Royals Rumblings - News for June 26, 2024

The dog days of summer are here.

The Royals let one get away last night.

“We were just bad tonight,” Pasquantino said. “Seems to be a common theme over the past few weeks. Hoping to take a step forward after last night. We didn’t do that. So we will look at it. Quick turnaround tomorrow, so we will be back out here.”

Matt Quatraro explains why he pulled Seth Lugo after 87 pitches.

“It’s a tough part of their lineup after a leadoff walk, really beared down and made sure to keep executing pitches and not give in,” Lugo said. “Especially with the temperature and humidity, it’s easy to get tired and get unfocused, but I stayed focused and made pitches.”

“It’s never an easy decision with Lugo because he’s so good, but we also have to be mindful of the weather and how many innings he’s throwing and how many starts,” Quatraro said. “All those things factor in.”

Sam McDowell writes about the recent slide.

Yes, the Royals have been 15 games above .500 at one point this season, with a run differential suggestive of a team that has figured out some things. They’re still 11th in the league in runs, even with the lineup mired in a collective slump. They still have a top-7 rotation in baseball overall, and the season is nearly half exhausted.

But the first six hitters in Monday’s lineup — and the starting pitcher, the stopper himself — were part of a team that lost 106 games last year. The Royals might have made a very public point of putting up a wall and turning away anything about last season, but the reminders of that season have a way of breaking down some barriers.

Michael Massey talks to Anne Rogers about his injury.

“We’ve pinpointed my trigger to a lot of this is the flexion position,” Massey added. “Usually when I rotate, when I run, it doesn’t seem to give me a bunch of issues. Not to say I can’t be in that situation, but just developing the strength to maintain that position. We’re not just thinking about coming back for a game or two games or a week. We’ve still got four months ahead of us. So build up the strength in that position and my core to withstand that.”

J.J. Picollo says the team will be aggressive at the trade deadline.

“The thing that makes the trade deadline very difficult is one there’s a lot of competition,” Picollo said. “If we’re looking at a reliever you can be guaranteed 12 other teams are looking at that same reliever. So how much are you willing to give up to get that extra bullpen arm?

“Or is our approach more, ‘Let’s try to win some of these deals on the margins.’ It may not be the marquee closer, but maybe two additional arms — where we’re saving our farm system but we’re making our bullpen deeper — might be the way to go. But it certainly starts with what our needs are.”

Ken Rosenthal at The Athletic writes the team will prioritize bullpen help.

The decisions might become easier if the Royals fail to snap out of their 3-11 skid and fade from contention; at that point, Picollo would buy only modestly, if at all. At the moment, the Royals are prioritizing bullpen help over their outfield needs, according to a source briefed on their thinking. Through Sunday, their ’pen was last in the majors in strikeout rate, and their outfield ranked next-to-last in OPS.

At ESPN Insider, Jeff Passan writes about potential additions for top contenders.

On the relief side, Kansas City needs to shore up a bullpen that in June is striking out only 6.91 batters per nine innings and walking 3.98. Beyond Scott and Angels closer Carlos Estevez, the Royals could entertain pursuing right-hander Jason Adam, a Kansas City native who came up through the organization, or Pete Fairbanks, who played college ball at Mizzou. Both have historically posted strong strikeout numbers and would push James McArthur out of the closer’s role, where he has allowed opponents to hit .329/.382/.557 since the beginning of May.

Despite Will Smith’s error, Royals pitchers have been excellent fielders this year, according to Mark Simon at SIS.

Royals’ pitchers rank 1st in MLB with 14 Defensive Runs Saved this season. No other team is in double figures. That’s Zack Greinke-like contributions there*.

* Greinke has the most Runs Saved of any pitcher (98) dating to the first season the stat was tracked, 2003.

How does a team’s pitching staff help itself defensively as much as the Royals have?

The Royals sign former Rangers pitcher Jesus Tinoco to a minor league deal.

The Mariners trade Dallas Keuchel to the Brewers.

Benches clear after a Jurickson Profar grand slam against the Nationals.

Yankees infielder Gleyber Torres defends not hustling on a groundball.

Reds pitcher Hunter Greene pukes on the mound.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. would welcome a trade to the Yankees.

Juan Soto will address his contract situation in the off-season.

Julio Rodriguez talks hitting.

The SB Nation mock draft for this week’s NBA draft.

Jacksonville approves a $1.4 billion stadium renovation for the Jaguars.

WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is a free man after pleading guilty to violating U.S. espionage law.

Jeremy Allen White will star in a Bruce Springsteen movie.

MCU’s Fantastic Four will be a period piece.

Your song of the day is Young MC with Bust a Move.