Kansas City Royals News

2022 record: 65-97, fifth in American League CentralOffseason headlines: Mike Matheny is out and Matt Quatraro is in as Kansas City's manager. The former Tampa Bay Rays bench coach is being heralded as someone who listens to his players and is in tune with the analytics world. "There's a ton of information to start, and it works its way to the field," Quatraro said. He isn't working with a completely empty cupboard, but the Royals did sell off some roster pieces -- Ryan O'Hearn, Michael A. Taylor, reliever Wyatt Mills -- for prospects and cash over the winter. The Royals snapped up some interesting veterans such as Aroldis Chapman, Franmil Reyes and Jackie Bradley Jr., the latter two on minor league deals.Spring storylines: How will the rotation take shape after the Royals posted the worst team ERA in the American League in 2022? While Brady Singer (10-5, 3.23 ERA) had a breakout campaign and Zack Greinke was brought back for another run, Kansas City's four other regular starters had ERAs higher than 5.00. The club hopes it's addressed the position by signing Ryan Yarbrough from the Rays and Jordan Lyles from the Baltimore Orioles. Bobby Witt Jr. is coming off a 20-homer, 30-steal campaign, yet Royals fans are hoping to see more as Witt figures to be the everyday shortstop in 2023. Who's going to help Witt and Salvador Perez drive in runs? Perhaps Vinnie Pasquantino continues on an upward trajectory after impressing as a rookie.Young guns: Shortstop Maikel Garcia, the Royals' No. 3 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, saw some limited major league action in 2022. But with Witt occupying that position, Quatraro hinted early in spring training that the hot-hitting Garcia could be an option at third base. Whether he gets that chance in the regular season remains to be seen; Hunter Dozier is the projected starter.

Lorenzo Cain is hanging up his cleats.The two-time All-Star and former American League Championship Series MVP will officially retire this summer as a Kansas City Royal."I left it in the hands of my boys," Cain, father to three boys ages 5 to 8, told The Athletic. "I said, ‘Hey, do you guys want Daddy to continue to play ball? Or are you ready for Daddy to be done and go home?' And they said, ‘Dad, we want you to go home.' And I said, ‘OK, then.' So I've been done. I just haven't announced it, I guess."The Royals are working on logistics of when to invite Cain to Kaufman Stadium for a ceremony. Cain suggested sometime in May."He's going to be a Royal Hall of Famer," Kansas City general manager JJ Picollo said. "Just the times that he rose to the occasion speaks volumes about what type of competitor he was. I don't think he had the prettiest swing. I don't think he was the most talented guy. But when it was a big moment, he loved those moments. And that was pretty special."Cain, 36, spent the past five seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers but hasn't played a complete season since 2019 due to injuries.

The Kansas City Royals signed Jackie Bradley Jr. to a minor league deal Wednesday with an invitation to Spring Training.Bradley, 32, will join the team later this week.Bradley batted .203 with four home runs and 38 RBIs in 131 games with the Boston Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays in 2022. He was released by Boston on Aug. 4 and signed by Toronto five days later.

Kansas City Royals pitcher Aroldis Chapman cracked a tooth and required stitches to his lip after falling at home, he told MLB.com on Monday.Chapman's mouth was swollen, but his spring training routine isn't expected to be disrupted. He's scheduled to throw a bullpen session Tuesday, which is his 35th birthday.The incident occurred Saturday night when Chapman slipped and fell. Chapman missed Sunday's workout after getting little sleep in the aftermath, Royals manager Matt Quatraro said.Chapman, 34, signed a one-year, $3.75 million contract with the Royals in January. The deal also included performance bonuses of up to $5 million.

Kansas City Royals prospect Diego Hernandez, who reported to spring training with a chance to make the club, will miss three to four months with a dislocated right shoulder, MLB.com reported Sunday.The injury occurred Saturday in a spring training game against the Texas Rangers in Surprise, Ariz., when the left-handed throwing Hernandez made a diving catch in the outfield.Hernandez, 22, played in a combined 115 games last season at Single-A Quad Cities and Double-A Northwest Arkansas, batting .284 with 129 hits, nine home runs, 40 RBIs and 40 stolen bases.

Kansas City Royals outfielder Drew Waters will be out six weeks with a left oblique strain.First-year manager Matt Quatraro announced the news Tuesday. The regular season opens in five weeks.Waters, 24, was competing to be the Royals' Opening Day center fielder.In his absence, Quatraro said Kyle Isbel will "get every opportunity to grab that spot."

The St. Louis Cardinals acquired left-handed reliever Anthony Misiewicz from the Kansas City Royals for cash considerations on Wednesday.Misiewicz, 28, pitched for the Royals and Seattle Mariners in 2022 and was a combined 1-2 with a 4.34 ERA and 27 strikeouts in 29 innings spread over 32 relief appearances.He pitched in 119 games with Seattle (2020-22) and Kansas City (2022) and tallied a 6-9 record, 4.43 ERA and 105 strikeouts 103 2/3 innings.His 119 appearances rank seventh in the American League over the past three seasons, and he is fifth in holds with 32.

The Kansas City Royals are bringing back free agent right-hander Zack Greinke on a one-year contract, multiple outlets reported Monday.The deal is said to be in the $8 million to $10 million dollar range plus performance bonuses, pending the results of a physical exam.Greinke, 39, was 4-9 with a 3.68 ERA in 26 starts in his second stint with the Royals last season.He began his career with Kansas City (2004-10), winning the American League Cy Young Award there in 2009.

The Boston Red Sox acquired infielder Adalberto Mondesi from the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday in exchange for left-hander Josh Taylor.Boston also will receive a player to be named later.The Red Sox fortify their middle infield with Mondesi, who is mainly a shortstop but has also played 68 games at second and 20 games at third during his seven-year career.Mondesi played in just 15 games in 2022 before an ACL injury that required surgery wiped out the rest of his season. It's one of several injuries Mondesi has endured since 2018.

The Minnesota Twins acquired outfielder Michael A. Taylor from the Kansas City Royals on Monday in exchange for two prospects.Left-hander Evan Sisk and right-hander Steven Cruz are headed to the Kansas City organization.Taylor, 31, was a member of the Washington Nationals' 2019 World Series championship team, then won a Gold Glove with the Royals in 2021. He is due to make $4.5 million this year in the final season of a two-year, $9 million contract.Taylor is primarily a center fielder, though that position is occupied in Minnesota by 2022 All-Star Byron Buxton. Taylor also has played both corner outfield positions.Last year, Taylor hit .254 with a .313 on-base percentage, a .357 slugging percentage, nine homers and 43 RBIs in 124 games. For his career, Taylor has a .241/.296/.381 batting line with 74 homers and 281 RBIs in 840 games with Washington (2014-20) and Kansas City (2021-22).Sisk, 25, split last season between Double-A Wichita and Triple-A St. Paul, going a combined 5-1 with one save and a 2.00 ERA in 50 appearances, all in relief.

Left-handed reliever Aroldis Chapman agreed to terms on a one-year, $3.75 million contract with the Kansas City Royals, MLB.com and The Athletic reported Thursday.A seven-time All-Star, Chapman struggled mightily last season with the New York Yankees. He posted a 4-4 record with nine saves, a 4.46 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in 43 relief appearances.Chapman's time in the Bronx appeared shaky after he was left off the team's roster for the American League Division Series against the Cleveland Guardians. The decision came after he missed a mandatory team workout.

The Baltimore Orioles acquired infielder/outfielder Ryan O'Hearn from the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday in exchange for cash considerations.O'Hearn, 29, batted .239 with eight extra-base hits (six doubles, one triple, one homer), 16 RBIs and 14 runs scored in 67 games last season with the Royals.He is a career .219 hitter with 38 homers, 131 RBIs and 99 runs scored in 342 career games with Kansas City. He was selected by the Royals in the eighth round of the 2014 First-Year Player Draft out of Sam Houston State University.

The Kansas City Royals announced the signing of right-hander Jordan Lyles to a two-year contract Wednesday.Financial terms of the deal with the 32-year-old free agent were not disclosed.Previous reports put the value of the contract at $17 million.Lyles was 12-11 with a 4.42 ERA in 32 starts for the Baltimore Orioles in 2022, fanning 144 batters in 179 innings.

The Kansas City Royals have hired Matt Quatraro to be their next manager, the team announced Sunday night.Quatraro most recently served as the Tampa Bay Rays' bench coach and will take over for Mike Matheny, who was fired in early October after the Royals went 65-97 this past season."I already knew the talent on the roster and how great the fans in Kansas City are, and the interview process convinced me that the terrific things I'd heard about the organization's culture are true," Quatraro said in a statement. "I can't wait to get started."Quatraro, 48, was a minor league coordinator with the Rays before breaking into the major leagues. He served as an assistant hitting coach for the Cleveland Guardians before returning back to the Tampa Bay organization as the Rays' third base coach.Following the 2021 season, he had interviews with the Oakland Athletics and New York Mets to potentially become the teams' next manager.

Los Angeles Dodgers first base coach Clayton McCullough is a finalist to be the Kansas City Royals' manager, MLB Network reported Wednesday.McCullough interviewed for the vacancy and is one of multiple candidates to replace the fired Mike Matheny, including Philadelphia Phillies third base coach Dusty Wathan and Tampa Bay Rays bench coach Matt Quatraro.The Royals also looked at three in-house candidates, interviewing bench coach Pedro Grifol, third base coach Vance Wilson and Triple-A Omaha skipper Scott Thorman.McCullough, 42, has been the first base coach in Los Angeles for the past two seasons under manager Dave Roberts.The Royals fired Matheny and pitching coach Cal Eldred on Oct. 5 following the team's final game of the season.

Carlos Beltran currently has the best odds to be the next manager of the Kansas City Royals, according to Sportsbetting.ag.At +400, Beltran is the favorite to take over for Mike Matheny, who was fired on Wednesday night after the Royals went 65-97 and finished last in the American League Central.Beltran, 45, was drafted by Kansas City in the second round of the 1995 draft. He spent parts of seven seasons with the Royals and hit .287 with 123 home runs and 516 RBIs in 795 games. Beltran also played for the New York Mets, New York Yankees, St. Louis Cardinals, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants during his 20-year career.Joe Espada trails close behind at +500, while Clayton McCullough, George Lombard and Matt Quatraro all sit at +700.

Jose Ramirez had four hits and two RBIs as the Cleveland Guardians headed into the postseason on a winning note, beating the visiting Kansas City Royals 9-2 in the finale of a six-game series on Wednesday.Aaron Civale (5-6) allowed two runs over six innings for the Guardians (92-70), who open a best-of-three wild-card series at home against the Tampa Bay Rays on Friday. Civale gave up five hits, with one walk and nine strikeouts.Josh Naylor contributed two hits and three RBIs, while Oscar Gonzalez, Will Brennan and Luke Maile each had two hits. Myles Straw had two RBIs.Kyle Isbel and Vinnie Pasquantino each homered for Kansas City (65-97), which was outhit 15-6 in the regular-season finale for both teams.After Pasquantino gave the Royals a brief lead with a solo homer in the first, Cleveland answered with four runs on five hits in the bottom half.Naylor came to the plate with two outs and doubled in a pair of runs against Jonathan Heasley (4-10). Brennan and Maile added RBI singles to cap the rally.The Guardians tacked on another run in the second when Steven Kwan hit a leadoff double, moved to third on Amed Rosario's groundout and scored on Ramirez's single.Cleveland moved ahead 6-1 in the third when Straw's sacrifice fly scored Brennan, who doubled to lead off the inning.

The Kansas City Royals fired manager Mike Matheny and pitching coach Cal Eldred on Wednesday night following the team's final game of the season.Matheny took over as manager ahead of the shortened 2020 season after Ned Yost retired. In his three seasons at the helm, the Royals never finished above fourth place in the five-team American League Central. This year, they finished last at 65-97 (.401) following a 9-2 loss to the Guardians on Wednesday.Kansas City went 165-219 (.430) under Matheny.

Jose Ramirez hit a two-run double and Owen Miller hit a two-run home run in the Cleveland Guardians' five-run fifth inning to defeat the visiting Kansas City Royals 5-3 Tuesday night.Ramirez has 19 RBIs against the Royals this season and nine of them have been go-ahead RBIs.The Guardians (91-70) and Royals (65-96) will conclude a season-long six-game series, and the 2022 regular season, with a matinee Wednesday.Cal Quantrill (15-5) earned the win, allowing one run on four hits in five innings. He struck out four and didn't walk anyone. The Guardians are 16-1 in Quantrill's last 17 starts. He's never lost to the Royals (6-0).Quantrill is 14-0 in his career at Progressive Field, matching Vic Raschi's perfect record in one ballpark. Raschi went 14-0 at Comiskey Park from 1947-55.Emmanuel Clase allowed an unearned run in the ninth and picked up his 42nd save in 46 chances.Daniel Lynch (4-13) took the loss. He allowed five runs -- all in the fifth -- on eight hits in 4 2/3 innings.

Drew Waters hit a three-run homer in the 10th inning as the visiting Kansas City Royals beat the Cleveland Guardians 5-2 in the fourth game of a six-game series on Monday.Waters had two hits and four RBIs for Kansas City (65-95). Scott Barlow (7-4) pitched a scoreless ninth inning before Taylor Clarke retired the Guardians in order in the 10th for his third save.Nicky Lopez began the top of the 10th as the automatic runner at second and moved to third on Michael A. Taylor's fielder's choice before Waters delivered the decisive blow with a home run to left field against Kirk McCarty (4-3).The Guardians (90-70), who clinched the American League Central early last week, lost for just the sixth time in their last 28 games.Kansas City took an early lead on Waters' run-scoring single with two outs in the second against Triston McKenzie.The Guardians pulled even in the third when Steven Kwan grounded into a fielder's choice, allowing Gabriel Arias to score from third.Cleveland threatened to move ahead later in the inning after loading the bases with two outs, but Zack Greinke struck out Oscar Gonzalez to end the inning.McKenzie gave up one run on four hits with no walks and four strikeouts over five innings.Cody Morris relieved McKenzie in the top of the sixth and was greeted by Bobby Witt Jr.'s leadoff single.