Michael Coyle

Image courtesy of © David Dermer-Imagn Images Major League Baseball’s regular season is well underway; after months of waiting, fans can now watch their favorite teams' games count in the standings. The Kansas City Royals have got off to a sluggish start, sitting 5-7 in an American League Central Division that appears to be up for grabs. Just like spring training, but now with statistics that count, let’s take a look at who is off to a hot start and who is still looking to find their stride. Who's Hot? 🔥 Michael Wacha Wacha has looked brilliant to open the 2026 campaign. In two starts, Wacha is 1-0 with an ERA of 0.69 and a WHIP of 0.77. The veteran right-hander has struck out 10 batters across 13 innings, turning in two quality starts, first against the Atlanta Braves, then against division rival the Cleveland Guardians. In Wacha’s last start on Monday against the Guardians, the 34-year-old went seven innings, allowing only one run on three hits, striking out three and walking three. Wacha’s lone blemish of the night was a third-inning, solo home run allowed to Steven Kwan. The Royals’ rotation has a chance to be one of the best in the A.L., and Wacha has done his part in getting the group off to a strong start. Going into Cleveland for a divisional matchup is always a difficult task, but Wacha did his job to take the first of 13 meetings between the two clubs. Carter Jensen The Royals’ offense really needs Jensen’s bat to be a force in 2026. After hitting three home runs across 60 at-bats last season, Jensen has already matched that total through his first 26 at-bats during the 2026 campaign. Through 11 games this season, Jensen is batting .226 with three home runs and six RBIs. The left-handed batting catcher blasted home runs in back-to-back games to open the series against the Guardians, breaking a tie with his home runs on both occasions. Jensen’s underlying numbers back up his strong start, finding himself in the 96th percentile with an average exit velocity of 94.6 and 86th percentile for hard-hit %. Jensen’s three home runs are currently good for the team lead on the Royals through the club's first 12 games. Nick Mears After struggling through much of spring training, Mears has opened the regular season with five shutout appearances. In five innings, Mears has picked up one hold and struck out five batters, looking like the pitcher they hoped they were acquiring in an offseason trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. In the five appearances, Mears has allowed two hits and two walks, giving himself a WHIP of 0.80 in the season’s early weeks, while also holding opposing batters to an average of .133. As a few of the other Royals relievers struggle to find their footing in April, Mears has given the bullpen a boost through the opening two and a half weeks. Who's Not? 🧊 John Schreiber Schreiber had a difficult spring training, and it appears those struggles have carried over into the early portion of the regular season. In five games, Schreiber has gone 0-1 with a 6.23 ERA and a 2.31 WHIP. The right-hander has allowed five hits and five walks in his 4 ⅓ innings, struggling with command, one of the strengths in Schreiber’s game from a season ago. Last year, Schreiber appeared in a team-high 74 games, pitching to a record of 3-3 with a 3.80 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP, and walking only 19 batters in his 64 innings. It’s still very early, and relievers only need a few outings to get back on track, but Schreiber’s FIP of 8.43 is a concerning development for the 32-year-old Schreiber, who has a career FIP of 3.63 and is being counted on for high-leverage innings out of the bullpen. Lane Thomas Thomas, who was signed by the Royals during the offseason to a one-year, $5.25 million contract, has struggled to find his footing in the early portion of the 2026 campaign with his new club. Through nine games, Thomas is batting .105 with a .292 OBP, recording only two hits and one RBI across 17 at-bats. The Royals’ offense could really use Thomas to become a consistent power threat in their lineup as the club hunts for a better offense than the one showcased in 2025. With a divisional matchup with the Chicago White Sox slated to begin on Thursday, Thomas has the opportunity to face Anthony Kay, Davis Martin, and Erick Fedde in the first three games, all pitchers who have career ERAs over 4.00, which could help get the 30-year-old back on track. Salvador Perez Perez has struggled out of the gate, turning in a slash line of .156/.224/.333 through 12 games played. The 35-year-old catcher has recorded seven hits across 45 at-bats, blasting two home runs and two RBIs. The most recent series in Cleveland was a struggle for the Royals captain. The nine-time All-Star failed to record a hit over 11 at-bats. The one bright spot so far in 2026 has been Perez’s limited strikeouts, as the catcher finds himself in the top six percent of MLB with an 11.1 strikeout percentage. Perez has been such a consistent force in the Royals’ lineup for his whole career, and the Royals are banking on him putting together another strong year as they look to return to playoff baseball. View full article

Image courtesy of © Denny Medley-Imagn Images Major League Baseball games are right around the corner. A week today, the games will count, the statistics will count, and the Kansas City Royals’ quest to return to postseason baseball will begin in Atlanta. Now is the time when fans want to see their players get into a groove and look ready to face MLB-caliber pitching. As always, these spring training statistics don’t matter, but here is one of the final looks at the hot and cold performers in Royals camp. Who’s Hot? 🔥 Bailey Falter Acquired at last year's trade deadline from the Pittsburgh Pirates, Falter struggled to find his footing in a Royals uniform. After turning in a 7-5 record with a 3.73 ERA and 1.18 in Pittsburgh over 22 starts, the wheels fell off following the trade. In four appearances (two starts), Falter went 0-2 with an ERA of 11.25 and a WHIP of 2.25. Opponents hit .370, and Falter walked seven batters across 12 innings. With a clean slate this spring, Falter has been up-and-down, but the left-hander’s last outing gave belief that Falter could have a role on this team when camp breaks next week. Falter threw three shutout innings, allowing no hits, no walks, and striking out five. With Mason Black and Ryan Bergert being optioned to Omaha earlier this week, the door has opened for Falter to claim a long relief role in the Royals’ bullpen. If injuries do strike, Falter has put himself in a position to be an option to fill a role, based on his career ERA of 4.58. Daniel Lynch IV Lynch IV continues to build on a strong 2025 campaign this spring. Through seven spring outings, Lynch IV has pitched to a record of 1-0, an ERA of 2.35 and a WHIP of 1.17. In the left-hander’s most recent outing, Lynch IV struck out the side, requiring only 16 pitches to set the Rangers aside. Last season, Lynch IV went 6-2 with an ERA of 3.06 and a WHIP of 1.36 over 57 outings. With the trade of fellow left-hander Ángel Zerpa during the winter, Lynch IV could be in line for more opportunities to continue to grow as a left-hander coming out of the Royals’ bullpen. Kyle Isbel Isbel got hot at the right time. After struggling through the earlier portions of camp, Isbel is making sure he finishes strong. Over his last three games, Isbel is 5-for-8, with one double, one triple, two RBIs, and one walk. Isbel’s spring slash line now sits at .276/.382/.379, while also chipping in two steals. If Isbel can provide this level of offense, to go along with his great defense, the Royals would be over the moon about the 29-year-old’s production. Last season, Isbel batted .255 with four home runs and 33 RBI’s, to go along with an OBP of .301. A raised OBP could help allow Isbel to challenge his career high of 11 stolen bases, set back in 2024. Who’s Not? 🧊 Nick Mears Spring training has been a struggle for Mears, who was acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers during the offseason. The 29-year-old has appeared in seven games, posting an ERA of 10.80 and a WHIP of 2.10 across 6 ⅔ innings. Mears has struggled with both giving up hits and control, allowing nine hits and walking five. Last season, Mears was a key piece of the Brewers’ bullpen, going 5-3 with an ERA of 3.49 and a WHIP of 0.97. Opponents struggled to hit off Mears, generating an average of .213, while also only walking 13 in 56 ⅔ innings. With the regular season around the corner, the Royals are going to need Mears to find his stride to be a key piece in what could be a strong Royals bullpen. Noah Cameron Cameron put together a very nice rookie season in 2025. Over 24 starts, Cameron went 9-7, posted an ERA of 2.99 and a WHIP of 1.10, finishing fourth in American League Rookie of the Year voting. This spring, over five games (four starts), Cameron has gone 0-1 with a 6.19 ERA and a 1.75 WHIP. After holding opponents to a .214 average against during his rookie campaign, teams have been able to hit .343 off the left-hander, which is a concerning development. Cameron last pitched against the Cleveland Guardians on March 19, where the lefty went 4 ⅓ innings, allowing four runs on five hits, two home runs, two walks, while also hitting a batter. Having Cameron find his stride as the regular season opens could be one of the biggest storylines for the Royals, who could field one of the stronger rotations in MLB in 2026. Isaac Collins Collins, like Mears, was also acquired from the Brewers in the trade that sent Zerpa to Milwaukee. After batting .263 with nine home runs and 63 RBI’s and a .368 OBP with the Brewers last year, Collins has struggled to find his footing in his new home this spring. Through 21 at-bats this spring, Collins has batted .095 and posted an OBP of .174. The Royals’ outfield struggled to produce last season, so the acquisition of Collins was hoped to fill a hole that had persisted for much of the 2025 campaign. With four spring training games remaining on the exhibition schedule, players will want to start seeing results as the statistics begin to count in a week's time. View full article

Image courtesy of © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images The clock continues to tick on Spring training as Major League Baseball’s open day sits two weeks away. The players are in their routines, teams are making decisions, and it’s just about time for the games to start counting. While statistics in the spring don’t mean a lot, it is still nice to see players finding their groove as the season fast approaches. Who’s Hot? 🔥 Jonathan India Having India be a key piece in the Royals’ lineup could help push this team back to playoff baseball. Through 17 at-bats, India has posted an average of .294, with one home run and three RBI’s. The former Rookie of the Year’s offensive production has really heated up as of late, going 5-for-11 over his last five games. The utility player has also posted four walks and zero strikeouts, showcasing an ability to put the ball in play. Last season, India underwhelmed, batting .233, with nine home runs and 45 RBI’s after being acquired from the Cincinnati Reds. Signed to a one-year, $8 million contract to avoid arbitration in the offseason, India looks for better results in year two with the Royals. Mason Black Acquired in November in a trade with the San Francisco Giants, Black has impressed in Royals camp so far. In six appearances, the right-hander has yet to allow a run, throwing eight shutout innings, recording eight strikeouts and three walks. Black has pitched in 10 games across two seasons with the Giants, posting a record of 1-5, a 6.47 ERA, and a WHIP of 1.64. The 28-year-old has worked in the rotation and out of the bullpen, giving the Royals an option for length or spot starts should injuries arise. Helcris Olivárez The 25-year-old has looked good in spring training, making six appearances, totalling a record of 2-0, an ERA of 1.50, and a WHIP of 1.17. Olivárez’s last three outings have all been scoreless, striking out four batters over the three innings. Invited to Royals’ camp as a non-roster invitee, Olivárez is looking to make his MLB debut after spring training stops in Colorado, Boston, and San Francisco. Olivárez has absolutely put his name on the map with this stellar spring. Who’s Not? 🧊 Brandon Drury Drury was signed to a minor league contract in February, but has slumped through large parts of the spring. Through 22 at-bats, Drury has batted .182, totalling only four singles and two RBI’s. The 33-year-old has struck out eight times, failing to make consistent contact. After spending all of the 2025 season in the minor leagues, split between the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Angels organizations, Drury appears poised to return there in 2026. In 53 AAA games last year, Drury batted .214, with three home runs and 17 RBI’s. Kyle Isbel One of the Royals’ outfielders vying for playing time in 2026, Isbel has slumped through the majority of the spring. In 21 at-bats, Isbel has batted .143, with no home runs and only two RBI’s. All three hits this spring have been singles for the 29-year-old. Last season, Isbel appeared in 135 games, batting .255 with four home runs and 33 RBI’s, while also chipping in four stolen bases. With the additions of Lane Thomas, Isaac Collins, and Starling Marte, the Royals’ outfield picture is getting crowded, and Isbel’s struggles are not helping his case. John Rave Rave, like Isbel, is a struggling outfielder in a crowded Royals outfield picture. Through 26 spring training at-bats, Rave has batted .154, with only one RBI. With an OBP of .241, Rave appears destined to begin the season in Omaha. Last season, Rave made his big league debut, appearing in 72 games with the Royals, batting .196, with four home runs, 14 RBIs, and recording seven stolen bases. A left-handed bat, Rave figures to see playing time if a few of the other lefties go down throughout the season. View full article

Image courtesy of © Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images The excitement is building for baseball fans. As the calendar hits the first Friday in March, the Kansas City Royals are only three weeks away from opening day in Atlanta. As always, spring training statistics don’t mean a lot in the big picture, but with the countdown until the regular season begins, players will be getting close to wanting to find their groove before camps break at the end of March. Who’s Hot? 🔥 Carter Jensen Jensen continues to show why he is ready to be a full-time Major League Baseball player. After appearing in 20 games last season, where the catcher batted .300 with three home runs and 13 RBI’s, Jensen has followed that up with a .400 average through his first 15 spring training at-bats. With two home runs and five RBI’s this spring, Jensen is making a case to become a middle-of-the-lineup bat, which would be a great boost to the Royals’ lineup after last season’s offensive struggles. Ryan Bergert Bergert made his third appearance of the spring on Tuesday, pitching two shutout innings against Team Cuba. Through six spring training innings, Bergert has yet to allow a run, allowing two hits, one walk, and striking out six. Bergert remains in the mix to earn a spot on the Royals’ opening day roster, especially with the injury to Stephen Kolek. After posting an ERA of 3.66 and holding opposing batters to a .215 average last season, Bergert is setting himself up to be a strong option for the Royals. Lucas Erceg Erceg made his first appearance of the spring on Tuesday, recording a scoreless inning with one strikeout. A major factor in the Royals’ bullpen last season, Erceg will be tasked with helping set up for closer Carlos Estévez. Last season, Erceg went 8-4 with an ERA of 2.64 and a WHIP of 1.17 across 61 ⅓ innings. Erceg will look to strikeout more batters in 2026 after recording only 48 last year. Who’s Not? 🧊 Cole Ragans Ragans was roughed up by the Texas Rangers on Thursday night, allowing six earned runs over 1 ⅔ innings. The left-hander allowed one home run, one walk, and hit one batter, requiring 52 pitches to get through his outing. Ragans likely has three more outings prior to opening day, giving him a chance to get right before the 2026 season kicks off. The likely candidate to be named the Royals’ opening day starter, the main concern is a healthy spring after last year’s injury troubles. Kevin Newman Signed to a minor league contract in December, Newman has struggled across 18 at-bats. Newman has hit .211, with zero home runs and no RBI’s. In 114 at-bats, last season with the Los Angeles Angels, Newman hit .202 with two home runs and 11 RBI’s. After recording an on-base percentage of .209, Newman is on the outside looking in at a big league spot. John Schreiber Schreiber was hit hard by the Rangers on Thursday night, giving up five hits in one inning of work. The right-hander allowed four runs, while walking one and striking out one. Facing many of the Rangers’ regulars, Schreiber allowed four straight hits to Corey Seager, Jake Burger, Kyle Higashioka, and Josh Smith. Last season, Schreiber appeared in a team-high 74 games, going 3-3 with an ERA of 3.80 and a WHIP of 1.19. The 32-year-old will be a big part of the Royals’ bullpen in 2026. View full article

Image courtesy of © Peter Aiken-Imagn Images The Kansas City Royals are now a week into spring training, posting a record of 2-3. While statistics and records don’t mean much in February, it is still nice to see players put together strong springs in anticipation of the regular season. With only six games played, the sample size is still relatively small as we look into who is off to a strong or not-so-strong start in spring training. Who’s Hot? 🔥 Seth Lugo: Lugo fired two scoreless innings on Monday against the Chicago Cubs. Over the two innings, Lugo allowed two hits, while walking none and striking out one. The 36-year-old faced the minimum over his two innings, needing 27 pitches to get through the two frames. Lugo was able to retire 2025 and Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong on three pitches to open the game with a ground out to first base. Lugo missed time last year with two trips to the injured list, making 26 starts, a step back from the 33 during his All-Star season in 2024. With a veteran pitcher like Lugo, health is the main concern, so seeing the right-hander get through two clean innings is a good start to the spring, especially with Lugo participating in the World Baseball Classic. Bobby Witt Jr.: Witt Jr. impresses each year. Through four games in the spring, Witt Jr. has batted .364, with a double and a triple. The double came on Wednesday when facing Seattle Mariners ace Bryan Woo. Having an exit velocity of 99.8, Witt Jr. gave center fielder Víctor Robles no opportunity to make a play. Seeing Witt Jr. look sharp prior to the WBC is a welcome sight for Royals fans. If the Royals want to return to postseason baseball, Witt Jr. is going to be the driving force of this team. Noah Cameron: Cameron made his first start of the spring on Wednesday against the Mariners, pitching two shutout innings, allowing one hit and one walk, while striking out two. The left-hander required 36 pitches to get through the two frames. Cameron struck out Robles and induced a weak ground ball off the bat of Josh Naylor, looking good against MLB-caliber players as Cameron tries to recapture the success he showed in his rookie season. Who’s Not? 🧊 Jonathan India: 2026 is a big year for India. After struggling during his first season with the Royals, India was re-signed on a one-year, $8 million contract. India will be a free agent at season's end and is looking for fortunes closer to what he showed during his rookie season. Through three spring training games, India is hitless through five at-bats, while recording one walk. Like I mentioned to open the piece, spring training statistics are often a moot point, but I’m sure many Royals fans would feel more comfortable if India can see some success before the year begins. José Cuas: Cuas has pitched in three games this spring, totalling three innings. In the three outings, Cuas has allowed three hits, four runs, two home runs, and one walk, pitching to an ERA of 12.00. With opponents hitting .250 off the right-hander and a deep Royals pitching staff, Cuas doesn’t appear to be working his way onto the Royals’ roster. Lane Thomas: Through seven at-bats, Thomas has recorded only one hit, while striking out four times. A season after batting .160, the Royals need Thomas to provide a steady production of offense from one of the outfield positions. While it’s still way too early to get upset, similar to India’s situation, Royals fans want to see Thomas’ production get closer to the version of the 2023 season where Thomas blasted 28 home runs. View full article

Image courtesy of © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images As spring training gets underway, the Kansas City Royals have made an addition to the club's pitching depth, a day after pitchers and catchers reported to open camp. The Royals acquired right-hander Mitch Spence from the Athletics in exchange for minor league right-hander A.J. Causey. Spence, a former 10th-round pick by the New York Yankees in 2019, was taken first overall by the then-Oakland Athletics during the 2023 Major League Baseball Rule 5 Draft. Spence spent the past two seasons in the Athletics’ organization, pitching to a record of 11-16, 4.77 ERA, 4.53 FIP, 1.40 WHIP, across 67 games and 236 career innings. Over the two years, Spence has shown an ability to be used both as a starting pitcher and in a relief role. Last season, Spence appeared in 32 games, with eight of those being starts, and went 3-6, with a 5.10 ERA, an identical 5.10 FIP, and 1.44 WHIP in 84 ⅔ innings. Spence’s hits allowed, home runs allowed, and walk rates all jumped from his rookie year, where Spence went 8-10 with a 4.58 ERA, a slightly better FIP of 4.21, and a WHIP of 1.38. The Royals’ rotation will likely consist of Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Noah Cameron, and Kris Bubic. Spence will likely slot into the depth group with Bailey Falter, Stephen Kolek, and Ryan Bergert as options in case injuries strike. As many Royals fans know, 2025 saw significant injuries to both Ragans and Bubic, so depth is vital across an 162 game season. Spence’s ability to pitch in multi-running roles could allow the 27-year-old to be called up when injuries strike, when the team is playing through a long stretch without a day off, or to help limit some innings on a taxed bullpen. Heading to the Athletics is Causey, who reached as high as Double-A last season with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals. Used solely as a reliever across both Single-A and Double-A, Causey appeared in 48 games, across 73 ⅓ innings, pitching to a 11-5 record, 1.72 ERA, and 0.90 WHIP, holding opposing batters to a .186 average against. The 23-year-old is a former fifth-round selection of the Royals during the 2024 MLB draft. The Royals begin their season in Atlanta on Friday, March 27, at 7:15 p.m. EST. View full article

Image courtesy of © Denny Medley-Imagn Images Team United States of America’s official roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic is in, and Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha will be a part of the team. The announcement of Wacha’s addition will mean that Team USA will have both Wacha and Bobby Witt Jr. from the Royals. Wacha becomes the eighth Royal to be named to the WBC, joining Witt Jr., Salvador Perez, Maikel Garcia, Vinnie Pasquantino, Jac Caglianone, Seth Lugo, and Carlos Estévez. Wacha is entering his third season with the Royals in 2026. Last season, the right-hander started 31 games, pitching to a record of 10-13, an earned run average of 3.86, and a WHIP of 1.22. Wacha led the Royals pitchers in innings with 172 ⅔ in 2025. Signed to a three-year extension worth $51 million in November of 2024 with a club option for 2028, Wacha has posted a 23-21 record, 3.61 ERA, and 1.20 WHIP in 60 starts in the 34-year-old’s two seasons with the club. Wacha will hope to help the USA bounce back from the 2023 WBC, in which they fell to Japan in the championship game, 3-2. Wacha is a USA Baseball alumnus, as he was a member of the 2011 USA Baseball Collegiate National Team. A 13-year MLB veteran, Wacha has a career record of 111-75, an ERA of 3.89, and a WHIP of 1.27 across 309 games in his career. Team USA kicks off its tournament on Friday, March 6th, in Houston, Texas, against Brazil. View full article

Image courtesy of © Sam Navarro-Imagn Images As Major League Baseball teams prepare to enter spring training, a new season will be on their minds, but for many players, the season kicks off in early March with the 2026 rendition of the World Baseball Classic. The tournament will begin on March 5th and wrap up on March 17th before the regular season kicks off for the Kansas City Royals on March 27th in Atlanta. Seven Royals players have been selected for the 2026 WBC: Bobby Witt Jr., Salvador Perez, Maikel Garcia, Vinnie Pasquantino, Jac Caglianone, Seth Lugo, and Carlos Estévez. Team United States of America Witt Jr. will be appearing in his second straight WBC, after debuting in 2023 when the USA fell to Japan 3-2 in the finals. Witt Jr. went 1-for-2 in the 2023 tournament at the age of 22 years old. This time, Witt Jr. is expected to take on a bigger role as one of the faces of MLB. “It’s an honor, and the last time we did it, we fell a little short,” Witt Jr. said. “So I just wanted to help the team win gold and help the country win gold.” Witt Jr. is coming off a season that saw the shortstop bat .295 with 23 home runs, 88 runs batted in, and 38 steals. A career .290 hitter, with an on-base percentage of .340, Witt Jr has the chance to be an integral piece of bringing a championship to the USA’s side. Team Venezuela Both Perez and Garcia will be representing Venezuela when they square off with the Netherlands on March 6th in Miami. 2026 will be Perez’s fourth WBC, and he was named captain of Venezuela. In 2023, Venezuela lost 9-7 to the USA in the quarterfinals. Perez batted .429 with one home run and six RBIs in 2023, earning himself a nod to the All-WBC team. Last season, Perez batted .236 with 30 home runs and 100 RBIs. Garcia will be representing Venezuela for the first time at the WBC, after a strong 2025 season that saw the third baseman bat .286 with 16 home runs, 74 RBIs, .351 OBP, and 23 steals. The 25-year-old won his first Gold Glove in 2025 and was nominated for a Silver Slugger at the utility position. In December, the Royals and Garcia agreed to a five-year contract worth $57.5 million with a club option for 2030. Team Italy Pasquantino and Caglianone will be joining forces on Team Italy, as they look to build on a strong 2023 WBC, which saw them fall 9-3 in the quarterfinals to the eventual champions, Japan. This will be the second straight tournament for Pasquantino, who was a part of the 2023 team, batting .200 with a .273 OBP across 20 at-bats. Last season, Pasquantino batted .262 with 32 home runs and 113 RBIs, leading the Royals in both home runs and RBIs. The 22-year-old Caglianone will be making his WBC debut in 2026, after debuting in MLB in 2025. Last season, Caglianone batted .157 with seven home runs and 18 RBIs in 62 games. Team Puerto Rico Lugo will be making his second career trip to the WBC in 2026, after pitching for Puerto Rico in 2017. At the 2017 tournament, Lugo appeared in three games, going 2-1 with a 4.20 ERA. Lugo recorded 12 strikeouts across 15 innings, including seven strikeouts in the Gold Medal game against the USA. Lugo was charged with the loss after allowing four runs across four innings, in an eventual 8-0 USA win. Last season, Lugo pitched in 26 games, posting a record of 8-7, an ERA of 4.15, and a WHIP of 1.29 across 145 ⅓ innings. The 36-year-old dealt with two separate trips to the injured list, so the Royals will want to make sure his health is 100% before leaving for the tournament. Team Dominican Republic After a 2025 season that saw Estévez lead MLB with 42 saves, the 33-year-old will be returning to the Dominican Republic team, looking for better results than 2023, a tournament that saw them knocked out in the first round. Dominican Republic finished third in Pool D after going 2-2. In 2025, Estévez went 4-5 with an ERA of 2.45 and a WHIP of 1.06. The Royals’ closer pitched in 67 games, recording 54 strikeouts. View full article