Talkin Royals

Carlos Santana has been playing baseball in the majors for 15 years. Santana played in Kansas City for two seasons, 2021 and 2022. The first baseman's numbers while in a Royals uniform weren't bad, but they weren't exactly great either. While in Kansas City, Santana had a batting average of .215, just above the Mendoza Line. Before signing his two-year deal with the Royals, Santana had a great career with 216 home runs and a whopping 710 RBIs. As his career is likely nearing its end, we continue to see him decline at the plate. Santana may be aging, but when he's up to bat against the Royals, it's a different story. The 38-year-old has played a total of 159 games against Kansas City, and he gives the Royals and their fans fits. The first baseman owns an eye-opening .286 batting average just against the Royals. It gets worse. Santana has faced Royals pitching 566 times (a number that will increase as his career continues). He has batted in 88 runs against...

Back in 2018, Kansas City drafted several pitchers, including Brady Singer, Kris Bubic, and Jackson Kowar. Aside from Singer, neither Kowar nor Bubic (prior to his Tommy John surgery) nor Lynch have consistently performed well. For the most part, the 2018 class has been a bust. The following year, however, has shown better results, primarily with right-hander Alec Marsh, selected 70th overall. Marsh made his major league debut in June of last year. Last season was a struggle for Marsh. In his rookie campaign, he posted an ERA of 5.69 in seventeen games, eight of which were starts. It wasn’t the best way to start a big league career. Fortunately, Marsh didn’t let his rookie struggles weigh him down heading into this season. He has flourished so far, with an ERA under 3.00 at a solid 2.72. The 26-year-old had to battle his way onto the Royals' opening day roster and compete for a spot in the starting rotation against Jordan Lyles and Angel Zerpa. Lyles had the upper hand ...

The state of Kansas and the Kansas City metro have several connections to US Presidents, such as the 33rd President Harry S. Truman and Dwight D. Eisenhower. Although both Kansas and Kansas City have connections to the late Presidents, none of Kansas City's professional baseball teams such as the Monarchs, Athletics, or the Royals had the chance to meet either of them. However, former Royals manager Ned Yost has been to the White House more than once. Yost has met five US Presidents during his time in baseball. The former manager's first interaction with a President was with 39th President Jimmy Carter while living just outside of Atlanta. Yost said the 39th President attended games regularly: "Jimmy used to come a lot to the Braves games, and you could walk down the tunnel going to the dugout when Jimmy was there because Secret Service guys were all outside his little room they had for him and I’d waltz right in there and go sit down,” Yost said. “Him and Rosa...

Baseball is a sport of transitions, constantly shifting between promotions and demotions. Among the positions, pitching witnesses the most frequent changes. It's uncommon for a veteran in their mid to late 30s, who has predominantly been a reliever throughout their career, to transition to the starting rotation. However, exceptions do occur. Seth Lugo is one such example, a pitcher who persevered in pursuit of his dream to become a starter. Originally drafted by the Mets in 2011, in the 34th round, Lugo progressed through the team's farm system as a starter. However, after making his Major League debut in 2016, he predominantly served as a reliever, making only 38 starts during his seven-year tenure with the Mets. Following the conclusion of the 2022 season, Lugo entered free agency, eager to secure a spot as a starting pitcher in the big leagues. Despite his aspirations, the Mets didn't afford him the opportunity to establish himself as a full-time starter at t...

Kansas City made some notable additions to their bullpen this past off-season through free agency, alongside trades. Among these acquisitions were Chris Stratton and Will Smith. The bullpen's performance at the start of the season gave fans a sense of déjà vu from 2023, as criticism often follows when a newly signed player struggles. Before fans point fingers at Smith and Picollo for his rough start, it's essential for them to delve into Smith's track record. At the beginning of the off-season, Picollo stated that the team was in search of an experienced closer. However, it seems they didn't find one they preferred. Consequently, Smith was tasked with the closer's role at the start of the season, which didn't go as planned. Despite his struggles, Picollo defended the decision, emphasizing Smith's track record: "Finishing games is definitely where and why Will was attractive to us. It’s tough to do throughout the season, but he does have a tr...

The current Royals front office has demonstrated its ability to acquire standout players in trades without burdening the team with costly contracts. In 2018, the Royals focused on acquiring college pitchers, among whom were Brady Singer, Kris Bubic, Daniel Lynch, and Jackson Kowar. However, as is often the case in drafts, not every pick proves successful, and Kowar unfortunately fell short of expectations for the Royals. Kowar's major league debut in 2021 failed to impress, with the right-hander posting a disappointing 9.12 ERA over 39 games, eight of which were starts. Consequently, Kansas City opted to part ways with Kowar, as many fans had hoped. In 2023, Kowar was traded to Atlanta in exchange for Nick Anderson and Kyle Wright, both established big league pitchers. Anderson seamlessly integrated into the Royals' 26-man roster upon arrival, while Wright faced challenges due to a shoulder injury that sidelined him for the previous season. Despite Wright's rela...

Kansas City prioritized adding to their outfield this past offseason, accomplishing that with the acquisition of Hunter Renfroe. Both centerfield and leftfield were contested positions during spring training. Leftfield, in my view, presented the fiercest competition among the outfield spots up for grabs, reflecting the broader competitive atmosphere across various positions at the time. While there was some contention for the centerfield role, Isbel emerged as the favorite and secured the position. Leftfield, however, unfolded differently. Heading into spring training, the Royals saw several players vying for the leftfield spot, including Nelson Velázquez, Drew Waters, and Dairon Blanco. Waters posed significant competition for MJ Melendez, with Velázquez primarily known for his play in right field. Although Waters seemed poised to clinch the leftfield position, his batting struggles from the previous season persisted into spring. The 25-year-old posted a respectable battin...