Kevin O'Brien

Image courtesy of Katie Stratman-Imagn Images Going into the 2026 season, many viewed Luinder Avila as more of a bullpen piece than a rotation option for the Royals. To be honest, it made sense at the beginning of Spring Training to see him in that fashion based on what the Kansas City pitching staff looked like at the time. The rotation seemed full, not just with projected starters like Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Kris Bubic, and Noah Cameron, but also with other arms who saw starts in 2025 like Stephen Kolek, Ryan Bergert, and Bailey Falter. On that end, Avila seemed like an eighth or ninth option in the Royals' rotation at best, especially since he didn't make any starts at the Major League level in 2025. Furthermore, in limited Major League action in September, Avila was solid out of the bullpen. In 14 IP, he posted a 1.29 ERA, 0.93 WHIP, 2.15 FIP, a 28.6% K%, and 17.8% K%. He also produced strong TJ Stuff+ metrics, chase, whiff, and xwOBACON numbers. That is illustrated in his TJ Stuff+ summary from 2025. That said, in Spring Training, JJ Picollo and Matt Quatraro remained steadfast in their belief that Avila had the potential to be an impact arm in the rotation. Furthermore, injuries to starting pitchers Ragans, Bubic, and Bergert thrust Avila into the rotation, even though he had been built up earlier in the year as a reliever. It's been an up-and-down sophomore campaign for Avila at the Major League level, both as a starter and reliever. However, on Monday in the Royals' 9-2 victory over the Reds, the Venezuelan righty demonstrated why Picollo and the Royals organization have so much belief in Avila and his outlook as a starter. Avila Prevails in Impressive, Though Flawed, Victory To be frank, it wasn't a perfect or efficient outing for Avila on Monday. In five innings of work, Avila allowed a run on two hits with four walks and five strikeouts. He threw 86 pitches, an MLB career-high for him. Furthermore, when looking at his pitch type chart from today's game via Savant, many of his pitches were sprayed all over the strike zone. Avila missed down and armside a lot, especially with his changeup, sinker, and four-seamer. He also left a lot of balls in the middle that the Reds didn't do enough with. That is illustrated in his ball/strike pitch chart below, which shows not too many of those balls in the heart of the zone put in play. While the Reds didn't take advantage of those pitches in the heart of the strike zone, credit has to be given to Avila for his stuff and ability to make batters miss or buckle on pitches in that area of the strike zone. Avila wasn't like Falter out there a week ago against the Yankees, throwing hittable pitches with low stuff quality in the middle of the zone. Rather, Avila was demonstrating excellent quality on all his pitches on Monday in Cincinnati, as illustrated in his TJ Stuff+ summary from today's outing. When looking at Avila solely on TJ Stuff+, he was beyond impressive. Overall, the 24-year-old generated a 105 TJ Stuff+ with four pitches with grades of 60 or better. All five of his pitches had grades over 50, and four of his pitches had TJ Stuff+ marks over 100. The only pitch with below-average TJ Stuff+ was his sinker, which had a 96 mark. That said, it was still effective, as illustrated by his .027 xwOBACON and 25% whiff rate. Below is an example of Avila effectively using his sinker to strike out Edwin Arroyo, who was making his MLB debut. It may not rate as well compared to his other offerings, but the sinker has nasty movement and potential. For over-eager hitters, it can lead to poorly connected balls or awkward-looking whiffs, as was the case with Arroyo on Monday. His sinker and four-seamer (107 TJ Stuff+) weren't the only impressive pitches on Monday. His slider, his primary breaking pitch (26.7% usage), was effective, as illustrated by a 40% chase rate and .189 xwOBACON. It didn't generate as many whiffs as he probably wanted, as illustrated by his 30% whiff rate. However, he was able to get swings and misses when needed, as evidenced in this sword strikeout of JJ Bleday, who hit a home run off Avila earlier in the game. Once Avila gets more comfortable with his control and command, he could become even more effective with more nasty strikeouts, similar to the ones that we saw this evening at the Great American Ballpark. Granted, the Venezuelan struggled with efficiency on Monday in the longest outing of his career. Not only did he walk four batters, but he also had a zone rate of 34.9%. That is nearly 10% lower than his 44% zone rate for the season, which rates as below average. It's going to be hard for him to be effective and eat innings unless he improves his control in subsequent starts and appearances. That said, when Avila started trusting his stuff more and finding the zone, he was able to keep reasonable pitch counts in each inning. The most he had in an inning was 20, which was in the fourth. He did this while maintaining his pitch velocity in the later innings, which is not typical for most starting pitchers. Below is a look at his pitch velocity chart from Monday's game, via Savant. If anything, Avila ramped up in the later innings, a sign of the competitiveness and ability that he has in those key spots. Finishing on that kind of positive note should give him some much-needed confidence and momentum that he can carry into his next scheduled outing on the mound. The Stuff is Better This Year From Avila (Which Is Promising) When looking at his TJ Stuff+ Summary this season compared to 2025, the improvement in TJ Stuff+ marks across all his pitches is what sticks out the most with Avila in 2026. Not only is Avila's overall TJ Stuff+ two points better, but he has two 60-grade pitches this year compared to zero in 2025. He has also seen a five-point improvement in four-seamer TJ Stuff+, a three-point improvement on the slider, and two-point improvements on the sinker and changeup. The curveball is the only pitch that has remained the same. Granted, the overall metrics haven't exactly improved along with the stuff. His chase rate is down 1.6%, and his whiff rate is down 5.3%. He has also experienced a 97-point increase in xwOBACON. That said, Avila has thrown more pitches this year, as he has nearly 300 more pitches in 2026 than his total in 2025. Thus, these numbers may simply be a result of initial regression with more pitches, and we're starting to see some positive regression from Avila lately, especially with this most recent start. As he makes more starts and pitches in more games, his control and ability to minimize hard contact will be key developments to watch. When looking at his Statcast percentile summary via TJ Stats this year, Avila's velocity, extension, hard-hit% allowed, and groundball rate are all well above-average marks. Conversely, he's struggled to give up barrels and to consistently find the strike zone, which are not great traits for a starting pitcher. Though there's more blue in this Statcast profile summary than what Royals fans would like, he's trending in the right direction, especially in some key categories like CSW (36th percentile) and whiff rate (34th percentile). If he can build on Monday's win against the Reds, it wouldn't be surprising to see those categories continue to improve over the course of the season. With the Royals unsure about the futures of Ragans and Bubic, they need pitchers to step up not just to eat innings but to provide effective, quality innings as well. Avila did just that on Monday, even though it wasn't pretty or dominant by any stretch of the imagination. That said, Kansas City may not need that from Avila. All they need right now from him are quality outings, even if they aren't officially "quality starts" just yet. Outings where he can go 4-5 innings for now will lead to "official" quality starts down the road, where he can go 6-7 innings and limit the bullpen usage even further. While the Royals won on Monday, they are still 23-37 and 10.5 games behind the first-place Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central division race. They might as well continue to give Avila starts with the hope that he can develop his command and control with each start and become a long-term piece in the rotation that could make Wacha, Bubic, or Lugo expendable at the Trade Deadline. View full article

Image courtesy of Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images Week in a Nutshell The Royals' woes continued this week as they went winless against the Yankees at Kauffman Stadium and the Rangers in Arlington. Kansas City had only three games decided by three runs or fewer. Since beating the Detroit Tigers on May 9th, the Royals have lost 16 out of their last 19 games. That has included being swept four times (by the White Sox, Red Sox, Yankees, and Rangers). For May, the Royals went 10-18, which was one win worse than a month ago. The Royals also got some rough injury news, as Maikel Garcia suffered a hamstring injury on Saturday that forced him to miss Sunday's series finale against Texas. The Royals are hoping that it's not a long-term ailment that will require an IL stint. Record this Week: 0-6 Run Differential for the Week: -34 Record for the Year: 22-37 Run Differential for the Year: -59 Standing: 4th in the AL Central Game 54: NYY 4, KC 3 In a national game on ESPN, the Royals got a solid performance from Michael Wacha, who went seven innings and allowed two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out two. Though the Royals faced an early deficit, they came back to eventually tie the game and take the lead on a Bobby Witt Jr. solo home run in the 8th. Unfortunately, Lucas Erceg could not close out the game in the ninth, and the Yankees scored two runs and won 4-3. Game 55: NYY 15, KC 1 After the letdown of Monday's Memorial Day game, Kansas City was absolutely thrashed on Tuesday. Bailey Falter gave up seven runs on nine hits in 2.1 IP. Luinder Avila, Steven Cruz, and Eli Morgan combined to give up six runs in 5.2 IP, and Tyler Tolbert closed it out by giving up two runs in the top of the ninth. The lone run came on a Witt solo home run. Game 56: NYY 7, KC 0 Gerrit Cole made his return to Kauffman Stadium and absolutely dominated, generating 10 strikeouts and allowing no runs in 6.2 IP. Noah Cameron went 5.0 IP and allowed two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out four. Nick Mears struggled, giving up three runs on two hits and one walk in 0.2 IP. Maikel Garcia was the lone Royals player with multiple hits (two). Game 57: TEX 9, KC 1 The Rangers jumped on Stephen Kolek early, tagging him for four runs in the first inning. Kolek eventually gave up six runs in five innings of work. He struck out five, walked one, and allowed six hits. Garcia and Vinnie Pasquantino each had two hits. MacKenzie Gore shut out the Royals in 6.2 IP. Game 58: TEX 7, KC 6 The Royals seemed en route to end their losing streak, especially after Carter Jensen's two-run home run in the 8th inning off reliever Chris Martin. Unfortunately, Lucas Erceg was unable to close out the game, giving up three runs on five hits and failing to record a single out. Seth Lugo produced another quality start, giving up three runs in six innings of work, and Alex Lange, Daniel Lynch IV, and John Schreiber held the game in check until the ninth. Jensen had two hits, and Pasquantino and Isaac Collins also had two-hit performances. Game 59: TEX 6, KC 3 The series finale started very similarly to the series opener, as Wacha spotted the Rangers a four-run lead in the first inning. Wacha struggled in this one, giving up six runs on eight hits and four walks while striking out five. Rangers starter Jack Leiter dominated the Royals, striking out 10 batters in 5.2 IP. The Royals got some runs near the end, thanks to a two-run home run by Michael Massey, his fourth of the season. News and Notes After Falter's disastrous outing, the Royals designated him for assignment and called up Mason Black to replace him in the Kansas City bullpen. No word has been shared yet on whether Falter has been claimed on waivers, will be outrighted to Omaha, or will elect free agency. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== After the Royals' 7-0 loss in the series finale against the Yankees, Kansas City added Mears to the 15-Day IL due to right shoulder impingement. Eric Cerantola, who had been performing well in Omaha, replaced him on the active roster. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Lastly, before the Sunday series finale, Kansas City activated Matt Strahm from the IL. Strahm had been on the IL due to inflammation in his left knee. Strahm replaced Cerantola, who was optioned back to Omaha. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== The Royals also added some depth to their Omaha bullpen by signing veteran relievers Genesis Cabrera and Dan Altavilla this week, as well as Minor League relievers Juan Cordero and Andruw Solarte. Highlights Unfortunately, there were not many highlights this week for the Royals, both on the hitting and pitching ends. On the offensive end, Witt had a .740 OPS and two home runs in 24 at-bats. However, he hit just .208 and struck out 5 times while walking only once. His home run against the Yankees on Memorial Day was a clutch moment, though it wasn't enough for Kansas City to snap its 2+ year losing streak to the Bronx Bombers. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Pasquantino didn't have a home run this week, but he had a solid week at the plate. In 21 at-bats, he hit .286 with a .781 OPS and had four walks to four strikeouts. Garcia hit .316 in 19 at-bats, and his six hits this week were tied with Vinnie's for the most by a Royals player over the past seven days. Michael Massey only had 10 at-bats, but he produced in his limited action this week. He hit .300 with a 1.033 OPS and launched his fourth home run of the season on Sunday. With Jonathan India out for the year and this offense starving for production, an effective Massey would go a long way. On the pitching side, Lugo's quality start carried the Royals starters this week, as he was the only starter with an ERA under 3.50. On the bullpen end, Lange and Schreiber each had scoreless weeks, giving up zero runs in two outings each. While neither pitcher struck out many batters (only one combined), they also walked no batters. That's encouraging to see, especially considering their control issues earlier in the year. Lowlights After going 0-6 this week, there's a lot to talk about when it comes to "lowlights," unfortunately. Kolek and Wacha had rough weeks after being pretty stellar the week before. They posted ERA marks of 7.20 and 6.00 this week, and both took losses against the Rangers. Mears, Erceg, and Falter had the worst ERA marks of the bunch, posting ERAs of 40.50, 45.00, and 27.00 this week. Mears is on the IL, Falter is no longer with the Royals, and Erceg likely will be moving out of the closer's role soon. On the offensive end, it was a rough week for Jac Caglianone. In 21 at-bats, he hit .190 with a .451 OPS and struck out nine times and only walked twice. All four of his hits this week were singles, not exactly what Royals fans want to see from their "power" hitter. Nick Loftin and Kyle Isbel also struggled this week, hitting .154 and .167, respectively. While Isbel had the higher batting average, Loftin's .445 OPS was better than Isbel's .417 mark. Both have regressed dramatically after solid starts to begin the 2026 season, and Loftin's defense, especially at second base, has left a lot to be desired. I explored in a recent post on Royals Keep whether he and Collins should switch defensive positions. Salvador Perez hit a home run this week, but he only hit .143 with a .583 OPS in 21 at-bats. While Garcia hit well, he strained his hamstring on Saturday, which sidelined him on Sunday and for an undisclosed period. Thankfully, it won't require an IL stint for now, according to manager Matt Quatraro. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== The Royals have two open spots on the 40-man roster. If they decide to move Garcia to the IL, they could replace him with veteran options such as Josh Rojas, Abraham Toro, or Kevin Newman, all of whom are on the Triple-A Omaha roster. Looking Ahead The Royals will turn the page on May and continue their road trip with stops in Cincinnati and Minneapolis this week. The Reds are in last place in the NL Central, but unlike the Royals and Tigers, Cincinnati has a winning record (30-28). They have dynamic players, especially on offense, including Elly De La Cruz and Sal Stewart. Unfortunately for the Reds, De La Cruz was removed on Sunday with a hamstring issue, so his status is in question for the series against Kansas City. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAPABAP///wAAACH5BAEKAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAICRAEAOw== Luinder Avila will make the start for the Royals on Monday, with Cameron and Kolek going on Tuesday and Wednesday. The Royals will likely face Chase Burns, Andrew Abbott, and Chris Paddack. Burns has been the Reds' best pitcher, as evidenced by his 1.96 ERA in 64.1 IP this season. After Cincinnati, the Royals will head up to Target Field for a four-game series against the Twins, who are currently in third place in the AL Central, ahead of the Royals and Tigers. The Twins have been up-and-down this year, as they have a 27-33 record. They have lost five in a row, including three straight to the Pirates in Pittsburgh over the weekend. Byron Buxton has been the catalyst for this Twins offense, as evidenced by his 142 wRC+. However, Minnesota has gotten solid production from Kody Clemens (113 wRC+), Trevor Larnach (119 wRC+), and Austin Martin (115 wRC+). On the pitching end, Minnesota is projected to start Marco Raya, Zebby Matthews, Joe Ryan, and Connor Prielipp. Ryan has been solid as usual with a 2.94 ERA this year, and he has a history of success against the Royals. Raya and Prielipp are less proven, and Matthews has been shaky against Kansas City in the past. Target Field has been a tough venue for the Royals over the past couple of years. Despite Kansas City having winning records in 2024 and 2025, they went 2-5 in Minneapolis in 2024 and 2-4 in 2025. View full article

John Rave's go-ahead homer powered Omaha to a 6-5 win, while Justin Johnson's grand slam and Spencer Nivens' four hits fueled a Northwest Arkansas comeback that ended just short at 10-9. Daniel Vazquez and Carson Roccaforte each reached multiple times. Blake Wolters struggled across 4 1/3 innings as Quad Cities fell 8-1, with Asbel Gonzalez collecting the lone run-scoring hit. Michael Lombardi struck out seven over three innings for Columbia in a 3-2 loss. Sean Gamble homered in the Fireflies' losing effort. Royals Transactions Kansas City Royals sent LHP Cole Ragans on a rehab assignment to Omaha Storm Chasers. Storm Chasers Edged By Memphis On Late Home Runs The Omaha Storm Chasers fell to the Memphis Redbirds, 6-5, after surrendering the lead over the final two innings. John Rave provided the highlight, going 1-for-4 with a home run, two runs batted in, a walk, and a stolen base. Josh Rojas led the offense with two hits, a run, and an RBI, and Brett Squires added a run-scoring double. Omaha appeared in control after the seventh, when Dustin Dickerson, who reached base three times, came around to score on Rave's two-run shot to left field for a 5-3 lead. Memphis answered in the eighth, scoring twice to tie the game at five, and took the lead for good in the ninth on a solo home run that made it 6-5. The Storm Chasers could not respond in the bottom half. Mitch Spence turned in the longest outing, working 5 2/3 innings and allowing two runs, both earned, on seven hits with one walk and two strikeouts. Omaha's bullpen surrendered four runs over the final 3 1/3 innings. The Storm Chasers stranded seven runners on the night. Player AB R H RBI BB K Josh Rojas 5 1 2 1 0 1 John Rave 4 1 1 2 1 0 Brett Squires 4 0 1 1 1 0 Luca Tresh 3 0 0 1 0 2 Kameron Misner 4 0 1 0 0 2 Peyton Wilson 4 0 0 0 0 1 Gavin Cross 4 1 1 0 0 2 Drew Waters 4 0 1 0 0 2 Dustin Dickerson 1 2 1 0 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Mitch Spence 5 2/3 7 2 2 1 2 0 Génesis Cabrera 2/3 3 1 1 1 0 0 Luke Jackson 1 2 2 1 0 1 0 Beck Way 2/3 1 0 0 0 2 0 Eric Cerantola 1 1 1 1 0 1 1 Johnson Grand Slam Caps Naturals Comeback Bid In Tulsa The Northwest Arkansas Naturals fell to the Tulsa Drillers, 10-9, despite a furious late charge. Johnson drove in four runs on a 1-for-4 game highlighted by a grand slam, and Spencer Nivens went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI. Sam Kulasingam added three hits, Roccaforte scored twice atop the lineup, and Rudy Martin Jr. homered. Tulsa built a 9-1 lead through three innings, and the Naturals chipped away before erupting in the eighth. Trailing 10-4 entering the frame, Johnson cleared the bases with his grand slam to left field, and Nivens followed with a run-scoring single that brought Northwest Arkansas within 10-9. The rally stalled there, unfortunately, as the Naturals were unable to come through in the ninth. Frank Mozzicato struggled in his start, retiring three batters while allowing seven runs, all earned, on six hits with three walks and three strikeouts in one inning. Andrew Morones followed with two innings, surrendering two runs, and Caden Monke provided two scoreless frames. Zachary Cawyer and Dennis Colleran allowed a combined run and two hits in three innings of work, allowing Northwest Arkansas to stay in the game despite the early deficit. The Naturals left nine runners on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte 5 2 2 0 0 2 Colton Becker 3 0 1 0 0 0 Sam Kulasingam 5 1 3 0 0 0 Spencer Nivens 4 0 3 2 1 0 Daniel Vazquez 5 0 1 1 0 3 Jack Pineda 5 1 2 0 0 1 Omar Hernandez 3 2 2 0 0 0 Rudy Martin Jr. 3 2 1 2 2 1 Justin Johnson 4 1 1 4 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Frank Mozzicato 1 6 7 7 3 3 1 Andrew Morones 2 3 2 2 2 4 1 Caden Monke 2 2 0 0 2 2 0 Zachary Cawyer 2 1 1 1 1 1 1 Dennis Colleran Jr. 1 1 0 0 1 1 0 River Bandits Bats Quiet In Loss At Cedar Rapids The Quad Cities River Bandits managed just one run in an 8-1 loss to the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Gonzalez accounted for the lone run-scoring hit, doubling home Nolan Sailors in the third inning to briefly cut the deficit to 3-1. Sailors reached base twice and stole two bases, and Chris Brito added a hit and two walks. The offense otherwise stalled, finishing with three hits while striking out nine times. Cedar Rapids pulled away in the fifth, plating three runs, two of which crossed on bases-loaded walks. Wolters took the loss, allowing five runs, all earned, on three hits with four walks and four strikeouts across 4 1/3 innings. L.P. Langevin recorded two outs and allowed a run, while Mason Miller gave up two runs over two innings. Kamden Edge closed with a scoreless inning. Quad Cities stranded six runners. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nolan Sailors 2 1 0 0 2 1 Asbel Gonzalez 4 0 1 1 0 1 Blake Mitchell 4 0 0 0 0 2 Chris Brito 2 0 1 0 2 1 Derlin Figueroa 4 0 0 0 0 2 Erick Torres 4 0 1 0 0 0 Tyriq Kemp 4 0 0 0 0 0 Trevor Werner 2 0 0 0 1 0 Diego Guzman 3 0 0 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Blake Wolters 4 1/3 3 5 5 4 4 0 L.P. Langevin 2/3 1 1 1 3 2 0 Mason Miller 2 3 2 2 0 2 0 Kamden Edge 1 0 0 0 0 1 0 Lombardi Dazzles But Fireflies Fall Late To Charleston The Columbia Fireflies dropped a 3-2 decision to the Charleston RiverDogs, undone by two ninth-inning runs. Lombardi was excellent in his start, working three innings and allowing one run, unearned, on two hits with four walks and seven strikeouts. Henson Leal followed with three scoreless innings, and Hunter Alberini added 1 1/3 hitless frames. Dutch pitcher Brandon Herbold was given the first shot to save the game, but he walked a batter, and Andy Basora came in to close it out. Unfortunately, Basora was unable to hold the Fireflies' lead, allowing the inherited runner to score and giving up an earned run on two hits in 2/3 IP. It was Basora's third blown save of the year. Gamble provided the highlight at the plate, homering in the sixth to tie the game at one. Gamble finished 1-for-3 with the home run and an RBI, and Josh Hammond reached base and swiped two bases. Columbia took a 2-1 lead in the eighth when Connor Rasmussen singled, advanced to second, and scored on Hammond's groundball force out. That lead held until the ninth, when Charleston pushed across two runs on a pair of singles, the second plating the go-ahead run. The Fireflies struck out 12 times and left five runners on base. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos 4 0 1 0 0 2 Sean Gamble 3 1 1 1 0 1 Josh Hammond 4 0 1 0 0 1 Hyungchan Um 4 0 0 0 0 2 Yandel Ricardo 1 0 0 0 0 0 Ivan Sosa 3 0 1 0 0 1 Stone Russell 3 0 1 0 1 0 Jhosmmel Zue 4 0 0 0 0 3 Roni Cabrera 3 0 1 0 0 0 Connor Rasmussen 3 1 1 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Michael Lombardi 3 2 1 0 4 7 0 Henson Leal 3 1 0 0 0 2 0 Hunter Alberini 1 1/3 0 0 0 0 1 0 Brandon Herbold 1 0 1 1 1 0 0 Andy Basora 2/3 2 1 1 0 1 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: DNP Sean Gamble: 1-for-3, HR, RBI, K Blake Mitchell: 0-for-4, 2 K Josh Hammond: 1-for-4, 2 SB, K Ramon Ramirez: DNP Drew Beam: DNP Asbel Gonzalez: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI, K Ben Kudrna: DNP Carson Roccaforte: 2-for-5, 2 K Yandel Ricardo: 0-for-1 Felix Arronde: DNP Blake Wolters: 4 1/3 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 4 K Michael Lombardi: 3 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 4 BB, 7 K Luinder Avila: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Frank Mozzicato: 1 IP, 6 H, 7 R, 7 ER, 3 BB, 3 K Daniel Vazquez: 1-for-5, RBI, 3 K Warren Colcano: DNP Shane Panzini: DNP View full article

Image courtesy of Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images The Royals' nightmare stretch and season continued on Saturday afternoon in Arlington. Despite leading 6-4 in the bottom of the ninth, Royals closer Lucas Erceg gave up three runs on five hits to blow the game to Texas. Ezequiel Duran had the game-winning single that scored Brandon Nimmo from third base with no outs. After closing out the game against the Cardinals on May 17th, Erceg has given up eight runs on 13 hits in three appearances. His ERA has risen from 3.26 to 6.33 over that three-game span, and his WHIP has risen from 1.45 to 1.92. Overall, it's been a challenging season for Erceg, as he has not just struggled to generate whiffs and strikeouts, but has also posted a career-worst wOBA, as illustrated in his TJ Stats percentiles below. The percentiles aren't pretty in many categories. According to TJ Stats, Erceg ranks in the 27th percentile in K%, 19th percentile in O-Swing% and Whiff%, 15th percentile in Strike%, 13th percentile in BB%, 8th percentile in wOBA, and 2nd percentile in CSW. He has done a good job of maintaining strong numbers in average EV on batted balls (77th percentile), GB% (79th percentile), and fastball velocity (87th percentile). Unfortunately, those positives have been overshadowed by the negative categories. For comparison, here's what Erceg's TJ Statcast summary looked like back in 2024, when he helped lead the Royals to the ALDS after coming over from Oakland at the Trade Deadline. As Royals fans can see, Erceg had only two categories below the 50th percentile in 2024 (swing% and zone%). He had all the characteristics of an elite reliever in 2024. While things regressed a little in 2025, he was still much better in many categories last season, especially in wOBA, O-Swing%, and BB%, as illustrated below. So what has happened to Erceg in 2026? Why has he declined so dramatically since 2024 and become so unproductive in the late innings this season? A lot can be tied to his regression in TJ Stuff+ and to the command of his pitch arsenal, especially with two key pitches. Erceg's TJ Stuff+ Has Declined Heavily Overall Since 2024 When it comes to a pitcher declining in production from one season to the next, a drop in velocity is often highlighted as the primary culprit. That was the case with Carlos Estevez, who went from throwing in the upper 90's to under 90 this season. Unfortunately, that's not the case with Erceg. His velocity, on all of his pitch types, has remained pretty similar to previous seasons, as illustrated by his pitch velocity chart by season below, via Baseball Savant. Yes, there's a small decline in velocity this year, but it's not enough to be alarming. For context, here's a look at Estevez's average pitch velocity chart over his career. That's a pretty sharp decline for Estevez and a sign that something was seriously wrong (as a result, he's on the IL, and it's unlikely that he will return this season). As for Erceg, the decline in velocity is evident, but it's not excessive or a massive outlier from previous seasons. That said, there's more to a pitch's effectiveness than just velocity. Movement, spin rate, and release point are key, and the quality of those characteristics of a pitch can often be measured with various pitch-tracking tools, including TJ Stuff+, created by Thomas Nestico, the founder of TJ Stats. For those unfamiliar, TJ Stuff+ can be defined as follows, per TJ Stats' website. When it comes to TJ Stuff+, Erceg has seen a massive regression in his pitches compared to 2024, as illustrated in his TJ Stuff+ summary below, which shows the differences in certain categories from two seasons ago. Here is a breakdown of the declines on all of the pitches in his arsenal from 2024. Four-Seamer: Seven-point decline. Slider: Four-point decline. Sinker: 10-point decline. Changeup: one-point decline. Overall: Six-point decline. The decline in overall TJ Stuff+ has led to regression in many important categories. His chase rate is down by six percent, and his whiff rate is down by 10.6%. The change in zone and xwOBACON has been minimal, with differences of -0.1% and +0.006%, respectively. For a more complete breakdown of the difference from 2024 to 2026, here is a complete comparison of his TJ Stuff+ summaries from 2024 to 2026, which also includes the difference in pitch break from 2024 to 2026. There doesn't seem to be a whole lot of difference in his pitch break chart. The arm angle has a one-degree difference, but the pitches break this year move similarly to how they did in 2024. That said, we do see the TJ Stuff+ and grades from 2026 sport major differences from 2024. In 2024, Erceg had an overall TJ Stuff+ of 106, two pitches with grades over 70, and no pitches with grades under 54. This year? He has a 100 overall TJ Stuff+, no pitches with grades of 70 or over, and only two pitches with grades over 50 (sinker and changeup). In terms of vertical and horizontal movement, the four-seamer has less iVB (induced vertical break) this year, and the sinker has MORE iVB. The slider also has more HB (horizontal break) than two years ago, and the spin is down on all four of his pitches. Those movement changes, combined with subtle regression in velocity, have seemed to make the TJ Stuff+ on Erceg's pitches more mediocre this year. That lackluster TJ Stuff+ has resulted in chase and whiff rates under 30% this year, a big drop from the 30+% marks he had in those categories two seasons ago. The Sinker and Slider Are the Main Concerns What made Erceg so effective as a reliever was that he had two premium pitches: the sinker and slider. In 2024, the sinker had a 72 grade (109 TJ Stuff+), a 30.6% chase rate, a 21% whiff rate, and a .211 xwOBACON. The slider had a 54 grade (105 TJ Stuff+), a 34% chase, 37.5% whiff, and .283 xwOBACON. When sequenced together and located effectively, the pitch combo could be absolutely nasty. Below is a compilation of clips of Erceg generating whiffs with the sinker and slider back in 2024 against the Yankees' Juan Soto and the Reds' Stuart Fairchild. Erceg SI SL-2024.mp4 To break down Erceg's sinker and slider further, let's utilize his pitch heatmap summary data from those two pitches via TJ Stats. That could give us an idea not just of where those pitches were located, but also of the metrics derived from that heatmap data. Here's a look at the sinker heatmap data. Erceg was pretty consistent with his location of the sinker, keeping it arms side and down against both lefties and righties. It was more of a weapon against righties, as evidenced by his 39.8% usage against righties compared to a 3.6% usage against lefties. However, it was equally effective against both sides of the plate. Against lefties, he had a 35.3% CSW and .217 xwOBACON. Against righties, it had a 28.1% CSW and .210 xwOBACON. When he wasn't generating called strikes or whiffs, he was limiting hard contact, which is what one wants to see from a sinker. Now, let's take a look at the slider heatmap data. Erceg distributed the slider more evenly against hitters. It had 24.3% usage against lefties and 31.6% against righties. Against righties, he focused more on locating the pitch low and away, while against lefties, he was more willing to be spread out in his location. The pitch was a great CSW pitch against both sides of the plate, with a 34.5% mark against lefties and 34% mark against righties. However, against lefties, it produced better chase (40.3% O-Swing to 29.1% O-Swing against righties) and xwOBACON (.128 against lefties; .372 against righties). Now, let's take a glance at the sinker heatmap data this season for Erceg. The biggest difference with the sinker is that he's throwing it WAY more in the heart of the plate against both lefties and righties. In 2024, the heart% was 35.3% against lefties and 27.6% against righties. This year? Those percentages are 42.4% against lefties and 37.9% against righties. That's a difference of 7.1% and 10.3%, respectively. While it's important to throw strikes with the pitch, Erceg is leaving the sinker too much in the middle of the zone. And what happens when a pitcher leaves it in the middle of the zone too much? It gets hit. The xwOBACON is .272 against lefties this year, which is higher than the .217 mark in 2024. Against righties, the xwOBACON is good, but his 15.4% whiff rate is down from 21.7% a season ago. The sinker is profiling better than his four-seamer, but it's not quite the elite pitch that it was back in 2024. The same is true with the slider, as illustrated by the heatmap data via TJ Stats. The slider heatmap location has been much different this season compared to 2024. The heatmap is totally different on the left side: he is throwing fewer pitches in the heart% zone, but the lower pitch location has led to fewer whiffs and chases. Because Erceg's slider was so diverse in terms of location to lefties, it had a 34.5% CSW, 37.5% whiff, and 40.3% O-Swing% in 2024. This year? He has a 12.5% CSW on the slider, 17.6% whiff rate, and 19.4% O-Swing%. Those are significant differences and make the pitch far less effective against lefty hitters. Below is an example of a 0-2 pitch this season against Milwaukee's Christian Yelich that Yelich spits on because it misses the zone so badly. Because lefties are keen that it's not going to be in the middle of the zone, they tend not to respect the slider, even in pitcher-friendly counts. QXc3ZEtfWGw0TUFRPT1fVjFCWEJWQlZBQUlBVzFNQ1V3QUhCQU5TQUZnR0FnSUFWQUVFQmxFTlVGWmRCRkZU.mp4 Now let's take a look at 2024, where Erceg can get Andres Gimenez swinging on a two-strike slider. It's located more on the edges of the strike zone, and it's a harder, sharper offering. That makes it a lot tougher for hitters to lay off, especially in two-strike counts. cThMMHZfWGw0TUFRPT1fRGdKU1ZnWUdVMU1BQ0Z0V1V3QUFBd1pXQUZnTldsRUFCVkFEQndCUUFsWlJBZ2RV.mp4 Erceg, struggling with that sinker-slider command, with the latter particularly against lefties, has been a big reason he's not generating CSW or chase in 2026 and has led to his lackluster numbers overall this season. What To Do With Erceg Going Forward? Right now, I wouldn't be surprised if Erceg hits the IL with an injury. We have seen a trend where relievers with bad stretches end up going on the IL with some kind of issue or ailment. It happened with Estevez, Matt Strahm, and Nick Mears. Considering how poorly Erceg has pitched recently, it wouldn't surprise me if the same fate befalls him. At the same time, Erceg's issues are command-related, not stuff-related. The stuff is fine, though I would like to see his slider be a sharper, harder offering than the loopy one it has become this year. He could work on that in lower-leverage work, whether at the Major League level or in Omaha on a rehab stint. Regardless, Erceg probably needs to be out of the closer's role for some time while he regains command. Granted, that puts the Royals in a tough dilemma. Yes, Daniel Lynch IV has been good this year, but can he handle high-leverage outings consistently? This is the first year he's really been in those situations. And the options are thin after Lynch. While some are questioning Matt Quatraro for bringing in Erceg, his other options were to push John Schreiber to another inning (not a good idea), or call on Steven Cruz, Eric Cerantola, or Eli Morgan. Safe to say, the results would've probably been similar to Erceg with those other pitchers. Which leads to a bigger question: why have the Royals struggled to build bullpens under JJ Picollo? Granted, some of it has been injury luck, but the Royals have had a mediocre-to-bad bullpen under Picollo in 2.5 of his 4 seasons as President of Baseball Operations. While some organizations like the Cleveland Guardians and Seattle Mariners have become bullpen factories, the Royals have been the opposite. The Ercge and 2026 bullpen situations emphasize that some changes are needed. Whether it's making changes in coaching, talent acquisition, or player development, the Royals have to do something. They can't continue this trend of poor performance in relief. If it does, for another season or two, the Royals may be looking at a new regime up top. Let's hope that Erceg's struggles can be a catalyst for change from Picollo and the Royals' front office. View full article

David Shields struck out five over five innings for Quad Cities, while Northwest Arkansas's Omar Hernandez homered and drove in four, and Carson Roccaforte doubled in a run. Columbia's Yandel Ricardo collected two hits, two RBIs, and two steals, Josh Hammond singled in a run, and Ramon Ramirez doubled for High-A. Hunter Owen punched out six in relief at Double-A, and Darwin Rodriguez fanned three across four-plus frames for Single-A in losing efforts across the system. Royals Transactions Kansas City Royals placed RHP Nick Mears on the 15-day injured list retroactive to May 28, 2026. Right shoulder impingement. Kansas City Royals signed RHP Dan Altavilla. Kansas City Royals recalled RHP Eric Cerantola from Omaha Storm Chasers. Storm Chasers Silenced In 13-1 Loss To Memphis Omaha managed just five hits and one run against Memphis, striking out 15 times as a team and leaving 10 runners on base. Abraham Toro and Kevin Newman each collected two hits, and Toro drove in the lone run. The damage began early. In the second inning, the Redbirds scored three runs, capped by a three-run home run that put Omaha in a hole. Memphis added single runs in the third and fourth before breaking the game open in the sixth, when a double, two singles, and another single produced four runs to make it 10-1. Toro's run-scoring force out in the fifth, which plated Connor Kaiser, accounted for the only Storm Chasers tally. On the mound, starter Chase Jessee allowed three runs in two innings of work. He also had three walks and three strikeouts. The relief work behind him was inconsistent. Andrew Pérez allowed five hits and three runs over 1 2/3 innings, while Dan Altavilla had a solid 2026 Storm Chasers debut, allowing no runs, one hit, one walk, while striking out two in 1 1/3 innings. Ben Sears surrendered six hits and four runs while recording just one out, while Jose Cuas produced 1 2/3 scoreless innings, allowing no hits while walking one and striking out one. Anthony Gose tossed a scoreless eighth, and position player Abraham Toro was pressed into mound duty late. Toro allowed three runs in his inning of work. Player AB R H RBI BB K John Rave 3 0 0 0 2 3 Abraham Toro 5 0 2 1 0 2 Kameron Misner 4 0 1 0 0 3 Drew Waters 4 0 0 0 0 2 Brett Squires 0 0 0 0 0 0 Dustin Dickerson 4 0 0 0 0 3 Gavin Cross 3 0 0 0 0 1 Luke Maile 3 0 0 0 1 1 Connor Kaiser 3 1 0 0 1 0 Kevin Newman 4 0 2 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Chase Jessee 2 3 3 3 3 3 1 Andrew Pérez 1 2/3 5 3 3 1 0 0 Dan Altavilla 1 1/3 1 0 0 1 1 0 Jose Cuas 1 2/3 0 0 0 1 1 0 Ben Sears 1/3 6 4 4 0 0 0 Anthony Gose 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 Abraham Toro 1 4 3 3 0 0 0 Naturals Undone By Eighth-Inning Collapse In Tulsa Northwest Arkansas led 4-3 entering the eighth inning before Tulsa erupted for seven runs to pull away in an 11-7 loss. Hernandez powered the offense with a three-run home run and four RBIs, Carson Roccaforte and Alberto Rodriguez each doubled, and Sam Kulasingam reached three times with two stolen bases and scored twice. The Naturals had built their lead steadily, scoring in the second on a run-scoring double play, the fourth on Hernandez's sacrifice fly, the fifth on Roccaforte's RBI double, and the seventh on Rodriguez's run-scoring double. Hernandez's three-run shot in the eighth pushed the lead to 7-4, but the bullpen could not hold it. Tommy Molsky retired just two batters while allowing four hits, four runs, and a home run, taking the loss and blowing the save as the Drillers' seven-run eighth, which ended on a grand slam, flipped the game. Owen turned in the longest outing, working 4 2/3 innings and allowing five hits and four runs while walking four and striking out six. Brandon Johnson followed with 2 2/3 innings, surrendering two hits and three runs with a walk and a strikeout. The Naturals went down in order in the ninth to seal the defeat. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte 5 0 1 1 0 1 Colton Becker 5 0 0 0 0 4 Sam Kulasingam 3 2 1 0 1 0 Spencer Nivens 2 1 0 0 2 1 Jack Pineda 2 1 1 0 1 0 Omar Hernandez 3 1 1 4 0 1 Connor Scott 2 1 0 0 1 1 Canyon Brown 4 1 1 0 0 2 Alberto Rodriguez 4 0 1 1 0 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Hunter Owen 4 2/3 5 4 4 4 6 0 Brandon Johnson 2 2/3 2 3 3 2 1 0 Tommy Molsky 2/3 4 4 4 2 1 1 Shields Solid But River Bandits Fall Short In Cedar Rapids Quad Cities jumped ahead early but could not hold the lead in a 3-2 loss to Cedar Rapids. The River Bandits scored both of their runs in the first inning, when Blake Mitchell grounded out to bring home Nolan Sailors, and Ramirez doubled in Asbel Gonzalez. The offense went quiet from there, managing just three hits on the day. Gonzalez singled, stole a base, and scored, while Ramirez's double was the lone extra-base hit. Shields turned in a strong start, working five innings and allowing six hits and three runs, only two earned, while walking three and striking out five. He took the loss as the Kernels chipped away, scoring twice in the third on a double and a triple and adding the go-ahead run in the fourth on a sacrifice fly. Nick Conte had two scoreless innings of relief, allowing one hit and striking out two, while Josh Hansell closed the game out for the River Bandits staff with a scoreless inning. The River Bandits left only one runner on base over the final innings and stranded the tying run as Cedar Rapids held on. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nolan Sailors 3 1 0 0 1 1 Asbel Gonzalez 4 1 1 0 0 1 Blake Mitchell 4 0 0 1 0 3 Ramon Ramirez 3 0 1 1 0 2 Derlin Figueroa 2 0 0 0 1 0 Jose Cerice 3 0 0 0 0 0 Tyriq Kemp 3 0 0 0 0 2 Erick Torres 3 0 1 0 0 1 Angel Acosta 2 0 0 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR David Shields 5 6 3 2 3 5 0 Nick Conte 2 1 0 0 0 2 0 Josh Hansell 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 Fireflies Fast Start Fades In 8-4 Loss To Charleston Columbia scored four runs in the first inning but was shut out the rest of the way in an 8-4 loss to Charleston. The Fireflies erupted early, as Hammond singled in Henry Ramos, Ricardo followed with a two-run single, and Jhosmmel Zue doubled home another run to build a 4-2 lead. Ricardo led the offense with two hits, two RBIs, and two stolen bases. Hammond added a hit and a run driven in, and Stone Russell and Zue each doubled. The lead did not last. Charleston pulled within one in the third, then took control with a four-run seventh inning that turned a 4-3 deficit into a 7-4 advantage, the rally fueled by a triple and a two-run single. Jhon Reyes struggled in relief, recording four outs while allowing three hits, four runs, and three walks to take the loss and blow the save. Rodriguez gave the most length, working 4 2/3 innings and allowing six hits and three runs while walking three and striking out three. Yeri Perez allowed a run over 1 2/3 innings, and Dash Albus struck out two over 1 1/3 scoreless innings. The RiverDogs added an insurance run in the ninth as Columbia stranded the leadoff hitter and could not answer. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos 3 1 1 0 0 2 Sean Gamble 4 0 1 0 0 1 Josh Hammond 4 1 1 1 0 1 Stone Russell 4 1 1 0 0 0 Yandel Ricardo 4 1 2 2 0 0 Jhosmmel Zue 4 0 1 1 0 2 JC Vanek 3 0 0 0 0 2 Roni Cabrera 3 0 0 0 0 3 Connor Rasmussen 3 0 0 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jhon Reyes 1 1/3 3 4 4 3 0 0 Darwin Rodriguez 4 2/3 6 3 3 3 3 0 Yeri Perez 1 2/3 1 1 1 2 1 0 Dash Albus 1 1/3 0 0 0 1 2 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: five innings, 6 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K Sean Gamble: 1-for-4, 1 K Blake Mitchell: 0-for-4, RBI, 3 K Josh Hammond: 1-for-4, RBI, 1 K Ramon Ramirez: 1-for-3, 2B, RBI, 2 K Drew Beam: DNP Asbel Gonzalez: 1-for-4, SB, 1 K Ben Kudrna: DNP Carson Roccaforte: 1-for-5, 2B, RBI, 1 K Yandel Ricardo: 2-for-4, 2 RBI, 2 SB Felix Arronde: DNP Blake Wolters: DNP Michael Lombardi: DNP Luinder Avila: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Frank Mozzicato: DNP Daniel Vazquez: DNP Warren Colcano: DNP Shane Panzini: DNP View full article

As the table above shows, Collins and Loftin are tied for the worst Def at -5.5. Loftin profiles a little bit worse in DRS (-5 to Collins' -2) and FRV (-5 to Collins' -4). That said, they have been poor defenders for the Royals this season, and no other Royals player, especially in the outfield, has been close (even Lane Thomas is 3.4 runs better than Collins and Loftin defensively). Therefore, the pair has been a defensive drain on the Royals, even though they theoretically can succeed with the glove in some capacity. Both Collins and Loftin are relatively young and are athletic players. Furthermore, they have a better defensive history in years past. That said, something needs to change with them because they are becoming nearly unplayable defensively for manager Matt Quatraro, who prioritizes defense in both the infield and outfield. Their Offense Isn't Making Up for Poor Defense It would be one thing if Collins and Loftin were mashing at the plate. Unfortunately, that hasn't been the case so far in 2026. In 49 games and 180 plate appearances, Collins is slashing .212/.328/.311 with a .639 OPS. He has three home runs and a 12.8% BB%, but his K% is high at 26.7%, and his wRC+ is mediocre at 85. There's no question that Collins shows a patient approach and doesn't chase much. However, as illustrated by his TJ Statcast summary below, he struggles to make consistent contact and generate positive batted-ball production. Collins has ideal bat speed, as evidenced by his 73.4 MPH mark, which ranks in the 68th percentile. There's also some potential with his barrel rate (55th percentile) and LA Sweet-Spot% (57th percentile). That said, his whiff (37th percentile) and strikeout (25th percentile) issues have weighed down his overall production this year, as illustrated by his 85 TJ Bat+, .292 wOBA, and .307 xwOBA. It's been a similar story for Loftin, albeit in fewer plate appearances. In 76 plate appearances this season, the former Baylor product is slashing .206/.316/.317 with a .633 OPS. Like Collins, Loftin's walk rate is solid at 10.5%. Unlike Collins, however, the former 2020 Royals draft pick has a low K% at 11.8%. That said, Loftin's paltry BABIP (.232) and inability to hit the ball hard or launch it have held him back offensively this year at the Major League level. Here's a look at his TJ Statcast summary via TJ Stats. While his plate discipline metrics are impressive, the rest of his percentiles are underwhelming, to put it kindly. Ranking in the 99th percentile in whiff%, 99th percentile in O-Swing%, 94th percentile in K%, and 92nd percentile in Z-Contact% are all positive attributes and should be a foundation for offensive success. Conversely, a 28th percentile hard-hit rate, 20th percentile LA Sweet-Spot%, 14th percentile bat speed, and 6th percentile 90th EV are a recipe for the opposite. Thus, it's not a surprise that Loftin fares pretty unimpressively in his overall metrics, including TJ Bat+ (83), wOBA (.290), and xwOBA (.293). However, much like Collins, a spark or adjustment for Loftin could not only get him back in the lineup regularly but also positively impact this struggling Kansas City offense, which ranks 28th in runs scored. Moving to Omaha to Switch Positions? Both players have Minor League options remaining, with Collins having three and Loftin having one. Thus, with the Royals 13 games under .500, it would make sense to option Collins and Loftin back to Omaha and maybe give some other guys on the 40-man roster a chance, including Kameron Misner or John Rave (or they could call up Brett Squires if they wanted to be really bold). That said, Collins and Loftin shouldn't be optioned to improve their hitting. They can hit, and they have the tools to be successful. Both need to make some swing decision adjustments and, honestly, find some better batted-ball luck. The two will gain confidence in Omaha, but ultimately, those changes have to be made against MLB pitching. Instead, they should go to Omaha to work on playing different positions in the field. It's obvious that Collins and Loftin don't fit in the outfield and the infield, respectively. Collins has the athleticism and speed, but his instincts are poor, and that has contributed to his poor defensive metrics. The 28-year-old looks like an infielder trying to play the outfield, which makes sense since he initially started as an infield prospect when he was drafted out of Creighton by the Rockies in 2019. The Royals may be better off moving Collins to second base and letting him get reps there in Omaha. Right now, there is a rotating mix at second base with Josh Rojas, Colton Becker, Connor Kaiser, Kevin Newman, Peyton Wilson, and Dustin Dickerson. Collins wouldn't be blocking any second-base prospect of note. Furthermore, a move to second base for Collins would not just better utilize his skills, but it could also give them a better long-term option at the keystone. Michael Massey has been solid defensively, with a 1.8 Def rating that ranks fourth-best among Royals players. However, Massey has been mediocre offensively, as evidenced by a .644 OPS and 69 TJ Bat+. Here's a look at his Statcast percentiles, which mirror Collins and Loftin pretty closely in many areas. The Royals would probably be better off with Massey as a utility player who could play all over the field and Collins as the regular second baseman. However, for Collins to do that effectively, he needs more reps and development again at second base, and that needs to happen in a lower-pressure environment in Omaha for a month or two. A similar defensive move needs to be true for Loftin as well. Based on his OAA directional data, Loftin simply doesn't have the range to be successful at second base (he particularly struggles on plays up the middle, which we saw in his error on Friday night in Arlington). However, he may be better utilized as a corner outfielder who can play left and right field. His OAA in LF is -1, and his success rate difference is -25%, according to Savant. That isn't good, but he suffered some poor reads early in the season in the outfield. Moving him back to the outfield full-time and giving him daily reps could help him make the most of his tools and skill set. Going from the infield to the outfield benefited Alex Gordon, who became a Royals Hall of Famer. It's not out of the question to think that Loftin could be a similar outfielder to Thomas, who specializes against lefties, but has the potential to have a big season when the ball is falling (i.e., a better BABIP). While Thomas is off to an inconsistent start in Kansas City, the former National and Guardian has produced a TJ Bat+ of 95-111 every season from 2021 to 2024. Royals fans would take that kind of production from Loftin, especially if he can improve the defense. Right now, Collins and Loftin have combined to produce a -0.8 fWAR in 2026. That's untenable, especially for a small-market franchise where every move counts. The Royals shouldn't give up on Collins and Loftin just yet, but they need some kind of major shift to help turn and put them in the right direction in terms of trajectory, both for the remainder of 2026 and beyond. Going to Omaha for a couple of months, having them switch positions, and then returning to Kansas City after the All-Star break seems to make the most sense for both the pair and the Royals. View full article

Blake Mitchell drove in seven runs on two homers to lead Quad Cities to an 11-6 win, with Nolan Sailors adding three hits. Omaha walked off Memphis 7-6 in 10 innings behind John Rave's homer and four RBIs, while Columbia edged Charleston 4-3 behind three scoreless innings from Randy Ramnarace. Northwest Arkansas dropped both ends of a doubleheader, getting a strong start from Ethan Bosacker and a two-run homer from Colton Becker. Royals Transactions Kansas City Royals signed free agent RHP Juan Cordero to a minor league contract. Rave Drives In Four as Omaha Walks Off Memphis in the 10th The Omaha Storm Chasers beat the Memphis Redbirds 7-6 on a walk-off in 10 innings. Rave had a big game in the leadoff spot, going 3-for-4 with a home run, a walk, two runs, and three RBIs. Drew Waters and Brett Squires each added two hits, and Kameron Misner drove in two runs. Ryan Ramsey turned in a strong start, allowing two runs on five hits across 6 1/3 innings, with two walks and six strikeouts. Omaha led 3-0 entering the seventh inning, but Memphis pushed across two runs to make it 3-2. Omaha answered in the bottom of the seventh, as Josh Rojas singled home Waters and Rave singled home Rojas to build a 5-2 cushion. The bullpen could not hold it, as Memphis tied the game at 5-5 in the eighth. Memphis took a 6-5 lead in the top of the 10th. In the bottom of the inning, Kevin Newman singled the zombie runner, Rojas, to third, and Rave singled him home to tie it at 6-6. With two outs, Luca Tresh lifted a sacrifice fly to score Gavin Cross for the walk-off win. Player AB R H RBI BB K John Rave 4 2 3 3 1 1 Peyton Wilson 5 1 2 0 0 0 Kameron Misner 3 0 1 2 2 0 Luca Tresh 4 0 0 1 0 2 Brett Squires 4 0 2 0 0 0 Drew Waters 4 1 2 0 0 0 Luke Maile 4 0 0 0 0 2 Josh Rojas 4 2 1 1 0 1 Kevin Newman 4 0 1 0 0 0 Gavin Cross 0 1 0 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Ryan Ramsey 6 1/3 5 2 2 2 6 0 Génesis Cabrera 1 1/3 1 1 1 1 4 0 Luke Jackson 1 1/3 2 2 2 1 1 0 Helcris Olivárez 1 1 1 0 1 0 0 Becker Homers but Naturals Drop Opener 4-3 to Tulsa The Northwest Arkansas Naturals fell 4-3 to the Tulsa Drillers in the first game of a doubleheader. Becker led the offense, going 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and two RBIs. Spencer Nivens drove in a run, and Carson Roccaforte reached base twice with a hit and a walk from the leadoff spot. Hunter Patteson absorbed the bulk of the work, allowing three runs on seven hits over 4 2/3 innings, with two walks and four strikeouts, and he gave up three home runs. Northwest Arkansas scored first in the top of the first when Nivens lifted a sacrifice fly to bring home Roccaforte. Tulsa took control with three solo home runs across the second, third, and fourth innings to lead 3-1. The Naturals climbed back in the fifth, when Becker's two-run home run tied the game at 3-3, scoring Alberto Rodriguez ahead of him. The deciding run came in the bottom of the seventh, when Tulsa doubled home a run to break the tie and win 4-3. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte 3 1 1 0 1 2 Colton Becker 4 1 2 2 0 0 Sam Kulasingam 3 0 0 0 0 0 Spencer Nivens 2 0 1 1 0 0 Daniel Vazquez 3 0 1 0 0 1 Jack Pineda 2 0 0 0 0 1 Justin Johnson 1 0 1 0 0 0 Omar Hernandez 3 0 0 0 0 0 Connor Scott 3 0 0 0 0 1 Alberto Rodriguez 2 1 1 0 1 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Hunter Patteson 4 2/3 7 3 3 2 4 3 Augusto Mendieta 2 3 1 1 1 2 0 Bosacker Solid in the Nightcap, but Naturals Are Shut Out 2-0 The Northwest Arkansas Naturals managed just two hits in a 2-0 loss to the Tulsa Drillers in the second game of the doubleheader. Nivens had the only multi-base threat for the offense with a single, and Vazquez was held hitless. The lineup struck out 11 times and stranded two runners. Bosacker turned in a strong outing, allowing one run on six hits over five innings, with no walks and two strikeouts. Tulsa scratched out the only runs it would need on sacrifice flies. In the third inning, the Drillers brought home a run on a sacrifice fly to take a 1-0 lead. They added an insurance run in the sixth on another sacrifice fly to make it 2-0. Northwest Arkansas never solved Tulsa's pitching, going down in order over the final innings to complete the doubleheader sweep. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte 3 0 0 0 0 2 Rudy Martin Jr. 3 0 0 0 0 1 Sam Kulasingam 3 0 0 0 0 1 Jorge Alfaro 3 0 0 0 0 2 Daniel Vazquez 3 0 0 0 0 1 Spencer Nivens 2 0 1 0 0 0 Jack Pineda 2 0 0 0 0 0 Canyon Brown 2 0 0 0 0 1 Justin Johnson 1 0 0 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Ethan Bosacker 5 6 1 1 0 2 0 Zachary Cawyer 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 Mitchell Drives In Seven as River Bandits Roll Past Cedar Rapids The Quad Cities River Bandits beat the Cedar Rapids Kernels 11-6 behind a huge night from Mitchell, who went 2-for-4 with two home runs and seven RBIs. Leadoff man Sailors had three hits, including a double and two triples, scored three runs, and drove in one. Jose Cerice added three hits, and Angel Acosta contributed two hits, two doubles, and two runs. Quad Cities jumped ahead in the first when Mitchell hit a three-run home run, scoring Sailors and Asbel Gonzalez. The game broke open in the sixth inning, when the River Bandits scored six runs. Cerice singled home Derlin Figueroa on a play that included a throwing error, Acosta doubled home Tyriq Kemp, and Mitchell capped the outburst with a three-run home run that scored Acosta and Sailors to push the lead to 10-3. Jordan Woods pitched four innings and allowed three runs on seven hits, with two walks and one strikeout. Max Martin earned the win with 1 1/3 hitless innings, striking out three. Player AB R H RBI BB K Nolan Sailors 4 3 3 1 1 0 Asbel Gonzalez 3 1 0 0 1 1 Blake Mitchell 4 2 2 7 0 2 Ramon Ramirez 5 0 1 0 0 2 Derlin Figueroa 5 1 1 0 0 2 Jose Cerice 5 1 3 0 0 0 Tyriq Kemp 4 1 1 0 1 1 Erick Torres 5 0 1 0 0 0 Angel Acosta 3 2 2 1 1 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Jordan Woods 4 7 3 3 2 1 0 Coleman Picard 2 3 2 2 1 2 0 Ryan Ure 0 2/3 1 1 1 2 1 0 Max Martin 1 1/3 0 0 0 1 3 0 Yimi Presinal 1 0 0 0 1 1 0 Fireflies Rally From Three Down to Edge Charleston 4-3 The Columbia Fireflies erased an early three-run deficit to beat the Charleston RiverDogs 4-3. Henry Ramos and Stone Russell each had two hits and an RBI from the top of the order, Connor Rasmussen went 2-for-3 with a triple, a run, and an RBI, and Roni Cabrera reached base three times with a double and a triple. Charleston jumped ahead 3-0 over the first two innings, but the Columbia bullpen slammed the door. Ramnarace followed starter Denis Samudio with three scoreless innings, allowing no hits with three walks and a strikeout, and Hunter Alberini added two scoreless innings to earn the win. Samudio allowed three runs on five hits over three innings, with three walks and two strikeouts. The Fireflies chipped away with one run in the third on Rasmussen's single, one in the fifth on Ramos's single, and tied it in the sixth when Hyungchan Um singled home Russell. The winning run came in the seventh, when Russell singled home Sean Gamble for a 4-3 lead, and Andy Basora closed it out for the save. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos 4 0 2 1 0 0 Sean Gamble 2 1 0 0 1 0 Josh Hammond 4 0 1 0 0 1 Stone Russell 4 1 2 1 0 0 Yandel Ricardo 1 0 0 0 2 1 Hyungchan Um 4 0 1 1 0 2 Roni Cabrera 3 1 2 0 1 1 Gabriel Silva 4 0 0 0 0 3 Connor Rasmussen 3 1 2 1 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Denis Samudio 3 5 3 3 3 2 0 Randy Ramnarace 3 0 0 0 3 1 0 Hunter Alberini 2 0 0 0 1 0 0 Andy Basora 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: DNP Sean Gamble: 0-for-2, BB Blake Mitchell: 2-for-4, 2 HR, 7 RBI, 2 K Josh Hammond: 1-for-4, K Ramon Ramirez: 1-for-5, 2 K Drew Beam: DNP Asbel Gonzalez: 0-for-3, BB, K Ben Kudrna: DNP Carson Roccaforte: 1-for-6, BB, 4 K Yandel Ricardo: 0-for-1, 2 BB, K Felix Arronde: DNP Blake Wolters: DNP Michael Lombardi: DNP Luinder Avila: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Frank Mozzicato: DNP Daniel Vazquez: 1-for-6, 2 K Warren Colcano: DNP Shane Panzini: DNP View full article

Image courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images The Royals are off to a brutal start at 22-34, good for fourth in the AL Central (somehow, the Detroit Tigers are 0.5 games worse). However, the Surprise Royals, who play in the Arizona Complex League, have been doing well in the rookie league. Going into Thursday, the Surprise Royals are 14-4, leading the ACL West division by four games. The Royals have been among the best teams in scoring runs and run differential. Not only have they scored 114 runs this year, but they also have a run differential of +20. The Complex games aren't available on MLB.TV, unlike the Royals' affiliated MiLB teams (Columbia, Quad Cities, Northwest Arkansas, and Omaha). However, they can be found for free on the Surprise Royals' YouTube stream, though the camera angle and production values are low. Many Royals fans may be unfamiliar with some of the prospects in the Complex League, especially since many are either recent draft picks or players coming up from the Dominican Summer League. Thus, let's take a look at five position prospects in Surprise who are sticking out and should be worth paying attention to by Royals fans, especially since they may be due for call-ups to Low-A Columbia sooner rather than later. Tyson Moran, INF Moran was a 13th-round pick out of Canada in last year's draft. He was a North Dakota State commit, but the Royals convinced him to sign with a $247,500 bonus. Moran played for the Great Lake Canadiens development team in 2025, and he posted the following numbers, according to Canadian Baseball Network. The Canadian infielder is a bit older, at 20, so he may be a bit older for the typical ACL prospect. However, he's been absolutely mashing with the Royals so far in Surprise. In 15 games and 65 plate appearances, Moran leads Surprise with three home runs. He's also slashing .296/.338/.537 with an .875 OPS. The first baseman doesn't walk a lot (6.2%), but he doesn't strike out much either, as evidenced by his 13.8% K% and 0.44 BB/K ratio. His all fields batted-ball ability and line-drive approach (28% line drive rate) make him an intriguing corner infielder who could develop into his power tool, especially as he gets older and puts on muscle. Already, he has had a penchant for the big moment. Moran's first professional home run was a walk-off two-run bomb against the ACL Mariners. He could stand to walk a bit more, as his OBP is only .338. That said, Moran's batted-ball ability and power tool should help him earn a promotion to Columbia soon. Jhonayker Ugarte, 3B/SS Ugarte was a pretty heralded international prospect, as he signed out of Venezuela in the 2024 signing period for $1.3 million. He had a stellar DSL campaign in 2024, slashing .299/.423/.395 with an .818 OPS in 183 plate appearances. He also hit a home run, scored 30 runs, collected 20 RBI, and stole 11 bases. Unfortunately, things didn't go as smoothly for him in the Complex League as an 18-year-old. In 214 plate appearances, he slashed .216/.338/.284 with a .622 OPS. He walked a lot (14.5%), and he showed some intriguing power (two home runs), but he struggled with strikeouts (30.8% K%). Thus, it made sense for the Royals to have him repeat in the Complex League in 2026. So far, the move has paid off, and he may be due for a call-up to Columbia in the near future. In 64 plate appearances, he is slashing .265/.406/.408 with an .814 OPS. His K% has plummeted to 14.1%, and his walk rate is up to 15.6%, giving him a BB/K ratio of 1.11. Even though he hasn't hit a home run yet this year, he has shown some gap-to-gap power, as illustrated by his .143 ISO. Instagram WWW.INSTAGRAM.COM Create an account or log in to Instagram - Share what you're into with the people who get you. At 6'2, 180 pounds, Ugarte is a physical infielder who is capable of playing shortstop or third base, though he probably profiles better long-term at the hot corner. He's been better at launching the ball this year, as illustrated by lowering his infield fly ball rate from 36.4% last year in the Complex League to 6.7% this season. That should bode well for an easier transition to Columbia, likely in the second half of this year. Corey Cousin, OF An 18th-round pick in the 2024 out of high school in Louisiana, Cousin signed for $347,500. The Royals moved slowly with him last year, as he didn't play at all in any official Complex League games. However, he has finally seen action in the Complex League this year, and the results have been impressive. In 61 plate appearances, Cousin is slashing .298/.443/.511 with a .953 OPS. He also has a home run, 15 runs scored, eight RBI, and five stolen bases. He is striking out a bit too much at 27.9%. However, he makes up for it with a 21.3% K% and 0.76 BB/K ratio. Cousin's power tool may be most impressive, as he is currently sporting a .213 ISO. The Royals have many "raw" athletic outfielders in Surprise, including Noah Barber, Angel Ramirez, and Lewis German. That said, Cousin may be the most polished of the bunch, both at the plate (his OPS is the best of that bunch) and defensively (he's been Surprise's primary centerfielder). I think Cousin may not make his Columbia debut until next year, but if he lowers the strikeout rate, he could find himself with the Fireflies in the second half. Darison Garcia, 2B/SS A 2024 signee, the Dominican-born infielder has gone under the radar on most Royals Top Prospects lists. That said, he was on the Spring Breakout roster in Spring Training and had a couple of hits in the showcase. Thus, he became a bit of a dark horse prospect heading into the 2026 season. This is a repeat of the Complex League for Garcia, who played 49 games there last year. He was decent, as he slashed .243/.389/.308 with a .696 OPS in 216 plate appearances. He didn't hit any home runs, but he scored 33 runs, stole 18 bases, and posted a 0.85 BB/K ratio. The metrics this year, over 62 plate appearances, have been even better. He's slashing .277/.452/.404 with an .856 OPS, and he has a home run, 15 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases. At 5'11, 165 pounds, he doesn't have an impressive stature, but much like Maikel Garcia, he has a lot more pop in his profile than expected. Garcia profiles as a much better athlete than the older Garcia, and the younger Garcia may be better as a true utility player than the Gold-Glove-winning third baseman. At 19 years of age, and with a 126 wRC+ right now in Surprise, I think the Royals will call up Garcia to Columbia once a spot in the infield becomes available. Ramcell Medina, SS One of the Royals' top signees during the 2025 international signing period, Medina has a tall (6'1) and lanky (155-pound) profile that could profile as a regular shortstop at the MLB level. He had an encouraging professional debut in the DSL last year, shortly after signing. As a result, he got on the radar of many prospect experts, including Baseball America. In 186 plate appearances in the DSL, Medina slashed .260/.398/.404 with an .802 OPS as a 17-year-old. He also hit two home runs, scored 35 runs, collected 25 RBI, and stole seven bases. The Dominican-born shortstop also showed a mature plate approach, as illustrated by his 1.19 BB/K ratio. The results so far in the Complex League have been slow for Medina, unfortunately. In 61 plate appearances, he's slashing .240/.361/.280 with a .641 OPS. The BB/K ratio is still strong at 0.62, but the power just isn't there, as evidenced by his .040 ISO. An issue is that he's just hitting way too many balls on the ground (59.5% GB%) and popping them up too frequently (37.5% IFFB%). If he can launch more fly balls as he did a year ago in the DSL (43.4% FB%), then he could start to see a positive regression in his results. Medina doesn't have the impressive numbers as the other four position players. However, his tools still play impressively, including the plate discipline. He deserves more patience, even if that means that his Columbia debut won't come until 2027 at the soonest. View full article

Ramon Ramirez drove in three runs and scored three more in Quad Cities' 12-1 rout, while Emmanuel Reyes spun five innings of one-run ball with five strikeouts. In Columbia's nightcap win, Jhosmmel Zue homered and drove in four. Henry Williams allowed three earned runs over five innings for Omaha in a 5-4 extra-innings loss, and Drew Beam gave up four runs in 3 2/3 innings as Northwest Arkansas fell 6-1. Royals Transactions Kansas City Royals signed free agent RHP Yolber Mendez to a minor league contract. Kansas City Royals signed free agent RHP Andruw Solarte to a minor league contract. Kansas City Royals designated LHP Bailey Falter for assignment. Kansas City Royals recalled RHP Mason Black from Omaha Storm Chasers. Tresh Homer Not Enough As Storm Chasers Fall In Extras The Omaha Storm Chasers dropped a 5-4 decision to the Memphis Redbirds in ten innings. Luca Tresh led the offense, going 1-for-4 with a home run, a walk, and two runs batted in. Abraham Toro added a double and a run batted in, while Kameron Misner drove in a run on a sacrifice fly. Omaha managed just six hits and left ten runners on base. Memphis broke a scoreless tie in the third when Misner's sacrifice fly scored Connor Kaiser. The visitors answered with two home runs in the fourth, and Toro's double scored Gavin Cross to make it 2-2. Memphis pushed across two more in the fifth, but Tresh tied the game at four with a two-run homer that also scored Misner. The game stayed tied until the tenth, when the zombie runner came around to score on a sacrifice fly, handing Memphis the lead for good. Williams carried the bulk of the work, allowing five hits and four runs, three earned, over five innings with three walks and three strikeouts. Oscar Rayo followed with three scoreless innings, walking three and striking out two. Rayo was just called up to Triple-A today to replace Black in the Omaha bullpen (The Royals recalled Black from the Storm Chasers on Wednesday). Anthony Gose took the loss after allowing an unearned run in the tenth. A former MLB reliever who was once a top position-player prospect, Gose, signed during the season, is sporting a 5.14 ERA and 1.57 WHIP with 15 strikeouts in 14 IP. Player AB R H RBI BB K Josh Rojas 4 0 0 0 1 2 Peyton Wilson 5 0 1 0 0 2 Kameron Misner 4 1 1 1 0 3 Luca Tresh 4 1 1 2 1 2 Brett Squires 4 0 0 0 0 3 Drew Waters 3 0 1 0 1 1 Gavin Cross 4 1 1 0 0 2 Abraham Toro 4 0 1 1 0 0 Connor Kaiser 3 1 0 0 1 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Andrew Pérez 1 1 0 0 0 1 0 Henry Williams 5 5 4 3 3 3 2 Oscar Rayo 3 0 0 0 3 2 0 Anthony Gose 1 0 1 0 1 2 0 Vazquez Drives In Lone Run As Naturals Drop Road Tilt The Northwest Arkansas Naturals managed only three hits in a 6-1 loss to the Tulsa Drillers. Daniel Vazquez accounted for the lone run, going 1-for-2 with a walk and a run batted in. Colton Becker had the only other notable day at the plate, singling and scoring the team's only run. The Naturals struck out ten times and stranded five runners. Tulsa opened the scoring in the third with a pair of runs and added two more in the fourth to build a 4-0 lead. Northwest Arkansas got on the board in the sixth when Vazquez singled home Becker, but that was as close as the visitors would come. Tulsa tacked on two more in the bottom of the sixth to restore the cushion. Beam struggled with command, allowing seven hits and four earned runs over 3 2/3 innings with three walks and four strikeouts before exiting with the loss. Caden Monke provided a lift out of the bullpen, throwing 1 1/3 scoreless innings with two strikeouts, while Dennis Colleran Jr. surrendered two runs in the final inning. Player AB R H RBI BB K Carson Roccaforte 3 0 0 0 0 3 Colton Becker 3 1 1 0 0 2 Sam Kulasingam 1 0 0 0 1 0 Jorge Alfaro 3 0 1 0 0 2 Daniel Vazquez 2 0 1 1 1 0 Spencer Nivens 3 0 0 0 0 1 Omar Hernandez 2 0 0 0 1 1 Canyon Brown 3 0 0 0 0 1 Justin Johnson 3 0 0 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Drew Beam 3 2/3 7 4 4 3 4 0 Caden Monke 1 1/3 0 0 0 1 2 0 Dennis Colleran Jr. 1 2 2 2 1 2 1 Ramirez And Reyes Power River Bandits To Lopsided Win The Quad Cities River Bandits cruised to a 12-1 victory over the Cedar Rapids Kernels. Ramirez led the way, going 2-for-5 with two doubles, three runs batted in, and three runs scored. Asbel Gonzalez collected two hits and scored twice out of the leadoff spot, Nolan Sailors added two hits and two runs batted in, and Blake Mitchell reached base four times while scoring three runs. Quad Cities drew thirteen walks and stranded eleven runners. The River Bandits seized control immediately, scoring four times in the first inning entirely on bases-loaded walks and a wild pitch. They piled on two more in the second, capped by Ramirez's run-scoring double and a Sailors single. Ramirez struck again in the fourth with another run-scoring double, and the lead only grew from there. Reyes was sharp in his five innings of work, allowing three hits and one run with two walks and five strikeouts to earn the win. The 22-year-old righty now has a 2.91 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in nine starts and 43.1 IP this season. Cory Ronan opened with two scoreless innings and three strikeouts, and Mason Miller closed with two scoreless frames. Player AB R H RBI BB K Erick Torres 4 1 1 0 2 1 Asbel Gonzalez 6 2 2 0 0 1 Blake Mitchell 2 3 1 0 3 0 Ramon Ramirez 5 3 2 3 0 1 Nolan Sailors 5 1 2 1 1 2 Jose Cerice 3 2 1 1 2 1 Tyriq Kemp 3 0 0 1 2 0 Trevor Werner 3 0 0 0 2 0 Diego Guzman 4 0 1 1 1 1 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Cory Ronan 2 0 0 0 0 3 0 Emmanuel Reyes 5 3 1 1 2 5 1 Mason Miller 2 1 0 0 2 2 0 Van Dam Shines, But Fireflies Shut Out In Opener The Columbia Fireflies were blanked 3-0 by the Charleston RiverDogs in the first game of a doubleheader. Columbia mustered just four hits, with Sean Gamble, Josh Hammond, Yandel Ricardo, and JC Vanek each collecting a single. Ricardo's hit went for a double. The Fireflies left four runners on base and never advanced a runner across the plate. The game remained scoreless into the sixth, when Charleston pushed across all three of its runs. A run-scoring triple opened the scoring before a two-run home run made it 3-0. That proved to be enough offense for the RiverDogs. Shane Van Dam was excellent in defeat, working four scoreless innings on three hits with two walks and five strikeouts. The former NC State product and ninth-round draft pick in the 2025 MLB Draft now has a 4.70 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in nine outings (five starts) and 30.2 IP. Henson Leal took the loss after allowing three runs in 1 1/3 innings, and Dash Albus closed the door with 1 2/3 scoreless innings and two strikeouts. Player AB R H RBI BB K Henry Ramos 3 0 0 0 0 0 Sean Gamble 3 0 1 0 0 1 Josh Hammond 3 0 1 0 0 0 Hyungchan Um 3 0 0 0 0 1 Yandel Ricardo 3 0 1 0 0 1 JC Vanek 3 0 1 0 0 1 Jhosmmel Zue 3 0 0 0 0 0 Daniel Lopez 2 0 0 0 0 0 Roni Cabrera 0 0 0 0 0 0 Ivan Sosa 2 0 0 0 0 0 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Shane Van Dam 4 3 0 0 2 5 0 Henson Leal 1 1/3 3 3 3 1 2 1 Dash Albus 1 2/3 1 0 0 0 2 0 Zue's Four RBI Lift Fireflies In Nightcap Slugfest The Columbia Fireflies salvaged a split with a 9-6 win over the Charleston RiverDogs in the second game. Zue paced the attack, going 2-for-3 with a home run and four runs batted in. Ricardo, batting leadoff, homered and drove in two, Hammond added two hits and a run batted in, and Sean Gamble scored twice. Columbia pounded out eight hits. The Fireflies jumped on Charleston early. Zue's three-run home run capped a three-run first inning. The Fireflies blew the game open with five runs in the second. In that frame, Ricardo launched a two-run homer, Hammond singled home a run, and Zue delivered a two-run single to push the lead to 8-0. Zue is hitting .289 with a .681 OPS this season, while Ricardo is hitting .250 with a .752 OPS, a sign that he has overcome his slow start. Hammond continues to be one of Columbia's most consistent offensive producers. The 28th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft is hitting .288 with an .832 OPS this season. Charleston chipped away with two runs in the third and single runs in the fourth, sixth, and seventh, but the early cushion held up. Dutch-born pitcher Brandon Herbold opened with a scoreless inning and earned the win. Jose Gutierrez absorbed the bulk of the innings, allowing eight hits and three runs over four innings with three strikeouts, and Yeri Perez allowed an unearned run in the seventh. Player AB R H RBI BB K Yandel Ricardo 4 1 2 2 0 0 Sean Gamble 2 2 0 0 2 0 Josh Hammond 3 2 2 1 1 1 Stone Russell 2 2 1 0 1 0 Jhosmmel Zue 3 1 2 4 0 0 Roni Cabrera 2 0 0 0 1 1 Connor Rasmussen 2 1 1 0 1 0 Josi Novas 1 0 0 0 0 1 Henry Ramos 2 0 0 0 0 0 Ivan Sosa 3 0 0 0 0 2 Player IP H R ER BB K HR Brandon Herbold 1 0 0 0 3 1 0 Luis Valdez 2/3 2 2 2 3 0 0 Jose Gutierrez 4 8 3 3 1 3 0 Yeri Perez 1 1/3 1 1 0 0 1 0 Top-20 Prospect Performance Kendry Chourio: DNP David Shields: DNP Sean Gamble: G1 1-for-3, K, SB; G2 0-for-2, 2 BB Blake Mitchell: 1-for-2, 3 BB, SB Josh Hammond: G1 1-for-3; G2 2-for-3, 2B, RBI, K Ramon Ramirez: 2-for-5, 2 2B, 3 RBI, K, SB Drew Beam: 3 2/3 IP, 7 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 3 BB, 4 K Asbel Gonzalez: 2-for-6, K, SB Ben Kudrna: DNP Carson Roccaforte: 0-for-3, 3 K Yandel Ricardo: G1 1-for-3, 2B, K; G2 2-for-4, HR, 2 RBI Felix Arronde: DNP Blake Wolters: DNP Michael Lombardi: DNP Luinder Avila: DNP Steven Zobac: DNP Frank Mozzicato: DNP Daniel Vazquez: 1-for-2, RBI, BB Warren Colcano: DNP Shane Panzini: DNP View full article

The Royals' bullpen has gotten excellent production this month from John Schreiber (0.93 ERA), Daniel Lynch IV (2.38 ERA), and Alex Lange (2.53 ERA). Luinder Avila (3.14 ERA) and Steven Cruz (3.86 ERA) have been serviceable, as was Matt Strahm (3.18 ERA) before he landed on the IL. So the bullpen hasn't been bereft of talent or production in May. Conversely, some relievers have taken major steps back, and it's hurt the bullpen as a whole. Erceg has an ERA over 6.00 this month as well as a 1.78 WHIP. Nick Mears has been even worse with an 8.64 ERA and 2.04 WHIP in 8.1 IP. Mears struggled on Wednesday, allowing three runs on two hits and two walks in 0.2 IP. Furthermore, when looking at his TJ Stuff+ summary, while Mears showcased decent stuff, his inability to generate whiffs and chases ultimately hurt him, especially against a good Yankees lineup. Lastly, Bailey Falter (14.21 ERA) and Eli Morgan (18.00 ERA) have become unusable in any spots. Falter was designated for assignment on Wednesday after his latest brutal outing on Tuesday against the Yankees. Morgan could find himself back in Omaha soon and may be designated for assignment as well, especially if they need to clear a roster spot for another reliever. When looking at these May bullpen metrics, it's obvious that Quatraro and the Royals need to shake up the bullpen usage. Right now, they should be investing in their young arms with upside, which includes Lynch, Avila, Cruz, and Lange. Schreiber has emerged as a key piece this month,, and he deserves to keep his spot, but Erceg probably needs to be utilized less like a traditional closer and more like the "fireman" he was utilized a year ago when Carlos Estevez closed things out in the ninth. Even with Erceg out of the closer's spot, the Royals need to adopt a different philosophy for building a bullpen. Other than a year ago, the Royals' weakness has always been the bullpen under Quatraro and Picollo. A big reason for that seems to be that they trust "experience" over "stuff". That strategy blew up on them with free-agent relievers like Chris Stratton and Will Smith. It's blowing up a bit, not just with Estevez and Strahm on the IL, but with Erceg as well, who looks like a shell of his 2024 self. At this point, the Royals need to invest in a younger bullpen and scour other teams for younger arms they can help develop into success. They need to focus on one type and see if they can mold it into their system, much like Seattle and Tampa Bay are well known for doing. Brian Sweeney and Mike McFerrin are well-regarded pitching coaches. However, their philosophy is not "gelling" with this bullpen group. The Royals may need to make some tough decisions to make this strategy a reality. They may need to trade Schreiber to see if they can get a package of younger pitchers with upside. They may need to part ways with Mears and possibly Erceg. They may need to trust Avila, Cruz, Lynch, and Lange in high-leverage spots, even though that group has been inconsistent. That said, they need to mix things up with the bullpen, much like the lineup. Right now, the bullpen isn't getting it done with the current mixture. Giving the younger, higher-velocity arms more of a chance could not just help their chances this year, but build a better foundation for years to come. The Yankees exposed this bullpen badly over the past three games. Picollo and Quatraro need to learn from it and make the adjustments necessary to turn this group around. View full article

On Wednesday morning, the Kansas City Royals announced that they had designated left-handed pitcher Bailey Falter for assignment and had recalled right-handed pitcher Mason Black from Omaha. Falter had come over to the Royals at the Trade Deadline from Pittsburgh last season in exchange for lefty reliever Evan Sisk. In 2024, Falter posted a 4.43 ERA in 142.1 IP, and in 2025 with the Pirates, he posted a 3.73 ERA in 113.1 IP. However, he struggled in his move to Kansas City last year, posting an 11.25 ERA in four outings (two starts) and 12 IP before landing on the IL for the remainder of the year. The struggles Falter experienced with the Royals in 2025 carried over into this season. In five outings (two starts) and 9.2 IP, the 29-year-old posted a 13.97 ERA, 3.10 WHIP, and 9.10 WHIP. He also landed on the IL early in the year due to some elbow issues and looked better in his rehab outing in Omaha. Unfortunately, the results from Omaha didn't follow Falter to Kansas City. As discussed in a post this morning, Falter showed an interesting TJ Stuff+ profile and extension on his pitches, but struggled to generate whiffs and CSWs this season at the Major League level. Falter will likely declare for free agency if he clears waivers. It doesn't seem like he was happy with his role, flipping between starter and reliever, as evidenced by this quote from the Kansas City Star's Pete Grathoff. Mason Black will replace Falter on the Royals' pitching staff. Black has made four appearances with the Royals this year. In that 4.2 IP sample, he has not allowed a run, has a 1.93 WHIP, 2.24 FIP, and 13.6% K-BB%. His profile is very similar to Falter's, albeit from the right, as seen below in his TJ Statcast Percentiles summary. In 13 outings and 20.2 IP with Omaha this year, Black has a 6.53 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, and 4.3% K-BB%, which isn't impressive. However, his FIP is much better at 3.49, and he's done a much better job in Triple-A of throwing strikes (67% strike rate) and limiting the long ball (0.0% HR/FB rate). View full rumor

Image courtesy of Peter Aiken-Imagn Images On Tuesday, the New York Yankees absolutely thrashed the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. The Yankees not only scored 15 runs, but also collected 24 hits in a 14-run win over the Boys in Blue. Safe to say, it was one of the worst losses of the season, especially at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals had a bullpen game on Tuesday against the Yankees, and unfortunately, the strategy blew up in Kansas City's face early. Bailey Falter opened the game for the Royals, and the Yankees got after him early. They scored four runs against him in the top of the first, and in 2.1 IP, he allowed seven runs on nine hits. He didn't allow a walk, but he didn't strike out anyone either, and he gave up three home runs. Two of those home runs came in the first inning, including one from Cody Bellinger, who hit his second home run of the series. When looking at his TJ Stuff+ summary from Tuesday's game, not much went right for Falter, though his TJ Stuff+ actually wasn't as bad as the results illustrated. He struggled to generate whiffs, and the Yankees hit him hard in his 2.1 innings of work. However, the TJ Stuff+ and chase were actually pretty decent, especially for his standards. Falter posted an overall TJ Stuff+ of 100 with his four-seamer being his best pitch in terms of TJ Stuff+. Not only did it have a 106 mark, but it also sported a 64 grade, a 55.6% zone rate, and a 25% chase rate, all of which are average to above-average marks. However, he didn't generate a single whiff with the pitch, and his .639 xwOBACON was the second-worst mark in that category of the four pitches he threw on Tuesday. Ironically, his splitter, which was his second-best pitch in terms of TJ Stuff+ (103), had the worst xwOBACON at .901. Tuesday was another frustrating outing for Falter, who just hasn't put it together in his time in Kansas City. In 9.2 IP this year, he has a 13.97 ERA with a 3.10 WHIP, which includes 24 hits allowed in less than 10 innings of work this season. Last year, after he came over from Pittsburgh at the Trade Deadline, he had an 11.25 ERA and 2.25 WHIP with 20 hits allowed in 12 IP with the Royals. Therefore, even though the TJ Stuff+ hints at a better pitcher than his results show, it may be time for the Royals to part ways with Falter. Command Remains a Problem for Falter (Especially on Fastball) When it comes to what Falter has done in terms of Statcast percentiles, he's actually limited barrels and hard contact, but has struggled to generate whiffs and strikes in general. Here's a look at Statcast summary this season after Tuesday's game, via TJ Stats. Falter actually does a good job of limiting that "productive" contact. He has limited barrels and hard hits, and kept the average exit velocity manageable. Furthermore, his Z-Contact% allowed is actually pretty good (80.5%), considering his struggles with whiffs and CSW. Unfortunately, it's hard to ignore those "strike-generating" categories. His whiff rate ranks in the 39th percentile, his CSW ranks in the 15th percentile, and his O-Swing% ranks in the third percentile. That's not a recipe for success, especially for a pitcher with a subpar fastball (21st percentile fastball velocity). An issue for Falter that has limited his ability to throw strikes this year is subpar command. Even though his extension and TJ Stuff+ metrics are encouraging, he leaves pitches in hittable areas of the strike zone far too much. That was on prime display on Tuesday against the Yankees. Here's his pitch type chart against the Bronx Bombers in his latest outing on May 26th. Frankly, that's not a good-looking chart, simply because he's leaving way too many pitches in the middle-middle areas of the strike zone. The Yankees teed off on Falter's pitches as well, as evidenced by his pitch-description chart, which shows the results. As Royals fans can see above, there are a lot of "In Play, No Out" and "In Play, Runs" dots in that pitch chart above. All on pitches thrown in the middle-middle areas of the strike zone. In fact, below is an example of Falter hanging a curveball right in the middle of the strike zone to Amed Rosario, and the journeyman utility player launches it like he's Aaron Judge. While the curveball was an example of a command "mistake" of Falter in this outing, the fastball command has been a problem this year. That's disappointing considering that his four-seamer has been his best pitch on a TJ Stuff+ end this season, as illustrated in his TJ Stuff+ summary below. Falter relies heavily on the four-seamer, as illustrated by his 61.5% usage rate on the pitch. It makes sense, since it sports a 102 TJ Stuff+, 57 grade, and .303 xwOBACON. Unfortunately, it's been a poor-performing pitch in terms of zone rate, chase rate, and whiff rate. Here's a heatmap breakdown of Falter's four-seamer below. Notice how often the pitch sits in the strike zone and how few whiffs it generates. With a four-seamer, it's more ideal for a pitcher to locate it in the upper edges of the strike zone. Unfortunately, that's just not where Falter's pitch sits against lefties or righties. Against lefties, it tends to be in the lower middle of the strike zone. As a result, it has a 27.3% CSW, which is good, but all those strikes are called, not whiffs. His whiff rate with the four-seamer against lefties is zero. Against righties, he elevates it a little more, but it still sits more in the middle of the zone (though more inside to righties). The whiff rate is a little better at 14.3%, but the CSW is lower at 23.5%. Thus, it's not a great tradeoff for Falter, and his .383 xwOBACON against righties and .436 xwOBACON against lefties with the four-seamer illustrates that it's just not an effective offering overall. To be successful, Falter needs to be a pitcher who can command the four-seamer effectively. That isn't happening, and it doesn't seem like it's going to turn around anytime soon either. What's the Next Move? The Royals don't have a lot of options right now on the 40-man roster to straight-up replace Falter. Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic are still on the IL, and their return timetable is unknown. Furthermore, the pitching options for guys who can go multiple innings in Omaha are thin, with Mitch Spence having the most MLB experience. If the Royals are looking for another option who can go multiple innings and is a lefty, Ryan Ramsey could be an option. The 25-year-old former 13th-round pick doesn't have great stuff, and his ERA and FIP are high. However, he generates groundballs well and could be crafty in a reliever role, much like Sam Long, who made the transition from spot starter to reliever. The best option to replace Falter may be Beck Way, who needs to be added to the 40-man roster to make his Royals debut. Way was acquired from the Yankees in 2022 in the Andrew Benintendi trade, along with Chandler Champlain and T.J. Sikkema. Only Way remains in the Royals organization, but rightfully so, as Way has demonstrated a strong ability to generate whiffs and strikeouts in Omaha, something that evaded him a year ago. In 29.1 IP, Way has a 3.68 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, 2.91 FIP, 32.8% K%, and 24.6% K-BB%. He also demonstrates excellent TJ Stuff+, whiff, and xwOBACON metrics, according to TJ Stats. Now 11 games under .500 and June about to be here next week, the Royals need to start thinking long-term with their roster, especially the bullpen. Kansas City's bullpen ranks 24th in ERA, 26th in WHIP, and 27th in BB/9. Thus, they need to find pitchers who can not just help those meager stat lines, but also provide upside beyond this season as well. Way certainly can do that, and since he's Rule 5 eligible, he likely will be swooped up in the December draft if he's not added to the Royals' 40-man roster soon. At this point, the Royals don't have anything to lose by replacing Falter with Way on the 40-man roster. View full article