The Kansas City Royals’ plan for playing slugger Jac Caglianone has been a point of frustration for Royals fans. The Kansas City Star provided insights into the team’s methodology.
But Quatraro and general manager J.J. Picollo see his playing time as part of a broader and more intricate matrix. And you can’t say their thinking isn’t reasonable and measured — even if you’d rather they not douse the buzz that way. Partly, it’s about their view of Caglianone as a work in progress. Partly it’s about Quatraro’s
desire to keep the bench sharp when called upon. And, most of all, it’s about what they believe creates the best chance to win on any given day. Trying to usher along Caglianone and simultaneously seeking to seize the day don’t have to be mutually exclusive, of course — a topic in itself for another time. But it’s also true that the Royals haven’t exactly muzzled Caglianone, who on Monday at Kauffman Stadium started for the 37th time in 48 games this season, and whom Quatraro noted is on pace for 500-plus plate appearances. When I put that point to Picollo, he said “Actually, I’ll correct you: He’s on pace for a little bit more than that.”
Royals second baseman Michael Massey talks about a close play at the plate against the Boston Red Sox on Monday.
“That was a tough one,” Massey acknowledged. “I actually just went and looked at the play with Duper (replay coordinator Bill Duplissea), and I was running and I had the lane toward the catcher, which is where I was going to go, and then the throw — he did a good job as a catcher, he followed the rule and he gave me the lane — the throw led him in there, so he was allowed to kind of cover the plate to go get the ball. “But it was last second, so he kind of covered the lane I was going for, and then I either had two options. Either I truck him or dodge to the left and try to score, and in that split second. I just tried to make a juke move, and get my hand in there. But yeah, you know, so it was a legal play by him and just a tough break.”
Don’t worry, the Royals know they have issues in the middle of the lineup. Now, only if they would do something about it.
But the biggest talking point surrounding the Royals this season is the lack of production from the middle of the order. Vinnie Pasquantino has a .198/.279/.331 slash line this year, while Salvador Perez has a .201/.244/.346 line. No one in the American League has more plate appearances (54) with runners in scoring position than Pasquantino; his .434 OPS in those situations are fourth-worst in the AL among qualified players.
“Let’s face it: We’ve got our No. 3 and 4 hitters that are struggling right now,” general manager J.J. Picollo said pregame Monday. “They know how valuable they are to the team. What we have to keep reminding them is how important to the team [they are]. Just because you’ve had a tough start doesn’t mean that’s how you’re going to finish.
“… We have a lot of history to lean on with those two. We know that they’re run producers. And they will be run producers. It’s just a matter of when, and that’s why we need to keep running them out there, because they’ve done it before at this level.”
Kansas City catcher Salvador Perez and home plate umpire Laz Diaz had some fun on Monday after Perez successfully challenged two of Diaz’s calls.
— Foul Territory (@bsbls885) May 19, 2026
ConnectKC26, the bus system in Kansas City for the 2026 FIFA World Cup, is coming to Kauffman Stadium.
What can the Royals do about their road woes, according to Royals Keep?
So where do the Royals go from here? There are a few options that the Royals could go with. The first, and the one that seems the most likely, is to keep things where they are and just trust that the players you have now will improve over the course of the season. This plan has a better chance of not working than working, but the roster is what it is, and the fans will have to put up with it for the foreseeable future.
Another option is to make some moves at the deadline. JJ Piccolo can use some of the pitching depth he has at his disposal and trade it for a reliable bat who excels in driving in runs or more bullpen arms. The third, and most drastic option, is to blow it all up and trade players who could give you the most value (Wacha, Ragans, Witt, Kyle Isbel, etc.) This option would make more sense if the woes for the Royals were to continue, but we’re still in May, so the chances of this happening are slim to none. However, there is a lot of value you could get by making big trades like this. Hopefully, the Royals won’t get to that point and that this team will improve as the season goes on, but only time will tell.
Also, they look at whether Royals outfielder Starling Marte deserves more plate appearances and how he could cut into Issac Collins’ playing time.
I’m not saying Marte should completely replace Collins. However, once a week seems sufficient, especially since Collins can be very hot and cold at times at the plate. He is hitting .130 with a .174 slugging percentage in his last 24 at-bats. The former Brewers outfielder could use a day off, with Marte taking his place in the lineup and in left field.
It’s not a major change, which is what the Royals need, especially with Vinnie and Salvy not looking dramatically better at the plate lately. Kansas City needs an impact hitter, and that likely will have to come through the trade market.
That said, the Royals need all the positive production they can get on their active roster, especially since it’s too early to make a trade.
Quatraro might as well roll the dice and see what else Marte has left in the tank, especially against right-handed starting pitchers.
The Royals check in at 24th in Jim Bowden’s performance ranking, including looking at where the team stands on the trade market.
The Royals have also disappointed this season. They are in the bottom third of the league in team ERA and runs scored. Led by Seth Lugo, Kris Bubic and Michael Wacha, the rotation has been mostly solid, but Cole Ragans has battled injuries and hasn’t gotten back to that 2024 version of himself and Noah Cameron has really struggled. Though Lucas Erceg and Daniel Lynch have been effective in the back-half of the Royals’ bullpen, they’ve been without closer Carlos Estévez for most of the year, which has thinned their depth.
Offensively, they’re led by the best shortstop in the game in Bobby Witt Jr. but the rest of their core — Vinnie Pasquantino, Salvador Perez, Maikel Garcia and Jac Caglianone — have all under-achieved.
Trade deadline position: Wait and see. Like the Tigers, I think the Royals will get back in the race for the AL Central, so there’s no need to panic early with this team. If things go south, they could dangle both Lugo and Wacha at the deadline. If they buy, help at second base, the outfield and bullpen are the three biggest needs.
Kansas City drops to 26th in The Athletic’s latest power rankings.
Wish you were here: World Baseball Classic Vinnie Pasquantino
A lot can happen in 70 days. Back then, Pasquantino was crushing espresso shots and leading Team Italy on a Cinderella run through this year’s World Baseball Classic. His three homers in one game were a WBC first, and he finished with a .970 OPS and more walks (7) than strikeouts (5), giving Royals fans outsized hope that he could carry that production into the season. So much for that. Pasquantino has a 74 wRC+ on the year, with just five homers in 45 games. His batted-ball data is worse than 2025, so he’s not entirely unlucky. Perhaps the Royals should pry back the espresso machine from the winning bidder. — Flores
The Washington Post is asking the same question every Royals fan is, and the organization fails to answer.
The Miami Marlins’ unusual processes are starting to show undeniable results.
ESPN’s Bradford Doolittle takes a temperature check of the ABS system through the early part of 2026.
The Minnesota Twins demoted Royce Lewis, a former top overall pick, to the minors.
The Athletic has some scouting reports on newly promoted players or prospects to keep tabs on.
Hear from the teenage umpire in this viral baseball video.
@desormeaux_97 Umpire handled that well! Took place in Moscow, Idaho and umpires name is Jameson Morris ⚾️ #baseball #umpire #coach #sports #fyp ♬ original sound – Cajun medic
The early season results are not going well for Boston Ted Sox starter Brayan Bello.
The New York Knicks’ playoff run is valuable to the fanbase, but even more so to Madison Square Garden.
Kansas City Chiefs wideout Rashee Rice is heading to jail for violating his probation.
Super Bowl LXIV, the 2030 iteration, is heading to Nashville.
Lance Brozdowski takes a look at pitchers around the league, including San Francisco Giants’ Robbi Ray hitting the dreaded wall.
Nate Silver reflects on ABC’s scrubbing and total loss of FiveThirtyEight.
Congratulations to the Kansas City Monarchs for winning their home opener! If you are looking for more baseball to watch for free, you can watch their games and the whole league’s here.
Texas Roadhouse is about to get even pricier.
The graduation rate in Kansas City Public Schools is on the rise.
Today’s song of the day is Nothing What It Seems by Tyler Nance and Jackson Dean.
