The Royals released Asa Lacy yesterday.
Lacy, the No. 4 overall pick in the 2020 Draft, came to the Kansas City organization as a highly touted left-handed pitcher from Texas A&M who, on stuff alone, showed the potential of a frontline starter. The Royals gave him a $6.67 million signing bonus, a franchise record for a drafted pitcher. He was ranked as high as No. 30 on MLB Pipeline’s Top 100 Prospects list in 2021, his first full season in professional baseball.
But Lacy never found the command to
allow him to take a step forward in his early seasons, and then injuries took over, including a lat/shoulder injury in 2021, a back injury in ‘22 and ‘23 and two Tommy John surgeries — one in the offseason after the ‘23 season and one in ‘25. He’s still rehabbing from the second one.
Jaylon Thompson writes about Jonathan India hitting the Injured List.
The Royals are hopeful India isn’t sidelined long-term. For now, he will meet with team doctors to determine the severity of the injury. “It’s a chronic shoulder issue that he’s had,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “You know, it just wasn’t getting better this year. He aggravated it a few times on dives. And it’s loose. It’s something he’s gonna have to get checked out and see if we can help him get through it.”
Sam McDowell writes about the examples the Royals are looking to in these dark times. (Woof)
The 1914 World Series champion sat 14 games under .500 in early July. The Braves — and this is so long ago that they played their home games in Boston — were baseball’s laughingstock, 11 straight losing seasons and barreling toward another before they suddenly and stunningly won 68 of their final 87 games to earn a spot in the World Series.
Caleb Moody at Kings of Kauffman writes about Nick Loftin’s role as he was called up to take India’s spot.
As someone who can play all around the infield and the corner outfield, there’s no shortage of places Loftin could make his mark in this lineup. In fact, as it stands right now, there’s plenty of places he can occupy that the Royals don’t fair well in in comparison to the rest of the league.
We’ve established that Loftin could make a difference at second base, but he could make his mark in the outfield, with Caglianone, Isaac Collins, Lane Thomas and Starling Marte all performing under par.
The Blue Jays had to take a bus from Phoenix to SoCal after mechanical issues with their plane prevented air travel.
Brendan Donovan hits the injured list.
Edwin Díaz will be out several months with loose bodies in his elbow.
Could Mason Miller win the Cy Young?
FanGraphs put out a simulator.
The NFL Draft is this week. Here’s one of many mock drafts. Thursday night is the draft.
Chiefs coach Andy Reid talks about establishing the run.
Free agent QB Jimmy Garoppolo is considering retirement.
The Dallas Cowboys gave kicker Brandon Aubrey a boatload of money.
San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama won the defensive player of the year award unanimously, which was a first.
AppleTV show Schmigadoon! is now a Broadway musical also called Schmigadoon!. My wife loved the TV show.
Your song of the day is the cast of Ragtime with New Music.
