\"A dim view of humanity\" -Lee Judge
The Royals will spend the next few weeks shaping the roster that they will carry to Atlanta for the season opener. One large factor in deciding who makes the team will be which players have options remaining. Options allow teams to send a player to the minors without exposing them to be claimed by another […]
It’s the first week of spring training, pitchers are climbing back onto the mound, hitters are getting their first swings in, and optimism is in the air. And yet, for fans of the Royals, there’s still that lingering feeling that something is missing. All winter long, the expectation has been that the front office would […]
Quinton Lucas gave a State of the City address and noted his desire to keep the Royals in KCMO. John Sherman had some comments. Word got back to Royals owner John Sherman. On Monday, Sherman addressed Lucas’ speech and offered his takeaway. “I appreciate him wanting to do that,” Sherman said. “And I appreciate that […]
The Royals had made moves to contend in 2014, but still, their postseason run had a “we’re just happy to be here” feel, where every day the team was playing with house money. They parlayed that attitude into a pennant, falling just short of winning one of the most improbable championships in modern baseball history. […]
At this time of year, I tend to start thinking through what my expectations are for the coming season. Having a base model in my head helps me avoid overreacting to early-season noise. Part of that process includes looking at the AL Central, the main competition the Royals need to beat to reach the playoffs. […]
In this special Spring 2026 preview episode of the Royals Rundown Podcast, Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco sit down with Kansas City Royals pitching coach Brian Sweeney for an in-depth, behind-the-scenes look at how the organization is building its staff for the upcoming season. Sweeney walks us through his daily routine during spring training — […]
It’s Friday morning as I write this, and for some reason, the boys are home, the first day of a four-day weekend. Such as it is, we had a movie night last night, and it was my turn* to pick out the film. As I’m impatiently awaiting the start of baseball, in any shape or […]
Jalon Thompson talks to Kris Bubic as he ramps back up after an injury ended his season last year. Bubic faced several hitters during the live batting practice. He showcased his pitching arsenal and had a few minor self-critiques. Overall, he felt his fastball command was there and that his changeup could’ve been a little […]
Jaylon Thompson talks to Alec Marsh, who was placed on the 60-day Injured List, about his setbacks. Marsh dealt with right-shoulder tightness after the 2024 season. He worked to rehab from that injury but suffered setbacks along the way. Ultimately, Marsh missed the entire 2025 season while dealing with constant physical discomfort. “Just impossible,” Marsh […]
The Royals announced they have signed left-handed pitcher John Means to a two-year minor league deal. Means is a Gardner, Kansas native who was an All-Star with the Orioles in 2019, but has battled injuries the last four seasons. Means graduated from Gardner-Edgerton High School and attended Fort Scott Community College before being drafted by […]
Sports give us a socially acceptable outlet for our pettiness. They let us boo, roll our eyes, and carry grudges that would be wildly inappropriate anywhere else in life. You’re allowed to hate teams, from division rivals to big-market behemoths. Which team do you hate the most? There are several possibilities. Which team do you […]
The Kansas City Royals look to enter 2026 with a much-improved outfield over the, shall we say, less-than-stellar 2025 outfit. But they could still use another bat, preferably a right-handed hitter who could be a platoon guy as there’s a drive into deep left field by Castellanos. Kauffman Stadium has been home to a few […]
Last week I asked fans to chime in with the Royals Review fan survey, asking them what they thought about the Royals, downtown baseball, and the state of baseball. We had nearly 400 responses to our fan survey this year. This isn’t a scientific poll, just a fun internet poll. And it’s certainly not binding (unless […]
In this episode of the Royals Rundown Podcast, Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco are joined by Royals beat reporter Anne Rogers for an inside look at Kansas City’s spring training and the direction of the franchise heading into the new season. The conversation covers everything from the optimism surrounding camp to the buzz building for […]
Max covered the big story yesterday: The Royals traded for A’s pitcher Mitch Spence. Anne Rogers covered it for MLB: The Royals were interested in Spence ahead of the 2023 Rule 5 Draft, but the A’s scooped him up from the Yankees with the first pick. In ‘24, he posted a 4.58 ERA across 35 […]
The Royals announced they have acquired 27-year-old right-hander Mitch Spence from the Athletics in exchange for right-handed pitcher A.J. Causey. Spence pitched in 32 games last year for the A’s, eight starts, with a 5.10 ERA and 66 strikeouts in 84.2 innings. He was designated for assignment earlier this week. Spence was originally a 10th-round […]
The Kansas City Royals were active in making moves toward the beginning of the offseason. They acquired some key pieces via trades. Nick Mears, Isaac Collins, Matt Strahm. They also signed Lane Thomas. Now, comparatively speaking, the rest of the division did not do a whole lot. The Twins and White Sox are tanking and […]
Evan Drellich, a terrific reporter for The Athletic, put out a comprehensive report about MLB’s plans to seek out a salary cap and gave us some interesting details about what they might be trying to get done. Team and league officials describe a cap as an egalitarian reset, a leveling of the playing field that […]
Spring training is about a month away. The air is starting to warm, and the birds are returning. I love spring. It’s a time of renewal, both in life and in baseball. One of the beauties of baseball is its consistency. Things change slowly in baseball, and that’s okay with me. Speaking of change, has […]
Anne Rogers writes about how Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic are focusing on staying healthy. Everything is about staying on the mound this year. “We want to be out there,” Bubic said. “Cole is as competitive as it gets as well. We want to be out there playing with our guys every fifth day. We […]
Left-handed pitcher Kris Bubic has won his salary arbitration case against the Royals, according to MLB.com reporter Mark Feinsand, and will receive his requested salary of $6.15 million. The Royals had offered $5.15 million. Bubic had a breakout season last year, posting a 2.55 ERA in 20 starts, with 116 strikeouts in 116.1 innings, earning […]
Most readers here love the game of baseball and love our Royals, but there are some seasons that truly test us. The hitters can’t hit, the pitchers can’t throw strikes, the ball gets kicked around the field, and the losses pile up. By June, you already have an eye towards Chiefs training camp. You’re a […]
The 2026 Winter Olympics are in full swing, and like many other people, I’ve gotten heavily invested in people that I did not know one week ago and sports that I don’t think about but once every four years. I’m trying my best to be self-aware when I watch these events, marveling over these athletes […]
Spring training always brings a mix of optimism, overreactions, and genuine roster dilemmas, especially when young players are pushing for jobs, and the front office has real decisions to make at the margins. So let’s turn it over to you. If you were setting the roster for Opening Day, who makes your 26 and why? […]
Now is prime time for the first stab at a Kansas City Royals roster projection. David Lesky started his take over at Inside the Crown with a good layout of the process. Every year at the start of spring, I like to take stock of where the Royals roster is at that moment. What we […]