David Lesky performs an autopsy of the Thursday “ultimate grand slam” the Royals gave up to lose to the Twins.
This is the real moment that I believe the “anyone but him” answer is arguably the right one. I said it before. You can’t bring Strahm in to that spot. See if you can blow the doors of Clemens. He’s hitting .140 with a .193 SLG this year on pitches coming in at 96 MPH or harder. Putting in Strahm in this spot doesn’t teach the Royals anything, though the stats indicate it wasn’t a terrible
move with Strahm entering the game having allowed a .235/.264/.353 line with just one home run. But if you’re using the rest of this season to learn what you have and don’t have for 2027, Pearson is the move and not Strahm.
So yeah, I think Quatraro got it wrong. I also don’t know if there’s a right answer. That’s kind of the story of the 2026 season.
Craig Brown breaks down another terrific Noah Cameron performance.
Cameron didn’t get a single called strike on the change, but did get five misses on 15 swings. He alternated with his cutter for the first pitch and got five strikes on six pitches. Add those first pitches (his change and cutter) together and you have 12 first-pitch strikes in 14 at bats.
Getting ahead in the count is key for any pitcher. Cameron is no different, but it’s something he really needs to do to have success. Coming into Thursday’s game, the lefty throttles opposing hitters when jumping ahead with the first strike, allowing a .201/.229/.333 line with an 84 OPS+ if he gets ahead. That means he’s 16 percent better than league average. Conversely, if Cameron throws a ball out of the zone with his first pitch, opposing batters hit .293/.399/.484 with a 117 OPS+. That’s a massive difference in outcomes. It made a difference on Thursday.
You won’t believe this, but a Royals player had a setback recovering from injury. Maikel Garcia has been pulled from his rehab assignment.
Bobby Witt Jr. will return for the next homestand, reports Anne Rogers.
“He’s doing great,” said manager Matt Quatraro. “… We anticipate him playing when we get back home.”
The rationale behind having Witt — who is on the injured list for the first time in his career — get an extra few days of rest even though he was eligible to come off the IL on Friday, was caution.
Kennen Smith at Just Baseball looks at whether the Royals should trade Michael Wacha.
With only a handful of teams significantly out of the playoff race, Kansas City is positioned to be one of the very few true sellers at the deadline. That scarcity could increase demand for available starters and give the Royals an opportunity to command a stronger return for Wacha than they might receive in a more balanced market.
This barren starting pitching market and opportunity to sell high on him is only made more attractive by the reality that Wacha’s timeline may not line up with Kansas City’s any longer.
Despite the Royals’ postseason appearance in 2024, the franchise still appears to be further away from sustained contention than that breakthrough season suggested.
Yirsandy Rodríguez at Royals Keep looks at why Luinder Avila has struggled lately.
But when Ávila falls behind, the entire structure changes. Plate appearances become longer, hitters become more patient, and instead of forcing decisions, Ávila is forced to react to them. The first sign appears in his Chase%. In 2025, he ranked in the 75th percentile. Hitters chased pitches outside the strike zone because his sequencing created enough pressure to make them uncomfortable. In 2026, that number has collapsed to the 19th percentile.
Opponents are no longer chasing. They are controlling the at-bat. That change naturally impacts his ability to miss bats. Ávila’s Whiff% has fallen from the 85th percentile to the 40th. With fewer swings and misses, he is reaching deeper counts and needing more precise execution to finish hitters. That has created the next problem: walks
Royals 2026 first-round pick Zion Rose makes his pro debut.
The Twins acquire starter Dean Kremer from the Orioles and reliever A.J. Minter from the Mets.
The Orioles sign reliever Yennier Cano to a two-year contract extension.
The Astros are interested in Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar.
The Red Sox are open to moving Jarren Duran.
The Giants suspend outfielder Harrison Bader without pay pending an investigation regarding a scooter accident.
The Yankees, Phillies, Rangers, and Guardians are interested in Orioles outfielder Taylor Ward.
The Brewers are willing to take on salary to land Tarik Skubal.
The White Sox are looking for starting pitching.
David Schoenfield of ESPN predicts where top trade candidates will land.
Which executives are under the most pressure at the trade deadline?
UEFA will boycott the World Cup and other tournaments over a proposal to sell a stake to outside investors.
Tony Romo goes on leave after a drunk driving arrest, with J.J. Watt replacing him.
A discarded SpaceX rocket is on a high-speed collision course with the moon.
New York sues Kalshi for being an illegal gambling operation.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day breaks a box office record, making $72 million in early access screenings.
Your song of the day is Jim Croce with I’ve Got a Name.
