in his career that he has accomplished the feat. It's not common to see the power stats that Gomez is producing. Typically, the DSL can be a hitters' league, but due to players' ages and development as well as the park factors, home runs are rare. And yet, not only does Gomez have eight home runs in 43 games, but he is also hitting multiple home runs in games (and against good organizations). What makes Gomez so intriguing as a prospect and different from most DSL prospects, too, is that scouts absolutely love him. He's probably getting more buzz than Chourio did when Chourio was pitching in the DSL a year ago. Here's what Alex Jensen of Prospects Live said about Gomez after the Royals outfield prospect's two-homer game today. It wouldn't be out of the question to see Gomez not just become the Royals' top prospect by Spring Training of next year, but perhaps be a Top-10 prospect in all of baseball. That's how much love he's receiving from scouts due to his tools, profile, makeup, and overall performance in the DSL this season. The Royals lack an outfielder in their system they can build around long-term. It seems like Gomez has come to break that prospect dry spell in the outfield, though it may take 2-3 years. Suarez Proving to Be A Complete Package Suarez was one of the Royals' top international signings a year ago. A shortstop out of Cuba, Kansas City signed him to a $1.7 million signing bonus. He was one of the Royals' most expensive signings from last year's class. That said, it was for good reason, as Suarez impressed international scouts with his tools. While Suarez hasn't produced the power numbers of Gomez, he's been as impressive in nearly every other category. In 37 games and 153 plate appearances with the Royals Fortuna squad, he is hitting .374 with a 1.050 OPS. He has two home runs, 30 runs scored, 19 RBI, and 26 stolen bases on 30 attempts. From a stolen base standpoint, Suarez may have more upside than Gomez. Furthermore, Suarez's plate discipline is solid, like Gomez's, with a BB% of 19% and a K% of 18.3%. The Cuban prospect has also been known for coming through in the clutch in his short tenure with the Fortuna squad. That was illustrated in his walk-off single on June 11th. At 6'1, 180 pounds, it will be interesting to see if Suarez sticks at shortstop. If anything, he may move to the hot corner, especially if he fills out more into his tall frame. That said, many scouts, including Baseball America experts, feel Suarez has 20+ HR upside, which may make a move to third base realistic in the future. Gomez is getting all the attention in the Royals' DSL complex right now, and rightfully so. However, Royals fans shouldn't sleep on Suarez, who could be a Top-100 prospect himself in the near future and a Top-5 prospect in the Royals system by midseason next year, especially if he transitions well to the Complex and/or Low-A Columbia. Calcaño Overcomes Slow Start Originally a Top-20 prospect at Royals Keep, Calcaño fell out of our rankings after a slow start to the DSL season with the Ventura squad. Calcaño was a high-profile signing in 2025, as the Royals inked him to a $2 million signing bonus. In 17 games and 72 plate appearances from June 1st to July 2nd, the 18-year-old shortstop hit .207 with a .645 OPS and a 0.55 BB/K ratio. While the lack of power was to be expected from Calcaño (.086 ISO and zero home runs), he also had a high K% at 27.8%. That's not what Royals fans were hoping for from their heralded 2025 international signing out of the Dominican Republic. Since July 2nd, in 93 plate appearances, he is hitting .328 with a .967 OPS. He has 22 walks to 11 strikeouts, good for a 2.00 BB/K ratio. He also has demonstrated more power during this stretch with one home run and a .150 ISO. Even though the power upside remains tame compared to Gomez and Suarez, it's nice to see him showcase a home run stroke as well as gap-to-gap power (three doubles and two triples since July 2nd). Like Suarez, Calcaño had his own clutch moment, with a walk-off single against the Orioles Black squad. There's a lot more room for projection with Calcaño, and due to his size (6'1, 154 pounds), his profile is closer to Maikel Garcia than Bobby Witt Jr. (who is more comparable to Suarez and Gomez). However, Calcaño profiles as a player who can play all over the infield (and maybe the outfield), and he's a switch-hitter with strong contact ability and plate discipline on both sides of the plate. One thing to keep in mind about Calcaño is that his 2025 season was cut short by a shoulder injury, and it's possible there were lingering effects in his first month in the DSL. Aram Leighton of Just Baseball brought this up in a write-up about Calcaño back in April on Twitter. Even though he isn't in our Top-20 Prospects list anymore, he may be returning to that list soon, though he will likely rank lower than both Suarez and Gomez by the next edition. View full article

All four Royals affiliates lost. Dennis Colleran Jr. struck out all six batters he faced for Northwest Arkansas, Nolan Hoffman, Connor Thomas, and Ethan Bosacker combined for four hitless innings in Omaha, and Michael Braswell III worked 2 1/3 scoreless innings for Columbia. Brett Squires, Justin Johnson, Erick Torres, and Derlin Figueroa homered. Quad Cities lost a five-run lead, falling 9-8, and Josh Hammond doubled for Columbia. Kansas City Royals Transactions Kansas City Royals signed free agent RHP Craig Kimbrel. Kansas City Royals activated RHP Craig Kimbrel. Kansas City Royals optioned RHP Easton McGee to Omaha Storm Chasers. Brett Squires Provides The Only Run As Omaha Falls In Toledo Squires hit a home run, his 19th of the season, in the first inning, and it was the only run the Storm Chasers scored in a 3-1 loss at Toledo. Toledo answered with two runs in the second inning and one more in the third for a 3-1 lead that held up. Omaha did not score again over the final eight innings. The Storm Chasers finished with three hits, one walk, and six strikeouts, and left three runners on base. Jacob Berry had two of the three hits, both doubles, and was the only Omaha batter with more than one hit. Squires went 1-for-3 with the home run, a walk, and a strikeout. Matthew Lugo struck out three times, and six Omaha batters did not record a hit. Ryan Ramsey started and took the loss. He allowed three runs on six hits over four innings, walked three, and struck out five. Every Toledo hit and every Toledo run came against him. Former Phillies reliever Hoffman allowed no hits in an inning, walking one and striking out two. Thomas allowed no hits in an inning and walked two. Bosacker allowed no hits over two innings, walked none, and struck out one. The three relievers combined for four hitless, scoreless innings. Omaha committed one error, a fielding error by Jack Pineda that did not lead to a run, and turned a double play from Brandon Drury to Peyton Wilson to Abraham Toro. Jacob Berry also started a throw that cut down a Toledo runner at second base. The Storm Chasers went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position and left three runners on base. Omaha is now 55-58. Player AB R H RBI BB K Drew Waters 4 0 0 0 0 0 Abraham Toro 4 0 0 0 0 0 Brett Squires 3 1 1 1 1 1 Matthew Lugo 4 0 0 0 0 3 Jack Pineda 3 0 0 0 0 1 Brandon Drury 3 0 0 0 0 0 Jacob Berry 3 0 2 0 0 0 Elih Marrero 3 0 0 0 0 1 Peyton Wilson 3 0 0 0 0 0 Totals 30 1 3 1 1 6 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Ryan Ramsey 4 6 3 3 3 5 0 Nolan Hoffman 1 0 0 0 1 2 0 Connor Thomas 1 0 0 0 2 0 0 Ethan Bosacker 2 0 0 0 0 1 0 Totals 8 6 3 3 6 8 0 Johnson's Three-Run Homer Accounts For All Of Northwest Arkansas' Offense Johnson hit a three-run home run, his sixth of the season, and it produced every Northwest Arkansas run in a 6-3 loss to Wichita. The Naturals trailed 2-0 when Johnson connected in the fifth inning, scoring Connor Scott, who had walked, and Canyon Brown, who had been hit by a pitch. Those three runs put Northwest Arkansas ahead 3-2. Wichita scored four runs in the eighth inning to take a 6-3 lead, and the Naturals did not answer. Northwest Arkansas finished with four hits, four walks, one hit batter, and six strikeouts, and left four runners on base. Johnson went 2-for-3 with the home run and three runs batted in. Luke Pelzer, batting leadoff, and Omar Hernandez had the other two hits. The Naturals were retired in order in the sixth, seventh, and eighth innings. Sam Kulasingam, Connor Scott, and Canyon Brown each stole a base. Hunter Owen started and allowed one run on two hits over three innings. He walked four and struck out six. Brandon Johnson allowed no hits in an inning and struck out two. Dennis Colleran Jr. struck out all six batters he faced over two innings, allowing one run on a solo home run. Caden Monke allowed no hits in an inning and struck out one. Zachary Cawyer took the loss, allowing four runs on four hits, including two home runs, in 2/3 of an inning with a walk. Augusto Mendieta allowed one hit over 1 1/3 innings and struck out two. Naturals pitching struck out 17, walked five, and allowed three home runs. Northwest Arkansas committed no errors, and Carson Roccaforte, the Royals' No. 9 prospect, threw out a runner at home plate. Northwest Arkansas went 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position and stranded five runners. They fell to 44-62 for the season with the loss. Player AB R H RBI BB K Luke Pelzer 4 0 1 0 0 1 Sam Kulasingam 2 0 0 0 2 0 Carson Roccaforte 3 0 0 0 1 1 Spencer Nivens 3 0 0 0 0 1 Omar Hernandez 4 0 1 0 0 1 Colton Becker 4 0 0 0 0 0 Connor Scott 3 1 0 0 1 1 Canyon Brown 2 1 0 0 0 1 Justin Johnson 3 1 2 3 0 0 Totals 28 3 4 3 4 6 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Hunter Owen 3 2 1 1 4 6 0 Brandon Johnson 1 0 0 0 0 2 0 Dennis Colleran Jr. 2 1 1 1 0 6 1 Caden Monke 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Zachary Cawyer 2/3 4 4 4 1 0 2 Augusto Mendieta 1 1/3 1 0 0 0 2 0 Totals 9 8 6 6 5 17 3 Quad Cities Loses A Five-Run Lead In Peoria Quad Cities led 7-2 through four innings and lost 9-8 to Peoria. The River Bandits scored once in the second inning on a Hyungchan Um single, twice in the third on a Chris Brito single, and four times in the fourth. Stone Russell doubled home Angel Acosta in the fourth, and Torres followed with a three-run home run, his second of the season, that scored Um and Russell. Peoria answered with three runs in the fourth to cut the lead to 7-5. Figueroa hit a solo home run, his 23rd, in the seventh for an 8-5 lead, but Peoria scored once in the seventh and three times in the eighth to finish the comeback. Quad Cities collected 11 hits, drew five walks, had two batters hit by a pitch, struck out eight times, and left 10 runners on base. Brito, batting cleanup, Angel Acosta, and Um each had two hits. Torres, batting leadoff, went 1-for-5 with three runs batted in. No. 4 prospect Blake Mitchell drew two walks and stole a base, and No. 7 prospect Zion Rose singled, walked, and stole a base. Jordan Woods started and allowed two runs on six hits over three innings. He walked two and struck out two. Rob Hensey allowed three runs on five hits over three innings without a walk. Nick Conte recorded two outs and allowed a run on a walk with one strikeout. Aiden Jimenez took the loss, allowing three runs on four hits over 1 1/3 innings with a walk and three strikeouts. River Bandits pitching allowed 15 hits, walked four, and gave up no home runs. Quad Cities committed one error, a throwing error by Um that put a runner in scoring position ahead of Peoria's three-run eighth. Quad Cities went 5-for-11 with runners in scoring position and stranded 10 runners. The loss dropped the River Bandits to 53-51 for the season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Erick Torres 5 1 1 3 0 1 Zion Rose 4 1 1 0 1 1 Blake Mitchell 3 1 0 0 2 1 Chris Brito 5 0 2 2 0 2 Pedro Roque 0 0 0 0 0 0 Derlin Figueroa 4 2 1 1 1 2 Ben North 3 0 0 0 1 0 Angel Acosta 4 1 2 0 0 0 Tyriq Kemp 1 0 1 0 0 0 Hyungchan Um 4 1 2 1 0 1 Stone Russell 3 1 1 1 0 0 Totals 36 8 11 8 5 8 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jordan Woods 3 6 2 2 2 2 0 Rob Hensey 3 5 3 3 0 0 0 Nick Conte 2/3 0 1 1 1 1 0 Aiden Jimenez 1 1/3 4 3 3 1 3 0 Totals 8 15 9 9 4 6 0 Columbia Manages Five Hits In A Loss To Myrtle Beach Columbia scored in the first inning and did not score again in a 10-1 loss to Myrtle Beach. Henry Ramos, batting leadoff, reached on an error to open the game, moved up when No. 11 prospect Yandel Ricardo was hit by a pitch, and scored on a groundout by No. 6 prospect Sean Gamble, batting cleanup. Myrtle Beach scored twice in the second inning to take the lead, added four runs in the fourth, three in the eighth, and one in the ninth. The Fireflies finished with five hits, one walk, and 12 strikeouts, and left seven runners on base. Josh Hammond went 2-for-4 with a double, Columbia's only extra-base hit. Jhosmmel Zue, JC Vanek, and Roni Cabrera had the other three hits. Zue struck out three times, and JC Vanek, Ivan Sosa, and Daniel Lopez struck out twice apiece. Columbia was retired in order in the sixth and eighth innings. Darwin Rodriguez started and took the loss. He allowed six runs on six hits over 3 2/3 innings, walked four, and struck out five. Braswell III turned in the best line of the day for Columbia, allowing two hits over 2 1/3 innings without a run or a walk while striking out three. Andy Basora allowed three runs on six hits over two innings, including a three-run home run, and struck out two. Randy Ramnarace allowed one run on one hit in an inning and walked three. Fireflies pitching allowed 15 hits and walked seven while striking out 10. Columbia committed no errors, and Cabrera threw out a runner trying to reach second base. Columbia went hitless with runners in scoring position, going 0-for-6 on Sunday. They also stranded seven runners. The loss dropped the Fireflies' record to 55-51. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos 4 1 0 0 0 1 Josh Hammond 4 0 2 0 0 0 Yandel Ricardo 3 0 0 0 0 0 Sean Gamble 4 0 0 1 0 1 Jhosmmel Zue 4 0 1 0 0 3 JC Vanek 4 0 1 0 0 2 Roni Cabrera 4 0 1 0 0 1 Connor Rasmussen 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ivan Sosa 3 0 0 0 1 2 Daniel Lopez 3 0 0 0 0 2 Totals 33 1 5 1 1 12 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Darwin Rodriguez 3 2/3 6 6 6 4 5 0 Michael Braswell III 2 1/3 2 0 0 0 3 0 Andy Basora 2 6 3 3 0 2 1 Randy Ramnarace 1 1 1 1 3 0 0 Totals 9 15 10 10 7 10 1 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: DNP Josh Hammond: 2-for-4, 2B Blake Mitchell: 0-for-3, R, 2 BB, K, SB Sean Gamble: 0-for-4, RBI, K Ramon Ramirez: DNP Zion Rose: 1-for-4, R, BB, K, SB Asbel Gonzalez: DNP Carson Roccaforte: 0-for-3, BB, K Taylor Rabe: DNP Yandel Ricardo: 0-for-3, HBP 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 View full article

Image courtesy of Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images There's no question that the Royals bullpen needs help right now. According to Frangraphs, Kansas City relievers rank near the bottom in most major categories. The Royals bullpen ranks 29th in reliever ERA, 30th in reliever WHIP, 28th in BB/9 and H/9, 27th in K/9, and 30th in HR/9. During this 3-3 homestand, the bullpen went through its fair share of issues. On Wednesday against the Twins, Aaron Bummer and Nate Pearson failed to hold onto the lead in the eighth inning, leading to a 4-3 loss and a chance at the sweep. On Sunday, in the rubber game against the Cubs, Easton McGee, formerly of the Brewers, gave up six runs on five hits and two walks in two innings of relief. A 4-2 Chicago lead ballooned to 10-2 by the seventh, ending any shot of the Royals making a comeback in the weekend series finale. The names are different, but the results have typically been the same, unfortunately. That said, fans can't say that Royals President of Baseball Operations JJ Picollo isn't trying to improve the bullpen, even with the Royals 21 games below .500 and sitting in last place in the AL Central. Even after the Trade Deadline passed, Kansas City has been making moves on many waived pitchers, hoping to see if they can find someone who can be part of the Royals' bullpen in 2027 and beyond. After Sunday's loss, Picollo and the Royals added another candidate to help turn around the Royals' bullpen struggles: nine-time All-Star Craig Kimbrel. Kimbrel has pitched for the Mets and Rays this season, accumulating 33 appearances and 33.2 IP with both teams. In that sample, he posted a 4.81 ERA, 1.34 WHIP, 4.31 FIP, and 11.1% K-BB%. The 38-year-old most recently pitched with the Rays, posting a 3.86 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and 3.90 FIP in 19 appearances and 18.2 IP. He was designated for assignment after the Trade Deadline and elected free agency after being outrighted to Triple-A Durham. Even though Kimbrel has 440 career saves, he hasn't collected a save over the past two years. He last held a closer role in Baltimore in 2024, saving 23 games but posting a 5.33 ERA over 52.1 IP. It's unclear what kind of role Kimbrel will have in Kansas City. That said, he will likely get some high-leverage work, especially with the Royals thin on guys who can handle big spots in the 8th and 9th innings. That said, the Royals aren't going anywhere this year, and it's unlikely that Kimbrel will be in Kansas City beyond this season. So why, during an impromptu evaluation season, would Picollo pick up a veteran like Kimbrel, who is in the twilight years of his illustrious career? First off, Kimbrel brings the Royals a profile that they sorely need in terms of pitch quality. Second, he could give the Royals an idea of what they need to do this offseason to rebuild their bullpen in 2027. Despite Mediocre Numbers, Kimbrel Still Has the Stuff Kimbrel's overall numbers are nothing to shout home about, though his rough 15-inning sample with the Mets earlier this year has brought down his overall line (he had a 6.00 ERA and 1.47 WHIP in Queens). When looking at his TJ Stats Statcast percentiles, he struggled to produce CSW and allowed too many walks this year with the Mets and Rays. However, the extension, TJ Stuff+, and batted-ball metrics were encouraging and probably explain why Picollo and the Royals decided to take a flier on Kimbrel for the remainder of the season. Here's a look at his Statcast percentile via TJ Stats. Kimbrel sports four offerings this year with TJ Stuff+ marks over 100. That includes his four-seamer (109), his sweeper (111), his knuckle curve (108), and his sinker (101). Only his changeup was below the 100 TJ Stuff+ threshold (99). As a result, his overall TJ Stuff+ is 109, which ranks in the 91st percentile. For context, that 109 overall TJ Stuff+ would be the best mark of any Royals pitcher this year. According to TJ Stats' TJ Stuff+ leaderboard, Nate Pearson currently has the best TJ Stuff+ at 107, Steven Cruz ranks second at 105, and Nick Mears and Cole Ragans are tied for third at 104. Thus, in addition to experience, Kimbrel brings the kind of high-octane arm that the Royals bullpen needs for this stretch run of the 2026 season. Royals Picking Up Similar Arms to Kimbrel The Royals have seemed to be targeting pitchers on waivers recently who possess big-stuff numbers. Two examples of this are lefty Luke Little, who was picked up on waivers from the Cubs, and Carlos Duran, who was acquired from the Dodgers for Kris Bubic at the Trade Deadline. Little has limited MLB experience, having pitched only 1 inning this year with the Cubs. However, his TJ Stuff+ numbers have been impressive, though the rest of his Stacast profile leaves a bit to be desired, as illustrated below. The 28-year-old lefty had pitched 36.1 innings at the Major League level in his career, with most of his MLB experience coming in 2024 when he posted a 3.46 ERA in 26.1 IP. Unfortunately, injuries and inconsistency have limited him to Minor League competition over the past two years, despite his being a sweeper with wicked movement. Little has produced a 6.29 ERA and 5.07 FIP in 48.2 IP in Triple-A Des Moines this season. He has struggled with walks (12th percentile BB%) as well as generating chase (27th percentile O-Swing%) and finding the strike zone (35th percentile zone rate). That said, his sinker and sweeper had TJ Stuff+ marks of 103 and 108, respectively, and his overall TJ Stuff+ was 104 in Triple-A, ranking in the 89th percentile. Add that with a 99th percentile extension, and it's easy to see why the Cubs drafted Little in the fourth round in the 2020 MLB Draft out of San Jacinto College North. As for Duran, I talked about him a little bit on Trade Deadline day, but he's a big arm that shares a lot with Steven Cruz, who has thrived this year after a slow start. Like Cruz, there are some walk and control issues, but the TJ Stuff+ metrics from the former Dodgers and Athletics reliever are legit. While Little and Duran don't have the pedigree of Kimbrel, they do share similar profiles to the former All-Star in terms of Stuff. That shows the Royals are willing to take risks on arms with control issues as long as they have the Stuff and pitch extension. Kimbrel, Little, and Duran all rank highly in those two traits, and that could help the Royals identify not just successful relievers but also ones who won't cost too much. Can Kimbrel's Success Give the Royals A Bullpen Blueprint This Offseason? The Royals bullpen has been atrocious this year. However, many of those struggles have been tied to the Royals' lack of a consistent closer in the ninth inning this year. Kansas City had someone initially slotted into the role: Carlos Estevez, who led all of baseball in saves a year ago. Estevez was expected to be another rock in the Royals bullpen in 2026. Unfortunately, his velocity vanished, and he has been plagued by arm issues that have kept him on the IL since his disastrous Opening Day weekend appearance in Atlanta. It's unlikely Estevez will pitch again this season (perhaps in his career). Kimbrel will not be a closer for Kansas City in 2027, barring something really surprising. However, if Kimbrel can step into the closer's role for the Royals and find some success, then the rest of the bullpen may benefit as well. Last year, with Estevez as the closer, the other Royals relievers thrived in their clear, secondary roles. The Royals bullpen posted a 3.63 ERA as a group in 2025, the seventh-best mark in baseball, according to Fangraphs. And that was with a group that was very similar to this year's bullpen as well. If the veteran closer can have success for two months in the closer's role, the other relievers in the Royals organization may find success in lower-leverage opportunities. Instead of being depended upon as closers, Pearson and Cruz can develop as setup men, which may better suit them anyway. Instead of a 7th- or 8th-inning guy, Erceg can be a middle reliever and work on his pitch quality to help him generate whiff and chase again (like in 2024). The Royals can throw other high-octane guys in the mix in the middle innings or in mop-up roles, which is easier to do in lower-leverage situations. Kimbrel finding success could give the Royals the motivation they need to acquire and pay for a legitimate closer this offseason, which would put less pressure on them to build the bullpen as a whole. It's hard to find and develop a closer in one's organization. However, to find and develop middle relievers or setup men? That's an easier and more realistic task, and the Royals have had some success with that during the JJ Picollo era. Thus, while it seems odd for the Royals to bring in Kimbrel now, it does allow them to shuffle relievers while still staying competitive and not throwing these "green" relievers into the fire too quickly. Royals fans have seen young relievers thrown into closer roles too soon, not just fail in the role but plummet overall after the experience. Carlos Hernandez and James McArthur are two prime examples. They could've had more long-term success if they hadn't been thrust into high-leverage situations so quickly. I'm guessing Picollo and the Royals don't want to make that mistake with Pearson, Cruz, Duran, and Little. Let them get opportunities in various situations and prove they can take on the role in spot opportunities both this year and next. For now, however, the Royals need stability in the ninth. This year, it's going to be Kimbrel. Next year, let's hope it's a bigger-name closer. Raisel Iglesias could be a nice free-agent option, and Mason Miller of the Padres and Trevor Megill of the Brewers could be acquired via a trade. View full article

Image courtesy of Peter Aiken-Imagn Images It's been a peculiar sophomore season for Royals left-handed pitcher Noah Cameron. In 22 appearances (21 starts) and 123.2 IP, the St. Joseph, Missouri product is posting a 4.37 ERA, 1.29 WHIP, 3.73 FIP, and a 2.1 fWAR. While his ERA is worse than a year ago (2.99 ERA in 2025), his fWAR is higher (1.8 last year) in fewer innings (138.1 IP). He is also striking out more batters (22.0% K% this year, 20.5% in 2025), walking fewer (7.6% BB% this year to 7.7% in 2025), while sporting better control overall (14.4% K-BB% in 2026 to 12.8% in 2025). It hasn't been a perfect improvement for Cameron in 2026. While the overall numbers are better, he is getting hit harder than a year ago. His barrel rate allowed has climbed from 6.3% to 8.7%, his average exit velocity allowed has gone from 87.8 MPH to 89.1 MPH, and his hard-hit rate allowed has gone from 37.4% to 38.3%. Those batted-ball metrics are a big reason why his ERA was 4.89 before the All-Star Break, compared to 2.57 after the Midsummer Classic. Since the All-Star Break, Cameron has been on a heater, especially in his past three starts. Over that three-game span, he has posted historic numbers, going seven or more innings in each outing (including two in which he went eight). So what has been the key to Cameron's turnaround in the second half? A primary factor has been his switch to calling his own pitches, which has changed his pitch mix and made him more effective. Which then begs Royals fans to ask: Should more Royals pitchers, especially non-veteran ones, follow Cameron's lead? Breaking Down Cameron's Pitch Mix Changes After a tough July 19th start against the Padres in which he gave up seven runs on nine hits in five innings of work, Cameron seemed intent on making changes, as did the Royals coaching staff. Not only did he have an Opener in his next start against Detroit, but he also decided to begin calling his own pitches. Here are some details about that process in a recent piece from MLB.com Royals beat writer Anne Rogers. After his July 19th start against San Diego, Cameron was sporting a 5.27 ERA and 1.46 WHIP. Here's what his pitching summary looked like from the beginning of the season until his July 24th start against the Tigers. As Royals fans can see, Cameron leaned heavily on his four-seamer, as evidenced by his 27.8% usage on the pitch. Unfortunately, it was not an effective pitch, both on a TJ Stuff+ end (91) and a swing-and-miss end (17.2% whiff rate). Overall, most of his metrics were mediocre, with his zone rate (48.1%), chase rate (28%), whiff rate (24.4%), and xwOBACON (.417) all profiling as below average. He had some pitches that profiled as above average: his changeup (102) and slider (102), but the rest of his repertoire was middling, as evidenced by his 97 overall TJ Stuff+. In his last three starts, here's Cameron's pitching summary via TJ Stats. Obviously, the results have been incredible. While the zone rate still rates as below average (44%), his chase rate (35.1%), whiff rate (33.3%), and xwOBACON (.260) have all been elite. He's improved his overall TJ Stuff+ by two points. And what has been the primary reason? A change in the pitch mix. Cameron is only throwing the four-seamer 18% of the time, a 9.8% drop from earlier in the year. It has gone from his most-thrown pitch to his third-most-thrown offering. On the flip side, he's increased his cutter usage by 1.7%, his changeup usage by 0.7%, and his curveball usage by 0.7%. The biggest increase, however? His slider, which he has thrown 16.3% of the time in his last three starts. Previously, he only threw the slider 9.2% of the time. With the increased slider usage has come more effectiveness with the breaking pitch. Over these past three starts, he's generating a 50% chase and whiff rate, as well as a .253 xwOBACON. Thus, he's not only getting chase and whiffs needed with the pitch, but minimizing hard contact with the offering as well. That's a recipe for success. To dive deeper into his slider, here's a look at his slider swing-and-miss rolling percentage, which correlates with his increase in usage since the All-Star Break. In April and May, his slider had whiff rates under 20 and 25 percent, respectively. In July? That whiff rate was over 50 percent. He's only had one start in August, but it still is impressive at around 45 percent. What's also interesting is that with the decrease in four-seam usage, it has become a more effective swing-and-miss offering. Here's a look at his four-seam whiff rate rolling chart this year via Savant. The four-seamer whiff rate regressed in May and June before seeing a slight bump in July and then experienced a major spike in August. As stated before, it's only one start, but his 25% four-seamer whiff rate is better than the 20% he posted in April with the fastball. It will be interesting to see whether using his four-seamer less will not only make his other pitches more effective but also make the four-seamer itself more effective, as illustrated by this rolling chart data. Issues With Jensen Behind the Plate? Now, according to Rogers' article, Cameron isn't calling EVERY pitch. He has been challenged to throw other offerings by the catcher, specifically Salvador Perez, who's caught his last three appearances. Here's an example of this in Rogers' article. Two things that stood out to me are: 1) There's some flexibility in Cameron's pitch-calling system, and 2) Perez has been the primary catcher during Cameron's bounce-back. Thus, I became curious about Cameron's pitcher splits this year with different catchers. Here's what the data says, per Baseball-Reference. By Catcher Split G IP ER ERA PA AB R H 2B 3B HR SB CS BB SO SO/W BA OBP SLG OPS TB GDP HBP SH SF IBB ROE BAbip tOPS+ sOPS+ Elias Díaz 3 15.2 10 5.74 75 67 9 21 6 1 0 0 0 8 15 1.88 .313 .387 .433 .820 29 1 0 0 0 0 1 .404 133 116 Carter Jensen 9 47.0 31 5.94 203 188 33 52 7 1 12 1 4 11 37 3.36 .277 .312 .516 .828 97 2 0 1 3 0 4 .282 129 114 Luke Maile 2 10.0 8 7.20 52 44 8 15 4 0 1 2 0 7 8 1.14 .341 .423 .500 .923 22 0 0 0 1 0 0 .389 161 91 Salvador Perez 8 51.0 11 1.94 197 177 12 31 10 0 1 1 1 14 56 4.00 .175 .246 .249 .495 44 4 3 2 1 1 0 .248 41 31 Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table Generated 8/8/2026. Cameron has had nine starts with Jensen this year and eight starts with Salvy. And yet, the St. Joseph product has been significantly better with Perez. With Jensen, the lefty has a 5.94 ERA and has allowed 12 home runs in 47 IP. With Perez, Cameron has a 1.94 ERA and has only allowed ONE home run. Yep. When Jensen has been behind the plate, the 27-year-old pitcher has given up 11 more home runs in four fewer innings. The OPS with Jensen (.828) is also significantly higher than the OPS with Perez (.495). Interestingly enough, there doesn't seem to be a clear pattern with Jensen and other "younger" pitchers who likely don't call their own pitches (veterans like Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo do). I looked up Luinder Avila and Stephen Kolek, two younger Royals pitchers who have had success this year (though both are out for a while due to Tommy John surgery). Interestingly enough, they had the inverse splits with Jensen behind the plate. Here's a look at Avila. By Catcher Split G IP ER ERA PA AB R H 2B 3B HR SB CS BB SO SO/W BA OBP SLG OPS TB GDP HBP SH SF IBB ROE BAbip tOPS+ sOPS+ Elias Díaz 1 2.0 2 9.00 9 7 2 2 0 0 0 2 0 2 2 1.00 .286 .444 .286 .730 2 1 0 0 0 0 0 .400 86 99 Carter Jensen 12 46.0 15 2.93 186 163 15 38 10 1 3 0 2 18 40 2.22 .233 .310 .362 .672 59 5 1 2 2 0 0 .287 68 78 Luke Maile 1 4.1 3 6.23 21 17 0 4 1 0 0 0 0 4 2 0.50 .235 .381 .294 .675 5 0 0 0 0 0 0 .267 71 44 Salvador Perez 7 17.2 23 11.72 93 74 22 27 6 0 4 2 3 18 17 0.94 .365 .495 .608 1.103 45 1 1 0 0 0 0 .434 175 189 Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table Generated 8/8/2026. With Jensen, Avila posted a 2.93 ERA, a 2.22 K/BB ratio, and a .672 OPS in 46 IP. The Venezuelan righty had fewer innings with his fellow countryman at 17.2 IP. That said, the numbers were much worse. With Salvy behind the plate, Avila had an 11.72 ERA, 1.103 OPS, and 0.64 K/BB ratio. Now, let's take a look at Kolek. By Catcher Split G IP ER ERA PA AB R H 2B 3B HR SB CS BB SO SO/W BA OBP SLG OPS TB GDP HBP SH SF IBB ROE BAbip tOPS+ sOPS+ Carter Jensen 5 29.0 9 2.79 113 108 10 26 4 1 2 1 0 5 16 3.20 .241 .274 .352 .626 38 3 0 0 0 0 0 .267 68 64 Salvador Perez 5 25.0 18 6.48 111 102 20 29 7 1 6 2 0 7 18 2.57 .284 .342 .549 .891 56 4 2 0 0 0 3 .295 134 130 Provided by Baseball-Reference.com: View Original Table Generated 8/8/2026. Kolek had a more split breakdown, with five starts being with both catchers. However, with Jensen, the 29-year-old posted a 2.79 ERA, 3.20 K/BB ratio, and .626 OPS. With Salvy, he had a 6.48 ERA, 2.57 K/BB ratio, and .891 OPS. Thus, the issues with Cameron and Jensen may have been more of a chemistry issue than an indictment of Jensen's game-calling abilities. What to Expect With Cameron The Royals right now are extremely thin with starting pitching. Avila and Kolek recently underwent Tommy John surgery and will be out for a good while in 2027. Cole Ragans had elbow surgery and won't be back until the middle of 2027. Ryan Bergert and prospect Ben Kudrna also underwent surgery and will have limited availability at the start of 2027. Thus, even with Wacha and Lugo returning, the Royals need a healthy and effective Cameron to get back into contention in 2027. Now, Cameron can't be the third-best Royals starting pitcher next year. He needs to be a No. 4 or 5 starter for the Royals to turn things around and compete for a playoff spot again after such a dreadful season in 2026. If the Royals don't acquire a starting pitcher or two via free agency or trade, then it's unlikely that the Royals will be much better in 2027. However, the past month has demonstrated what Cameron can do when he's locked in and has made the proper adjustments. He's a smart pitcher, and fans can't question his work ethic. Many pitchers would've continued doing the same thing despite persistent bad results. And yet, Cameron followed the Kris Bubic path here rather than the Brady Singer one (Singer was known for being stubborn and slow to change, especially with his pitch mix). Cameron has shown manager Matt Quatraro and Royals President JJ Picollo that he can be part of the Royals' future rotation. Let's hope that he can continue to make adjustments down the stretch this season. Opposing hitters are now familiarizing themselves with changes to his pitch repertoire and making adjustments. How Cameron fares against those expected hitter adjustments could determine what the Royals can expect from the lefty next season. View full article

Henry Williams spun 5 2/3 scoreless innings with six strikeouts as Omaha rolled in Toledo, and the Royals system took three of four Saturday. Emmanuel Reyes struck out seven over five innings for Quad Cities, which walked its way to a four-run eighth in Peoria. Yeri Perez slammed the door with three scoreless innings for Columbia, and Josh Hammond piled up four hits. Northwest Arkansas piled up 12 hits, stranded 10 runners, and took the only loss. Kansas City Royals Transactions Kansas City Royals released LHP Matt Strahm. Matthew Lugo's Three-Run Homer Powers Omaha Past Toledo The Omaha Storm Chasers beat the Toledo Mud Hens 7-2 on Saturday, scoring in four different innings behind a dominant start from Henry Williams. Williams worked 5 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing three hits, walking three, hitting one batter, and striking out six. He threw 99 pitches and picked up his fourth win. Omaha scored first when cleanup hitter Drew Waters reached on a fielder's choice that brought Gavin Cross home. Brett Squires added a run two innings later, coming around when Jack Pineda struck out swinging, and the throw to first got away from the catcher. The fifth put the game away. Cross reached on an error, Pineda lined a single, and Matthew Lugo drove his 11th home run to center field for a 5-0 lead. Omaha tacked on two more later. Waters singled, Pineda singled to center, and both runners came around when the ball got past the center fielder. Luke Little followed Williams and gave up two hits and two runs with a strikeout. Eli Morgan retired all five batters he faced, striking out one. Justin Topa finished the game, allowing one hit and no runs. The Storm Chasers finished with 10 hits, no errors, and six men left on base. Squires had two hits and a double, Peyton Wilson had two hits, and Pineda had two hits, two runs scored, and an RBI. Lugo added a hit, a walk, and three RBI. Cross scored twice and doubled, and Waters had a hit, an RBI, and a stolen base. Toledo, which committed three errors, pushed across both of its runs in the seventh. Omaha went 3-for-10 with runners in scoring position and improved its record to 55-57 with the win. Player AB R H RBI BB K Abraham Toro 5 0 0 0 0 1 Gavin Cross 5 2 1 0 0 3 Brett Squires 5 1 2 0 0 1 Drew Waters 5 1 1 1 0 0 Jack Pineda 4 2 2 1 0 2 Matthew Lugo 3 1 1 3 1 2 Elih Marrero 4 0 0 0 0 1 Peyton Wilson 4 0 2 0 0 1 Alejo Lopez 4 0 1 0 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Henry Williams 5 2/3 3 0 0 3 6 0 Luke Little 2/3 2 2 2 0 1 0 Eli Morgan 1 2/3 0 0 0 0 1 0 Justin Topa 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Naturals Collect 12 Hits, Strand 10 In Loss To Wichita The Northwest Arkansas Naturals out-hit the Wichita Wind Surge 12-8 on Saturday and still lost 5-2, leaving 10 men on base. Felix Arronde, the Royals' No. 16 prospect, took the loss, working 4 2/3 innings and allowing six hits, three runs, two walks, and one hit batter while striking out five. Wichita scored twice in the first on a double, a hit batter, a single, and a groundout, then added a run in the second on a double. Northwest Arkansas got on the board when Justin Johnson singled, leadoff man Luke Pelzer walked, a fly ball moved both runners up, and Carson Roccaforte lifted a sacrifice fly into foul territory in right. The next inning was the one that got away from the Naturals. Daniel Vazquez, Javi Vaz, and Colton Becker opened with three straight singles to load the bases with nobody out. Unfortunately, Jorge Alfaro struck out, and Johnson grounded into a force out with the runner cut down at the plate. Vaz did score on a wild pitch before Pelzer struck out with two runners still aboard. Anthony Simonelli followed Arronde and allowed one hit, one walk, and a home run. Frank Mozzicato was the sharpest arm of the night for the Naturals, allowing no hits, walking one, and striking out three. Tyson Guerrero gave up one hit, one walk, and a home run while striking out two. Pelzer, cleanup hitter Spencer Nivens, Vaz, and Becker each had two hits. Nivens doubled twice, Vaz added a double, and Becker drew a walk. Alfaro went hitless in four at-bats and left seven men on base. Northwest Arkansas played errorless defense, but the Naturals could not turn 12 hits and two walks into more than two runs. The Naturals went 1-for-14 with runners in scoring position. They are now 44-61 this season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Luke Pelzer 4 0 2 0 1 2 Sam Kulasingam 5 0 1 0 0 1 Carson Roccaforte 4 0 1 1 0 1 Spencer Nivens 4 0 2 0 0 0 Daniel Vazquez 4 0 1 0 0 2 Javi Vaz 4 1 2 0 0 1 Colton Becker 3 0 2 0 1 1 Jorge Alfaro 4 0 0 0 0 1 Justin Johnson 4 1 1 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Felix Arronde 4 2/3 6 3 3 2 5 0 Anthony Simonelli 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Frank Mozzicato 1 1/3 0 0 0 1 3 0 Tyson Guerrero 2 1 1 1 1 2 1 Chris Brito's Bases-Clearing Double Lifts Quad Cities In Peoria The Quad Cities River Bandits scored four runs in the eighth inning and held on to beat the Peoria Chiefs 7-6 on Saturday, winning a game in which they collected only five hits. Reyes gave Quad Cities five innings, allowing three hits and two runs, walking two, hitting one batter, and striking out seven. Asbel Gonzalez, the Royals' No. 8 prospect, doubled, stole third, and scored on an error to open the scoring. Peoria answered with two runs on a double and a single, and Jose Cerice put the River Bandits back in front with a two-run double that scored No. 4 prospect Blake Mitchell and cleanup hitter Chris Brito. Peoria tied it again on another double. The eighth decided it. Pedro Roque, leadoff man Nolan Sailors, and Gonzalez all walked to load the bases, and Mitchell drew a walk to force in the go-ahead run. Brito followed with a bases-clearing double to center field for a 7-3 lead. Mason Miller worked two innings behind Reyes, allowing two hits, one run, and one hit batter while striking out two, and he earned the win despite a blown save. Tommy Molsky was charged with three runs on two hits, including a three-run homer, while striking out two. Yimi Presinal allowed one hit and one walk with a strikeout to record his fourth save. Gonzalez had two hits, a double, a walk, a stolen base, and two runs scored. Brito had two doubles and three RBI. Cerice had a hit and two RBI. Mitchell walked twice, scored twice, and drove in a run without a hit. Quad Cities went 2-for-6 with runners in scoring position, left three men on base, and played errorless defense. The River Bandits are now 53-50 this season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nolan Sailors 4 1 0 0 1 3 Asbel Gonzalez 3 2 2 0 1 1 Blake Mitchell 2 2 0 1 2 1 Chris Brito 4 1 2 3 0 1 Jose Cerice 4 0 1 2 0 2 Erick Torres 4 0 0 0 0 1 Tyriq Kemp 4 0 0 0 0 1 Stone Russell 3 0 0 0 0 2 Pedro Roque 3 1 0 0 1 3 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Emmanuel Reyes 5 3 2 2 2 7 0 Mason Miller 2 2 1 1 0 2 0 Tommy Molsky 1 2 3 3 0 2 1 Yimi Presinal 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 Hammond's Four-Hit Night Carries Columbia Past Myrtle Beach The Columbia Fireflies rallied from a three-run deficit and beat the Myrtle Beach Pelicans 10-8 on Saturday, scoring in five different innings. Jose Gutierrez started and was charged with five runs on nine hits over 4 1/3 innings, walking two and striking out five. Columbia jumped ahead when No. 3 prospect Hammond singled, and cleanup hitter Sean Gamble, the Royals' No. 6 prospect, tripled him home. The Fireflies added four more the next inning on a wild pitch, run-scoring singles from leadoff man Henry Ramos and Hammond, and a sacrifice fly from Camden Johnson for a 5-0 lead. Myrtle Beach answered with six runs in the fifth on a wild pitch, three doubles, a throwing error, and a single, then pushed the lead to 8-5 with a home run. The Fireflies came all the way back despite the deficit. Hammond singled home Daniel Lopez, then Lopez singled with two outs and two runs scored as the throws got away, tying the game 8-8. Johnson singled Hammond home for the lead, and Johnson later scored on a wild pitch for the final margin. Jhon Reyes followed Gutierrez and allowed four hits and three runs, two of them earned, including a home run, with one walk, one hit batter, and two strikeouts. Yeri Perez was the difference out of the bullpen for Columbia, throwing three scoreless innings on one hit with four strikeouts and no walks to earn his first win. Hammond had four hits in five at-bats, scored three runs, and drove in two. Ricson Gonzalez had two hits and a double. Lopez had two hits, a walk, two stolen bases, and two runs scored. Johnson had a hit, two RBI, and two stolen bases, and Gamble had a hit, a triple, and an RBI. Columbia finished with 13 hits and made two errors in the field. They went 7-for-16 with runners in scoring position and left eight runners on base. The Fireflies are now 55-50 this season. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos 4 1 1 1 1 1 Josh Hammond 5 3 4 2 0 0 Camden Johnson 4 1 1 2 0 1 Sean Gamble 5 0 1 1 0 3 Jhosmmel Zue 4 0 1 0 1 1 JC Vanek 4 1 1 0 1 1 Connor Rasmussen 2 1 0 0 1 1 Ricson Gonzalez 4 1 2 0 0 0 Daniel Lopez 3 2 2 0 1 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jose Gutierrez 4 1/3 9 5 5 2 5 0 Jhon Reyes 1 2/3 4 3 2 1 2 1 Yeri Perez 3 1 0 0 0 4 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: DNP Josh Hammond: 4-for-5, 2 RBI, 3 R Blake Mitchell: 0-for-2, 2 BB, RBI, 2 R, K Sean Gamble: 1-for-5, 3B, RBI, 3 K Ramon Ramirez: DNP Zion Rose: DNP Asbel Gonzalez: 2-for-3, 2B, BB, SB, 2 R, K Carson Roccaforte: 1-for-4, RBI, K Taylor Rabe: DNP Yandel Ricardo: DNP Justin Lamkin: DNP Drew Beam: DNP Michael Lombardi: DNP Jack Slightom: DNP Felix Arronde: 4 2/3 IP, 6 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 5 K (L) Angeibel Gomez: 1-for-4, 2 RBI Ben Kudrna: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Blake Wolters: DNP View full article

Image courtesy of Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports In some surprising transactional news, Isaac Azout of Fish on First (a Diamoncentric partner site) reported that the Miami Marlins were trading INF/OF Jacob Berry to the Kansas City Royals for cash considerations. Berry was a heralded pick in 2022 out of LSU, as he hit .370 with a 1.094 OPS and 15 home runs in his final season with the Tigers. Unfortunately, he's struggled in the Marlins system, as he has yet to make his MLB debut despite being 25 years old and Rule 5 eligible (he wasn't selected in last year's Rule 5 Draft). This season has been an interesting one for Berry, who's in his third tour of duty with the Triple-A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (great nickname, by the way). In 302 plate appearances, he is hitting .25.1 with a .372 OBP and .734 OPS. He also sports a 103 wRC+ and 97 TJ Bat+ with 18 stolen bases on 25 attempts. Unfortunately, the power has not been great this year, as he has only five home runs and an ISO of .111. The latter is 22 points down from his ISO a season ago with Jacksonville. What makes Berry such an interesting prospect is that he has tremendous plate discipline. This year, not only does he have 15.2% BB%, a 4.8% improvement from a year ago, but he also sports a 1.07 BB/K ratio. When looking at his TJ Stats Statcast percentiles, he not only makes frequent contact and minimizes the whiffs, but also doesn't chase very much either. Yes, his LA Sweet-Spot% (16th percentile), Average EV (20th percentile), and barrel% (33rd percentile) are concerning. Conversely, his whiff%, Z-Contact%, K%, and BB% are all at the 84th percentile or higher. Furthermore, his O-Swing% ranks in the 76th percentile, thanks to his 23.3% mark. The Royals have been making a much bigger push to acquire hitters who don't chase. They did that last year by acquiring Lane Thomas and Isaac Collins, both of whom had a history of strong chase rates. This year, Thomas (23.4%) and Collins (23.6%) had the second- and third-lowest O-Swing rates of Royals hitters this year. The only hitter with a lower O-Swing% was Jonathan India. However, the Royals' second baseman had only 58 plate appearances this year before going down for the season with a shoulder injury. Berry fits that same mold of a hitter as Thomas and Collins, though the former LSU product has less of a Major League track record compared to the two. Could Berry Get a Shot This Year? Berry has an intriguing profile, even for an older prospect currently in Triple-A. He got on a heater at the plate earlier in the year with Jacksonville, showing some home run power and a stronger ability to pull the ball in comparison to previous seasons in the Minors. Berry also demonstrated a penchant for coming through in the clutch as well. In the Triple-A National Championship game in 2025, he hit a walk-off home run that clinched the title for Jacksonville. For a hot minute this year, it looked like Berry was finally going to play himself into a promotion to Miami, even with the Marlins surpassing preseason expectations. Unfortunately, things cooled for him in June. That is evident in his drop in TJ Bat+ and wOBA from before June to afterward. The biggest difference for Berry from Opening Day until Memorial Day and June 1st to now is that the exit velocity has dropped and he's pulled the ball a lot less. Those two things have seemed to do the most damage not just to his TJ Bat+ and wOBA, but also to other key Statcast categories. Nonetheless, despite the regression in hard-hit and exit velocity-related metrics, his plate discipline and contact percentiles remained consistent in both periods of data. Berry is a switch-hitter capable of playing multiple positions in both the infield and outfield. In terms of the former aspect, he is pretty much the same kind of hitter from both sides of the plate. He has a little more power and hard-hit ability as a righty, but he launches the ball better and has better exit velocity from the left side of the plate. Regarding the latter, the 25-year-old has played second, third, and right field this year. Nick Loftin, Michael Massey, and Jac Caglianone have held those positions down this year. That said, the Royals could move around Loftin and Massey this offseason, especially if it would involve them acquiring a more proven veteran bat or pitcher. Additionally, if the Royals trade Vinnie Pasquantino, it could open the door for Caglianone to move to first base full-time. Thus, Berry could emerge as a possible corner outfielder option, in addition to one who could play multiple infield positions if Massey and/or Loftin are traded this offseason. Granted, Berry is coming to Kansas City without much fanfare from Miami. He was widely seen as a bust by Marlins fans, including Ely Sussman, who oversees Fish On First. That said, I do think Berry's profile is very similar to Collins', who didn't make his MLB debut with the Brewers until he was 24 years old. Currently, Collins is 29, and yet he is having a solid season with Kansas City (100 TJ Bat+) while sporting a Statcast profile similar to Berry's. Thus, Collins' success makes one wonder whether the Royals believe Berry can mesh with their hitting development team, especially their new hitting coaches, Connor Dawson and Marcus Thames. After sporting the 8th-highest O-Swing% from 2023 to 2025, the Royals only have the 14th-highest mark this year, a nice sign of progress. Berry's profile fits the new Kansas City hitting profile, and players like Collins and Thomas (who was recently traded away) embody that mold. Maybe the former LSU product can be another success story who can give Kansas City value at multiple positions across the field for both 2027 and beyond. View full article

Image courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports 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. View full article

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 View full article

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 View full article

Image courtesy of Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images 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. View full article

Image courtesy of Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images 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. View full article