Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports Are the Royals in “win-now” mode? The Royals have surprised many around the league by playing well to begin the year. Already projection systems like ZIPS have revised their predicted win total for the Royals upwards to around .500 due to what looks like an “objectively stronger roster” than it appeared to be a few weeks ago with their playoff odds rising to 25 percent. In a Central Division where no other teams made significant additions, the Royals have a very real chance of hanging around in contention for a few months and possibly even making a post-season ..read more

Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images How much longer will CJ Alexander be in Omaha? This Week in the Minors’ is our weekly look at notable performances from all over the system, from big-name prospects and less-heralded guys alike. The mission is to answer this simple question: “Who had a good week?” This Week in the Minors: Tuesday, April 30 to Sunday, May 5 AAA Omaha Storm Chasers (19-11, 1st Place, International League West) The Storm Chasers had four straight games postponed late last week. The first game of this week’s slate was also postponed on Tuesday and made up as part of a doubl ..read more

Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images Were the Royals interested in trading for Luis Arraez? The Royals had some interest in trading for Luis Arraez, reports Ken Rosenthal. At least one other team, the Kansas City Royals, was in contact with the Marlins about Arraez last week, according to major-league sources who were granted anonymity for their candor. Those talks, however, never advanced beyond the preliminary stage. The Padres’ pursuit of Arraez dated to the offseason (the Seattle Mariners also restated their longstanding interest then). In the end, Bendix determined he could not “walk past ..read more

Cole Ragans of the Kansas City Royals slides into second for a steal past Willy Adames #27 of the Milwaukee Brewers in the first inning at Kauffman Stadium on May 06, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. | Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images With some help from a few errors along the way Last year, the Royals posted a five-game losing streak by May 6. They did so in 2022 as well. And in 2021. In 2020, the Royals lost five straight before their first month of play. In 2019, they lost five in a row by May 6—on two separate occasions, no less. They did it twice in 2018, too. Kansas City also lost five or mo ..read more

Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images This is the youngest lineup in baseball The Brewers play in the smallest market in baseball, and yet have avoided the valleys of losing the Royals have experienced. The franchise has lost 100+ games in a season just once - in 2002 - and hasn’t had a losing record in a 162-game season since 2016. On the other hand, they have only won one pennant in over 50 years and are still looking for their first title. Milwaukee Brewers (20-13) vs. Kansas City Royals (20-15) at Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO Brewers: 5.00 runs scored/game (6th in MLB), 4.36 runs allowed ..read more

Photo by Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images The veteran could boost the lineup. The Royals have gotten off to a good start, but the season is long, and there are cracks in the edifice. The Royals are scoring 4.60 runs-per-game, good for 14th-best in baseball, but the production has been inconsistent. In 16 of their 35 games, the Royals have scored three runs or less. The offensive deficiencies have been enough for my colleagues to write articles about how the Royals have a hitting problem, how the offense is in a precarious place, and how the team needs reinforcements. While calling ..read more

Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images Catch the Royals! Jaylon Thompson writes about a promising start from Daniel Lynch IV. Lynch indeed settled in. He displayed the renewed slider that was a point of emphasis in Triple-A. The pitch registered six swings and four whiffs, per Baseball Savant. “I thought it was way better than it has been in the past,” Lynch said of his slider. “I still have some work to do with that, but I think it’s on the right track.” But the Royals let the game slip away on Sunday. “It’s a tough loss,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “Had a 2-0 lead going to the eighth and ..read more

Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) slides into third safely against the Texas Rangers after hitting a triple in the first inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley | Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports Nathaniel Lowe strikes again for Texas There will be a temptation to blame this game on James McArthur. After all, he gave up two runs (one earned) in two innings, blowing his first save of the season. There will be a temptation to blame this one on manager Matt Quatraro for having Dairon Blanco pinch run for Vinnie Pasquantino in the eighth inning. Blanco didn’t score an ..read more

Daniel Lynch IV #41 of the Kansas City Royals poses for a portrait during photo day at Surprise Stadium on February 22, 2024 in Surprise, Arizona. | Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images Daniel Lynch IV gets a shot at leading the Royals to their second rubber match victory of the season Fresh off of beating the Toronto Blue Jays to win their first previously split series of the season, the Royals are facing another opportunity to achieve the feat against the Texas Rangers, today, after the teams exchanged crushing defeats in the first two matchups. Last year’s World Series winner has not be ..read more

Salvador Perez #13 of the Kansas City Royals throws to first base during the fifth inning against the Texas Rangers at Kauffman Stadium on May 4, 2024 in Kansas City, Missouri. | Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images This was not a good night for Royals pitchers Well, the Royals couldn’t go the entire season without being blown out. It still only counts as one loss and they still have a chance to win the series tomorrow afternoon. Sort of. But we’ll get to that. Michael Wacha had been quietly pitching very poorly before tonight. He had allowed 13 runs over 22 innings in his previous four start ..read more