Kansas City Royals news: The worst time for a downtown stadium announcement

Where is the Royals’ new stadium actually going to be located? Probably not Washington Square Park, apparently.

Johnathan Duncan, city councilman for the 6th District, told The Star the stadium footprint “that will be briefed tomorrow is not Washington Square Park.” The city has notably been referring to the project location as a combination of Washington Square Park and neighboring Crown Center. While the Royals have not publicly unveiled their vision for the area, Duncan’s suggestion would illustrate a remarkable shift in at least the public perception of the stadium plan. The City Council passed an ordinance Thursday authorizing City Manager Mario Vasquez to negotiate with the Royals a stadium deal up to $600 million. The financial framework has occupied the conversation over the ensuing week, but Duncan said, “there’s a lack of clarity about the site.” The Royals could provide that clarity during a planned Wednesday morning announcement at a Crown Center restaurant.

Win or lose, the Royals have a big announcement Wednesday.

The Kansas City Royals are scheduled to announce an “important update” about the team’s future in Kansas City on Wednesday, a long-awaited decision that could mark the culmination of the team’s stadium hunt. Royals Chairman and CEO John Sherman will make the announcement alongside Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe and Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas at 10 a.m. Wednesday, according to a release from the team on Tuesday. TOP VIDEOS The video player is currently playing an ad. The announcement is expected to center on a new Royals downtown stadium, according to two officials scheduled to attend the press conference and an email invitation sent to City Council members on Tuesday. That invitation references a “Bring the Crown Downtown Ballpark Celebration.”

David Lesky did not mince words after the Royals’ Monday night loss.

At some point, the hole is just too deep to get out of, but that point generally doesn’t come quite so early in the season. And yet, here we are after another Royals loss, their eighth in a row. The Royals had a gut-punch loss in the second game of the season when they blew a 2-0 lead in the ninth. They had another gut-punch loss just a few days ago when they came back from five down to take a lead into the ninth, but blew that. Last night may be worse than either of those. But having three examples to choose from in 23 games might be the bigger problem than any single game. The fact that I would have been shocked if they didn’t blow it last night is just sad.

There were 18 players who appeared for the Royals last night. Four of them carry zero blame of an ugly, ugly loss.

Lesky was not the only one who felt this way, after Royals fans made their feelings heard during Monday’s loss.

There were boos throughout the night. The Royals (7-16) own the worst record in Major League Baseball and have lost eight consecutive games. TOP VIDEOS The video player is currently playing an ad. You can skip the ad in 5 sec with a mouse or keyboard Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. addressed the situation postgame. He felt the Royals’ fan base deserved a better product on the field. “Yeah, it sucks,” Witt said. “But if you’re the worst team in baseball, you might deserve to get booed every once in a while. It should motivate us to get better. Just motivate us to go out there and just lay it all on the field each and every night. Give it all every night, and so just go from there.”

Just in case you forgot the pain that was Monday’s loss, here is a good reminder from Vahe Gregorian.

Somehow, though, the Royals outdid themselves Monday night with a nauseating defeat — one that conjured the immortal wisdom of former Royals manager Buddy Bell. Following a 10th straight loss in 2006, he alertly said, “I never say it can’t get worse.” At least that losing streak ended after one more L. These Royals should only be so fortunate after the 7-5 loss in 12 innings against Baltimore extended the losing streak to eight — their longest since a 10-game string in 2023 on the way to a 56-106 season. Instead of being the fresh start they desperately need, this game was somewhere between a microcosm and fusion of all that’s been going awry all season: Again with the stupefying inability to produce with runners in scoring position, underscored by leaving 16 men on base. Fresh evidence that the bullpen that was such an asset last season no longer is slamming the door but … a trap door; in this case, it squandered Seth Lugo’s seven innings of one-hit, scoreless work into the eighth loss of the season by relievers after Alex Lange gave up five runs in the 12th.

Royals Keep says it is time to hit reset on our expectations for the 2026 Royals.

Is it Time to Rethink the 2026 Royals?
Yes. No big league team is or can be perfect, but Kansas City’s imperfections are glaring. Perhaps general manager J.J. Picollo found the offseason price of a new big bat too high and settled for less than he wanted and his club needed. Perhaps Perez is running out of gas. Maybe some of the club’s talent is overrated, and was from the start.

Improvement is needed. And sooner, not later; the club can’t wait for the midsummer trade deadline. But the history of this typically conservative franchise suggests no new, truly impactful major league hitter will arrive this season, and hoping the rotation and bullpen pick up the slack all season is too much to ask.

Although it’s still early, this club is in trouble.

The Royals minor-league affiliates are staying competitive to start the season, and one Omaha reliever is standing out from his peers.

On the pitching end, Chazz Martinez had a solid week, allowing no runs on two hits and three walks while striking out six in three innings of work. For the season, Martinez is posting a 41.7% K% and 20.8% K-BB% in six innings of work. While the TJ Stuff+ metrics aren’t great (98 overall), he’s done an excellent job limiting hard contact while generating solid whiff and chase rates, as seen below.

The four-seamer is an interesting pitch with crazy horizontal break (18.3 HB), and it generates a decent amount of chase (26.9%) and whiff (31.8%) as well as weak contact (.241 xwOBACON). As a result, the four-seamer has a 102 TJ Stuff+ and a 57 grade. Unfortunately, his other offerings don’t rate as well stuff-wise, with his sweeper having a 30 grade and changeup sporting a 47 grade.

Still, Martinez could be an Evan Sisk type who simply can generate chase and whiff effectively due to his arm angles, even if he may not have the most overpowering stuff profile.

All five of Kansas City’s starters are in The Athletic’s top 100 starting pitching rankings following the April update.

Labor negotiations. legacy, and more are in question as people react to the upcoming San Diego Padres sale.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan’s book The Arm is one of the game’s best works on modern pitching, but the insider talks to today’s young pitchers about the chase for triple-digit velocity.

Padres reliever Mason Miller is in a historic scoreless streak, but he is still chasing Wade Davis’ mark, among others.

Do you still have hope the Royals can turn things around? Bleacher Report shows just how dire things can get before a team gets better.

Chris Bzozowski wonders if the Philadelphia Phillies are running out of time to turn things around.

Who is winning the ABS race after an abnormal weekend?

The Texas Rangers find a home for the controversial “One Riot, One Ranger” statue at GlobeLife Field.

Teams are starting to respond to baserunners increasing their average leads with first basemen doing the same.

Is there a new Elder statesman for the Atlanta Braves?

Boston Red Sox starter Sony Gray hits the IL with a hamstring strain.

The Minnesota Twins reinstated oft-injured youngster Royce Lewis from the IL.

Braves reliever Rasiel Iglesias hits the IL with right shoulder inflammation.

Check out the NFL Draft boards from Ryan Clancy and Daniel Harms.

Find someone who loves you as much as Stanford athletics loves winning national championships.

Caddies should and are getting some more love in golf.

New Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Justin Fields is embracing his new role.

New England Patriots coach Mike Vrabel is still dealing with the fallout of photos showing him with reporter Dianna Russini.

Basketball coach Billy Donovan resigned from his head coaching post after six seasons with the Chicago Bulls.

Hey, a date for that Riverfront KC Extension!

Unexpected Blooms in Kansas City turns recycled flowers into a way to nurture the next generation of florists.

What is the legacy of abolitionist icon John Brown in Kansas?

Alan Osmond, the eldest member of the Osmonds, passed away at 76.

Your song of the day is Rush with Tom Sawyer.