Kansas City Royals news: Salvy 8 away, South Side series

The Royals check in at 20th in The Athletic’s latest power rankings, with one clear reason for hope.

One reason to believe in this team: The veteran pitchers still have it

Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha migrated to Kansas City from San Diego ahead of the 2024 season and spearheaded the Royals’ first trip to the postseason in nine years. The unions were so fruitful that the team eventually signed both pitchers to contract extensions. Lugo and Wacha are in their mid-30s now, but they’re still as productive as ever — and at a critical juncture, with Cole Ragans on the injured list and Noah Cameron enduring a bit of a sophomore slump. Wacha owns a 2.63 ERA, as he’s held hitters to a .188 average. Lugo’s ERA is 3.21, and he has allowed a grand total of one home run in 47 2/3 innings.

The Royals’ closer situation is just a microcosm of a greater trend league-wide, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney.

Estevez won’t throw for three more weeks, and then he’s hoping to start working his way back — and given the volatility of bullpens around the game, it’s possible that he’ll get another chance to close games later this year. “I have hope,” he said. “I’ll be fine. I just have to keep working. I’ll be back, right on time, ready for the playoff hunt.”

With Estevez out, Royals manager Matt Quatraro turned to Lucas Erceg, who has been excellent, stabilizing the Kansas City bullpen and allowing just two hits and no earned runs over his past eight outings; he has compiled 10 saves this season.

The Royals might have found a temporary fix, but the closer roller coaster has been a popular ride throughout Major League Baseball this year.

(Self promotion) The Royals promoted first baseman Brett Squires to Triple-A Omaha hours after I proposed the idea at Kings of Kauffman.

The 2026 version of Squires is doing something more interesting. His .244 ISO is among the better power numbers in the Texas League, and a .538 slugging percentage from a first baseman who went undrafted out of college is not a small thing. His 139 wRC+ sits just six points below Kulasingam’s despite a vastly different profile. Squires swings more, walks less, and does his damage in larger doses. His 23.7% strikeout rate is the number skeptics will point to, and fairly so, but corner infielders with real power carry higher strikeout rates at every level of professional baseball. The contact he makes tends to travel.

The Royals feel fairly set at first base in 2026 with Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez handling the primary duties, and Squires knows it. That means the most realistic outcome for a strong season may not be a call-up but a deadline trade, a contender in need of corner infield depth acquiring a first baseman with a .538 slugging percentage and three stolen bases in a single game against Corpus Christi. That would be a reasonable outcome for both sides. In the meantime, Squires keeps hitting, keeps running, and keeps making the case that someone should have drafted him when they had the chance.

Royals Keep updates their top 20 Royals prospects list, including looking at two underperforming arms in Double-A.

Mozzicato rose from No. 20 in the preseason rankings to No. 17 in our latest update. The ERA is brutal at 6.65, but he has a 21.7% K% and has shown some intriguing stuff on his pitches, though control and command have been less than stellar to begin the year. The sooner Kansas City moves Mozzicato to the bullpen full-time (he’s made six starts), the better his outlook (and current statline in Double-A) will be. Also in Double-A, Beam rose from No. 9 to No. 7, despite sporting a 4.88 ERA and 6.63 FIP in 27.2 IP. The strikeouts haven’t been there for Beam to begin the year, as illustrated by a 13.6% K%. However, he could be due for a positive bounce-back when the weather heats up, and he gets more settled against Texas League hitting.

Seth Lugo continues to be talked about as a trade block candidate if the Royals fall out of postseason contention.

Long-time Minnesota Twins beat writer Aaron Gleeman talks departure from The Athletic and return to independent coverage.

The negotiation process for baseball’s new labor deal begins in New York City.

How two left-handed Atlanta Braves batters are powering the league’s best lineup.

New Era celebrates the 30th anniversary of a specific and defining request from Spike Lee.

Reigning AL MVP Cal Raleigh is mired in one of the longest hitless streaks for a player of his caliber ever.

René Cárdenas, the first Spanish-language broadcaster in MLB history, passed away at 96.

Lance Brozdowski ranks the top 100 starting pitchers in MLB.

What is the perfect pitch?

Jason Collins, the NBA’s first openly gay player and 13-year veteran, died after an eight-month battle with a brain tumor at 47.

Memphis Grizzlies player Brandon Clarke died at 29, according to the team and representation.

Los Angeles Lakers leadership wants star LeBron James to return for one more season.

South Florida police officers are suing Ben Affleck and Matt Damon for too many real-life details in their movie “The Rip”.

Olympian Ryan Lochte joins the swimming and diving coaching staff at Missouri State.

Today’s song of the day is Southern Belle by Renée Levesque.