To get back to .500, the Royals would have to win about 58 percent of their remaining games. The current list of teams playing at or above that rate includes the Dodgers, Braves, Yankees, Brewers, and Rays. Last season, only four teams finished the year above that level. Can the Royals be a top-five team over the next 90 games? I think the answer is an emphatic no. With injuries to multiple position players, as well as members of the rotation and bullpen, there is no reason to believe this season is going
to get back on track. That means it is time to plan for the future, and there are several things that need to happen to salvage something from 2026.
Decide where these players belong
Vinnie Pasquantino and Jac Caglianone are the two biggest names in this group. I like Matthew’s post on Vinnie, and I think I would go even further. Moving Jac back to first base immediately after Pasquantino went down says to me that the organization does not see him as the right fielder for the next half-decade. He has some range issues and is a large human being, so despite his arm, I think Cags should be viewed as the first baseman of the next contending Royals team. It may be that the Royals see it that way, too. That leads to some not-so-fun discussions about how to handle the fan-favorite cryptid who has been at first base for most of this season.
Next for me are Cole Ragans, Kris Bubic, and Luinder Avila. Do any – or all – of these guys need to end up in the bullpen? I do not know when, or if, Ragans and Bubic will return, but if they do, it might be time to consider their fragility a reason to take them out of the rotation. They know more than I do about each player’s health prospects, but their histories at this point make a reduced workload at least worth considering if it helps keep them on the field and maximize their value.
Avila is a different story. He is still not established, and I think he will eventually end up in the bullpen. For now, though, they have the luxury of using him as a starter for the rest of this season to see if he can figure it out. Let him start until he proves he can’t. Two of his last three trips out there showed some promise, though there are still walk-rate issues. Yesterday certainly pointed to some problems.
John Rave, Kameron Misner, and anyone else in the high minors whom the team thinks deserves a shot need to get one. Lane Thomas and Starling Marte need to spend as much time on the bench as possible. Even if they build some trade value, bench bats do not bring back blue-chip prospects. Rave deserves one more shot. Misner is probably a fourth outfielder at best, but they might as well make sure. Matthew Lugo? Peyton Wilson? Now is the time to give them an audition if there is any chance they could turn into solutions.
Trade deadline prioritization
Trading needs to be about maximizing the return this year, in my opinion, not maximizing the return with regard to 2027. I know they want to compete next year, and the Bobby Witt Jr. clock is ticking. However, the best prospects in the farm system are all in A-ball. Justin Lamkin may be a significant part of the 2027 team, so there might be some help on the way, but not much. The goal should be to restock the farm system at all levels, not just target players on the cusp of reaching the majors.
The Royals have players other teams will want in Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Bubic if healthy, Daniel Lynch IV, John Schreiber, and perhaps a few others. None of those players is likely to bring back a Top 100 prospect, so targeting lower-level players with higher risk and higher ceilings makes more sense this season.
Accountability established
Last season started horribly and was partially salvaged. This season started horribly and has completely flown off the rails. Someone is to blame. They cannot run this entire management team back. This type of evaluation should be happening all the time anyway, but in this case, I do not think you can sell fans on the idea that everyone is doing a great job and should be retained. Some people need to be fired—or reassigned, if the organization still values them.
Alec Zumwalt is the only one who, for me, 100 percent needs to be in a different position. He is five years into running the hitting program with very little to show for it. Bobby Witt Jr. is the only smashing success of his tenure, and I think he would have succeeded anywhere under any hitting coach. I would give Zumwalt the most credit for Maikel Garcia, who is now an everyday player, though he is not even close to last year’s level at the moment. Vinnie has gotten worse over time. Caglianone might be headed in the right direction, but Carter Jensen is not.
Then there is the laundry list of failures, including MJ Melendez, Nick Pratto, Drew Waters, and others. There are other coaches who might need to go as well. I know a lot of you have Matt Quatraro as the head that most needs to roll, but they need to change something, and they need to get it right.
The Royals cannot fix everything in one summer, but they can use the next three months to answer some important questions. If 2026 is going to be a lost season, the least they can do is make sure it is not a wasted one.
