In one week, the Royals will play their final Cactus League game of 2026. In two weeks, the Royals will be preparing to play their second game of the season. If we can hang on just a little bit longer, we can make it all the way to Regular Season 2026 Baseball! But until then, the Royals have another lackluster Spring game to play against the Athletics. Here is your lineup:
I count one guy in that lineup who has a real chance of being on the big league roster at the beginning
of the season – Nick Loftin. There are no probable starters. Carson Roccaforte is there, but he’s likely ticketed for AA to start the season and wouldn’t be promoted until late in the year. Elias Díaz has had a very interesting spring after Luke Maile had to back out of his RSVP to Royals camp, but I just don’t think the Royals will carry a third catcher to start the year, and I don’t know if he’ll be willing to play in Omaha until they need him.
The most exciting member of this group is probably the starting pitcher, Ryan Bergert. Bergert is also likely to start the year in the minors, but he and Noah Cameron have made it interesting for the final rotation spot even if it’s almost certainly not been interesting enough to cost the local kid his job. Cameron’s velocity and whiffs are still a bit down from last season, but they’re close enough to normal to think he’s probably fine. Add in that he mentioned during a mid-game interview yesterday that the coaching staff had specifically asked him to ramp up a bit slower this year, and everything seems fine. Still, Bergert’s stuff, chases, and whiffs have all been well above average this spring. He might not make the opening day roster, but we’ll definitely see him make multiple starts throughout the season.
After Bergert, the Royals plan to use Daniel Lynch IV, Nick Mears, Jose Cuas, and Hunter Patteson. Mears has a bullpen job all but locked up and Lynch likely has a bead on another. Cuas seemed like a sentimental reunion signing, but his stuff looks significantly better now than when the Royals last saw him so perhaps there’s a future for him with this team, yet. Patteson is ticketed for the minors.
Andrew Pérez and Ben Sears were also included on the roster and we might see them if anyone struggles over-much.
As for me? I’ll probably be watching Vinnie Pasquantino and Jac Caglianone take on Seth Lugo in the World Baseball Classic. Today’s contests seem likely to be quite a bit more competitive than the unfortunate Dominican Republic vs Korea match from yesterday.
