Straight Outta Kauffman (OOTP 24)

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MLB HOT STOVE #4 -- PITCHERS, CATCHERS SOON (02/10/2024)

MLB HOT STOVE REPORT #4 -- PITCHERS, CATCHERS JUST AROUND THE CORNER
02/10/2024

Little movement at the top of the heap: As the calendar turns to February and teams begin to prepare to head south for the spring, the free agent market has slowed almost to a crawl. There's still little to no movement on top free agent Yoshinobu Yamamoto, and there are still quality hitters out there such as Andrew McCutchen, Rhys Hoskins, David Peralta, Michael Brantley, and Whit Merrifield. Some of the more recent signings from the position player crop were Jorge Soler to the A's (three-years, $38 million), Hunter Renfroe (one year, $6.9 million, also to Oakland), and Max Muncy to Toronto (two years, $19 million).

The pitching market after Yamamoto is beginning to see a little more clarity, through. Weeks after trading away Paul Goldschmidt and Juan Yepez in separate deals, the Cardinals nabbed Jose Quintana away from the sell-happy Mets for Zane Mills, and signed shortstop Tim Anderson to a five-year deal worth about $65 million. The Mets also in the same week signed Julio Urias for $66 million over four years, giving the Dodgers a Comp Balance Round A pick in the upcoming draft. Toronto also bolstered their rotation with $19 million over three years for former Yankee Luis Severino, and the Padres appear to be closing in on signing Frankie Montas to a multi-year contract.

However, Japanese imports Yuki Matsui, Shota Imanaga, and Naoyuki Umahara remain unsigned, and there is some chatter that they might return to Japan for 2024 before trying their luck again in 2025. Another Japanese pitcher, Kona Takahashi, was refused to be posted by his club earlier in the offseason, and will try again in 2025 per reports.

Arbitration cases being decided: The last of the arbitration cases were decided earlier this week. There weren't a bunch of huge surprises, but a few of the more surprising cases that went in favor of the player were Baltimore's John Means ($5.55 million) and Colorado's Brendan Rodgers ($5.61 million), as neither of them played a single day on the active roster, recovering from injuries. Means made just $2.95 million in 2023, with Rodgers earning just $2.7 million, meaning that he more than doubled his salary. For perspective, the teams put in figures of $3.95 and $3.65 million, respectively.

Below is a full listing of the arbitration-eligible cases, and how each were decided:

Baltimore: LHP John Means, $5.55 million (player), RHP Jack Flaherty, $6.5 million (team), RHP Dillon Tate, $1.7 million (team)
New York (A): LHP Anthony Misciewicz, $0.95 million (team), RHP Matt Bowman, $1.47 million (team)
Chicago (A): RHP Michael Kopech, $3.6 million (team)
Detroit: RHP Casey Mize, $2 million (team)
Minnesota: RHP Sam Coonrod, $1.3 million (team)
Texas: OF Leody Taveras, $2.2 million (team)
Houston: IF Garrett Hampson, $1 million (team), LHP Blake Taylor, $1.63 million (player)
Atlanta: RHP Mike Soroka, $4.05 million (team)
New York (N): OF Edward Olivares, $1.7 million (team)
Washington: RHP Tanner Rainey, $1.65 million (team)
Chicago (N): RHP Codi Heuer, $1.3 million (team)
Cincinnati: RHP Tejay Antone, $1.4 million (team), RHP Justin Dunn, $1.3 million (team)
Milwaukee: OF Magneuris Sierra, $0.9 million (team)
Colorado: IF Brendan Rodgers, $5.61 million (player)
Los Angeles (N): RHP J.P. Feyereisen, $1.4 million (team), RHP Rubby de la Rosa, $1.3 million (team)
San Diego: RHP Scott Barlow, $6.49 million (team)
San Francisco: RHP Cody Stashak, $1.4 million (team)

No Robles, No Problem: About six weeks after dealing away Victor Robles to division rival Philadelphia, the Nationals scored the first big international signing, inking outfielder Jung-hoo Lee to a three-year, $31.2 million contract to be their starting center fielder. It's a huge win for the Nationals, who have kind of lost their way since winning the World Series in 2019. While Robles is an elite defender in center, Jung-hoo is an impressive defender in his own right, and provides much more offensive potential to a lineup that desperately needs it.

The Tigers, Yankees, Dodgers, Red Sox, and Mariners also were reportedly other top teams in his circle, but none of them were able to put together the overall package that Washington could. He can earn an additional $1.1 million per season in bonuses, which would bring the overall value of the contract to $34.5 million at its peak. He has individual bonuses for All-Star appearances, MVP awards, and plate appearances built in.

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2024 SPRING OUTLOOK (02/20)

2024 MLB Spring Outlook: Kansas City Royals
The lineup appears largely set, but rotation and bullpen battles should rage throughout the spring, and perhaps even into the regular season.

By MLB.com Staff
02/20/2024

Note: Projected starters in bold

Pitchers (37): L Jalen Beeks, L Dante Biasi, R Jonathan Bowlan, L Jake Brentz, R JT Brubaker, L Kris Bubic, L Noah Cameron, R Max Castillo, L Christian Chamberlain, R Dylan Coleman, L Austin Cox, R Steven Cruz, R Brett De Geus, R Jose De Leon, R Noah DeNoyer, R Jonah Dipoto, R Tyler Glasnow, R Jon Heasley, R Carlos Hernandez, R Will Klein, R Jackson Kowar, L Asa Lacy, L Daniel Lynch, R Alec Marsh, R James McArthur, R John McMillon, L Walter Pennington, L Cole Ragans, L Joely Rodriguez, R Brady Singer, L Evan Sisk, R Collin Snider, R Devin Sweet, L Josh Taylor, L Anthony Veneziano, R Jacob Wallace, L Angel Zerpa

Glasnow, Ragans, and Singer are likely the only locks in the rotation. After being included in pretty much every conversation about the starting rotation after the season ended, the Royals finally cut ties with veteran Jordan Lyles this past week, releasing him and his $8.5 million salary when they signed outfielder Andrew McCutchen to a two-year deal. Being that they've been in the organization the longest, it's considered that Kris Bubic and Daniel Lynch would be the front-runners to win the number-four and five slots in the rotation, but there a bevy of younger pitchers behind them that could overtake them. Lefty Austin Cox pitched to a 2.70 ERA last season in 40 innings of work, and his SIERA and FIP were quality at 3.79 and 3.58 each. Others such as Alec Marsh, Angel Zerpa, and James McArthur all logged starts last season and could figure in, as well as wildcard JT Brubaker, who signed a one-year deal after being non-tendered by the Pirates last November.

While the Royals would welcome an upgrade at the back of the bullpen, Carlos Hernandez is a fine option there after saving nine games last season following the Scott Barlow trade, pitching to a 3.47 ERA in seventy innings of work, with FIP (3.48) and SIERA (3.07) also giving him solid marks for his work. But what's behind him is less certain -- they acquired Joely Rodriguez from the Red Sox for minor league infielder Jeison Guzman as the only big bullpen move they made all offseason. Brubaker could also figure into the bullpen mix if he doesn't win a starting role, and veterans Jalen Beeks and Jose De Leon were signed to minor league deals, providing additional depth. Otherwise, they appear to be rolling with largely the same group that finished in the bottom five in the league in bullpen ERA a season ago.

Catchers (5): R/R Tyler Cropley, R/R Freddy Fermin, R/R Salvador Perez, R/R Logan Porter, R/R Luca Tresh

Perez will start Opening Day and will likely log the most innings behind the plate, but played pretty solidly at first base down the stretch last season and should get some innings there, especially when southpaws are on the mound, which means that Freddy Fermin should get a decent share of innings caught. Fermin got off to a hot start in his rookie season, but cooled off down the stretch after reaching an OPS of over .850 in early August, finishing with a .654 OPS (79 OPS+). Limited defensively behind the plate, Porter is likely going to have to show some versatility (CIF, COF) and a good bat in order to stick on the roster.

Infielders (15): L/R CJ Alexander, L/R Clay Dungan, R/R Maikel Garcia, R/R Jimmy Govern, R/R Nick Loftin, R/R Devin Mann, L/R Michael Massey, L/R Morgan McCullough, L/L Nick Pratto, R/R Jack Reinheimer, R/R Samad Taylor, R/R Tyler Tolbert, R/R Cayden Wallace, R/R Jordan Westburg, R/R Bobby Witt Jr.

The real decision here is where to play Maikel Garcia -- he logged more than 880 innings at third base last season, and was not particularly good (-2.1 DRS, 1.3 OAA). But in the Vinnie Pasquantino deal, the Royals brought in Westburg, who is a third baseman by trade. Garcia hits lefties well, while Michael Massey posted a better platoon split against righties, so a platoon situation at second base is on the table. In addition to Salvador Perez picking up first base at-bats against lefties, Devin Mann, whom they acquired from the Dodgers last season, could also figure into that kind of role should he make the roster. There is a lack of options for a reserve role (the Royals were rumored to be interested in former D-Backs shortstop Nick Ahmed), with Nick Loftin being the most likely option as he can play all four infield spots at least at an average-or-better level. Samad Taylor, Clay Dungan, and CJ Alexander could also make some noise for a reserve role.

Outfielders (15): L/R Dylan Beavers, R/R Dairon Blanco, L/L Tucker Bradley, R/R Nate Eaton, R/R Tyler Gentry, L/L Diego Hernandez, L/R Kyle Isbel, R/R Andrew McCutchen, R/R Juan Carlos Negret, L/R Erick Pena, L/L John Rave, R/R Shane Sasaki, R/R Nelson Velazquez, S/R Drew Waters, S/R Peyton Wilson

After missing parts of the last two seasons due to injuries, Drew Waters took it upon himself to get in good shape -- as in, ridiculously good shape. The switch-hitting outfielder showed up to camp at nearly two-hundred pounds, about ten pounds of muscle more than a season ago, and has looked good in early-spring workouts, driving the ball to all fields with power from both sides. Will it translate to the regular season? That's TBD, but in an interview with MLB Network's Harold Reynolds, he said that he came to camp with the intention of winning a job and playing all 162 games this season; and to do that, he'd have to get in better shape.

"I think he's going to have a really big year," said second-year manager Matt Quatraro. "He's a really fierce competitor, wants to be on the field, and I think he's going to get it done. One of the things he wanted to work on that he told me last year was getting better from the right side of the plate. Early on, he's really driving the ball from both sides of the plate, and whatever work he put in the offseason looks to be paying off early."

Waters has more than enough range and arm to play either corner, which could allow him to move around if needed, and can also give Isbel a spell in center if needed. Rule 5 pick Shane Sasaki is arguably the most athletic of the entire group; he has 6.48 60-yard dash speed, and is already an accomplished defender in terms of routes and anticipation. Free agent signee Andrew McCutchen is likely to get the vast bulk of his PA's as a DH, which will likely necessitate a fifth outfielder. Blanco was that guy last season, but there is stiffer competition for that role, including Sasaki along with Nate Eaton and Diego Hernandez.

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MLB HOT STOVE REPORT #5 (03/04/2024)

MLB HOT STOVE REPORT #5 -- YAMAMOTO REMAINS UNSIGNED
03/04/2024

Frontrunner(s) emerging for Yoshinobu? It's now early March, and Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto is still unsigned -- but are there leaders beginning to emerge? Reports are that the Dodgers are now the favorite to land him, but that to not count the Angels and Astros out. ESPN's Jeff Passan and MLB Network's Jon Morosi both individually corroborated these reports, so they appear to be legitimate, and Yamamoto's camp has not denied the claims. Even if he were to sign tomorrow, it's unlikely he'd be fully ready for the season since he would need time to ramp up innings having not pitched since November, and has not been in an MLB camp.

Yamamoto is by far and away the most desirable FA left on the market, as Alex Cobb remains the only other unsigned FA from the initial top twenty-five released at the start of free agency. Cobb will have to sign a multi-year deal with any team, as he is likely to miss most or all of 2024 while rehabbing from rotator cuff surgery late in the 2023 season, and is entering his age-36 season in '24. Cobb put together an outstanding season for the Giants in 2023, making thirty starts for the first time in his career, only getting injured in his final start of the season. He posted a league-best 2.69 ERA, and finished second in the Cy Young voting.

Braves, White Sox consummate deal: Alex Anthopoulos seems to want to corner the reliever market, having signed Pierce Johnson, A.J. Minter, and Kirby Yates to multi-year contracts. He's now added another well-controlled reliever to the mix, sending a whopping five players to the White Sox for southpaw Aaron Bummer. Included in that package were pitchers Jared Shuster and Mike Soroka, along with infielders Nicky Lopez and Braden Shewmake, and pitching prospect Riley Gowens, who was just drafted in the most recent draft back in July.

Bummer has team options for 2025 and 2026, meaning that the Braves hold all of the cards for him potentially reaching free agency after this season.

Early injuries impacting rosters: When Royce Lewis of the Twins went down with a knee sprain in mid-September and missed the playoffs, little did he know that would likely be the last time he'd take the field in a regular season game for the foreseeable future, as he's likely to miss the entirety of the 2024 season after knee surgery. Already dealing with some post-concussive symptoms from a collision with teammate Trevor Larnach in just the team's second spring training game back on February 24th, he came up limping rounding first base on a double two days later. It was later found that he suffered a torn PCL that would require surgery to correct, and that he would miss the entirety of the 2024 season.

It's been a rough start for pitchers, as well. Detroit's Matt Manning might not be ready in time for Opening Day, as he's still rehabbing an elbow injury post-surgery from late last season. Reds prospect Connor Phillips and Arizona's Peter Strzelecki, who both held key bullpen roles down the stretch for their respective teams, are going to miss the entirety of 2024 after undergoing elbow procedures. Cleveland pitching prospect Davis Sharpe is also likely to miss 2024 after undergoing Tommy John surgery just last week.

Still others, like Kyle Finnegan of Baltimore and Luis Urias of Boston may not be ready for Opening Day after shoulder and knee injuries respectively. Finnegan is out with shoulder impingement syndrome, and Urias was injured on a stolen base attempt after his left knee struck second base, being diagnosed with a knee contusion.

Grapefruit League Standings - Updated: Mar 4, 2024
Grapefruit League	W	L	T
New York Yankees	6	2	0
St. Louis Cardinals	6	2	2
Pittsburgh Pirates	6	3	0
Atlanta Braves	5	3	2
Toronto Blue Jays	5	4	1
Detroit Tigers	5	4	0
Philadelphia Phillies	4	4	2
Minnesota Twins	4	5	1
New York Mets	4	5	1
Miami Marlins	3	4	3
Baltimore Orioles	4	6	1
Boston Red Sox	4	6	0
Houston Astros	3	5	1
Washington Nationals	3	5	0
Tampa Bay Rays	3	6	0

Cactus League Standings - Updated: Mar 4, 2024
Cactus League	W	L	T
Seattle Mariners	8	1	0
Los Angeles Dodgers	8	3	1
San Francisco Giants	6	1	2
San Diego Padres	7	5	0
Milwaukee Brewers	4	3	2
Cincinnati Reds	4	4	1
Oakland Athletics	4	4	2
Chicago White Sox	4	6	1
Chicago Cubs	4	6	0
Kansas City Royals	4	7	0
Texas Rangers	3	6	1
Arizona Diamondbacks	3	3	4
Colorado Rockies	3	7	1
Los Angeles Angels	2	6	2
Cleveland Guardians	2	6	2

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ROYALS SPRING UPDATE (03/04/2024)

2024 MLB Spring Update: Kansas City Royals

By MLB.com Staff
03/04/2024

After winning their first four games of the spring with a +15 run differential, the Royals have dropped their last seven, completely erasing that differential through just the first three games of that seven-game skid. They've played just one split-squad day, dropping both games of a split-squad doubleheader to the Rockies and Padres back on Tuesday. Still, their 4-7 mark is good for a middle-of-the-pack record in Cactus League play through yesterday's games.

Newcomer Jordan Westburg and catcher Luca Tresh have been a few of the position players that have received a lot of run in the early going, and have made the most of their opportunities. While Westburg is widely considered around the organization as a near-lock for the third base job, Tresh likely has a tougher road if he wants to completely skip a minor-league assignment to begin the 2024 campaign. He might have a shot since Salvador Perez is likely going to get an increased share of the first base reps, which will increase the need for a third catcher, but he'll also have to fend off Logan Porter and Tyler Cropley as well.

Westburg is 7-for-14 (.500), with a double and a pair of homeruns through the first ten or so days of the Spring Training schedule, while Tresh is close behind with a .462 mark (6-for-13) with a pair of dingers himself. Tresh, normally a catcher by trade, has also worked at first base; and per manager Matt Quatraro, could also get reps at third and in the outfield this spring.

Projected starting center fielder Kyle Isbel has also had a strong spring to date, going 4-for-10 (.400) with a double, four walks, and a stolen base to his credit. Nick Pratto and Dairon Blanco also each have a pair of homeruns so far, with the former crediting a re-vamp of his swing as a big factor.

"When we traded Vinnie (Pasquantino) in December, I think that told Nick that we really believe in what he can do at first base, and he's responded with a pretty good start so far," said Quatraro. "J.J. (GM Picollo) and I have talked about him quite a bit, and we're really anticipating him having a nice season."

A few of the pitchers that are on the fringe for a roster spot, including lefty Jalen Beeks and righty Jose De Leon, put up solid performances through the first portion of the spring. Beeks' last outing on February 29th included a three-run homerun, but he's allowed just one walk while fanning eight hitters (3 1/3 IP), including a clean scoreless inning with three punchouts way back on the 24th of February. In 2 1/3 innings (two appearances), De Leon walked a pair, but fanned four without a hit allowed.

Others that showed out in limited action were John McMillon, who fanned five with no walks in 2 2/3 innings; fellow righty James McArthur started on February 25th, and fanned three over 2 1/3 innings without allowing a run. He allowed a run in 2 2/3 innings over a relief appearance on the 29th, striking out one with no walks. He's one of the handful of holdovers from a season ago vying for a starting role, likely one of two available after Tyler Glasnow, Brady Singer, and Cole Ragans.

Injury report: Right-hander Dylan Coleman was placed on the 15-day (retroactive to 02/28) injured list with a sore shoulder, is not expected to miss any time at the beginning of the season. Infielder Tyler Tolbert was also placed on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to 02/29) due to lower back pain.

Upcoming schedule: Beginning tomorrow, March 5th, the Royals won't get another day off until March 18th, two weeks from now. We'll be back with another spring update at that point.

vs. Chicago Cubs, vs. Seattle Mariners, @ Colorado Rockies, @ Texas Rangers, vs. Arizona Diamondbacks, @ Oakland Athletics, vs. San Francisco Giants, @ Colorado Rockies, vs. Los Angeles Angels, @ Arizona Diamondbacks, @ Cincinnati Reds, @ Chicago Cubs, vs. Milwaukee Brewers

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MLB HOT STOVE #6 (03/11/2024)

MLB HOT STOVE REPORT #6 -- ROSTERS BEGINNING TO TAKE SHAPE
03/11/2024

Yamamoto to don Dodger blue: It's now official -- the Dodgers announced the signing of Japanese right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto in a press conference at Dodger Stadium on Saturday, just two days after the signing was confirmed. Details were not verified, but it's rumored that the deal is for $200 million over seven seasons. Interestingly enough, the contract contains an opt-out for Yamamoto after the 2027 season, which would still put him firmly under team control as it would just be after his fourth season, and won't be eligible for MLB free agency until prior to the 2030 season if the opt-out is exercised. Reportedly, the opt out is in case Yamamoto and his camp feel a 're-negotiation of terms' would be feasible, depending on how his Dodgers' career has transpired to that point.

He's not expected to be ready in time for the team's season opener on March 21st in South Korea, just ten days from now. He's not likely to make his first start as a Dodger until March 28th or later, when he's had time to re-ramp up after just arriving at Camelback Ranch over the weekend. He's slated to make $24.8 million this season, while going up to $26.8 million (2025) and then $29.2 million (2026). His salary crests at $30.5 million in 2027 before the potential opt-out kicks in, with another $30.5 million in 2028, followed by two years of $29.2 million in 2029 and 2030 if he decides to opt in to the remainder of the deal, pushing his free agency timeline back a year to 2031, which would be his age-32 season.

In addition per Spotrac, he could earn an additional $2 million in bonuses per season, based on All-Star bids, Cy Young finishes, and innings escalators that begin at 110 innings pitched; earning $100,000 for reaching that initial milestone, and $100,000 for each ten innings pitched up unti 150. If he wins the Cy Young in any given season, he'll earn $1,250,000. If he finishes in the top three, he'll earn $250,000, and another $250,000 for each All-Star selection.

Royals, Braves swap players: Kansas City continues to wheel and deal, as they've acquired pitchers Nick Anderson and Kyle Wright from the Braves in exchange for former first-round hurler Jackson Kowar and cash considerations. It seems like a bit of a lopsided trade in favor of Kansas City, but Anderson and Wright both come with injury concerns; and Wright won't even be ready to pitch until 2025. That said, Wright is cost-controlled through 2028 with acceptable salary hits of $7.3 million (2025), $9 million (2026), and $10.6 million (2027) by virtue of the extension he signed late in the 2023 season with Atlanta.

He also carries a relatively inexpensive 2028 player option that matches his 2027 salary, although that's his age-32 year. For this season, he'll be paid $3.75 million to rehab and get ready by spring 2025. If he can regain his form from just two seasons ago in which he won twenty-one games and made thirty starts with a 3.19 ERA (3.39 SIERA, 3.79 FIP, both better than league-average marks), the Royals may have secured him over multiple seasons for quite a bargain. Anderson is also an oft-injured, but productive-when-healthy bullpen option that has closing experience, something the Royals have been looking for.

Kowar is the first of the Royals' vaunted 2018 class of pitching to leave the organization; and wasn't impressive in any of his stints with the Royals with the exception of late this past season, and even that sample of innings wasn't terribly impressive. He did have a solid SIERA of 3.20, but his FIP was 4.10, and his ERA a full run higher than that at 5.10. Perhaps there's a future there as a long relief option as he did fan thirty-four with just ten walks in 30 innings of work for the Royals last year, but with the depth of pitching that the Braves have in their rotation, it seems unlikely that he has any path to starting in Atlanta.

Mets' Rodriguez to miss four to five months: The Mets signed Cuban right-hander Yariel Rodriguez to a three-year, $19 million contract just shy of Spring Training, but just a handful of appearances into the spring, he's likely going to miss roughly half to two-thirds of the season following minor knee surgery to clean up a torn meniscus in his drive (right) leg. In five spring innings, he's allowed five hits and just one walk with four strikeouts. He was expected to contend for a starting role after pitching mainly out of the bullpen in both his native Cuba and in Japan for the last three seasons, but isn't expected back until August at the earliest per manager Carlos Beltran.

The Orioles and Dodgers also suffered some serious injuries to key players as the spring begins to wind down, with reigning AL ROY Gunnar Henderson now sidelined for the next several months, along with Mookie Betts in L.A. Henderson suffered what was termed as a hip sprain on a slide into second base, landing a bit awkwardly on his left hip during a game on March 5th. Betts suffered a broken finger during the Dodgers' 9-1 spring training victory over the Angels, getting hit with a thrown ball on his right hand while sliding into third base on a single.

Cobb, Giants working on re-union: San Francisco and free agent pitcher Alex Cobb have begun negotations to bring him back for the 2024 season 'and beyond', per GM Farhan Zaidi. Cobb pitched to a 2.69 ERA last season, finishing second in the Cy Young voting. However, he was diagnosed with an elbow injury after his final start of 2023; and underwent surgery a week later, rendering him out for the 2024 season.

The free agent righty has been seeking a longer-term deal (reportedly no less than three years), but has had a hard time finding takers at that length. While negotiations are ongoing with the Giants, other teams that missed out in the Yamamoto sweepstakes, such as the Yankees, Angels, and Red Sox, could also have some interest in the veteran righty.

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MLB HOT STOVE REPORT #7 -- FINAL REPORT

MLB HOT STOVE REPORT #7 -- FINAL UPDATE
03/18/2024

Altuve, Astros announce extension: The biggest news of the past week was the announcement that Jose Altuve would continue to don the Houston uniform through 2028, signing a four-year, $109 million extension with the club. The three-time AL batting champ and sure-fire first-ballot Hall-of-Famer took to Twitter to thank the fans for their continued support, and that he was looking forward to 'multiple championships again' with the Astros.

His 2025 salary is around $31 million, but continues to decline after that, going to $27.4 million in 2026 and 2027, before falling to $23.2 million in the final year. He also has incentives that could push an extra million per season. He's slated to make $26.5 million in the final year of his previous extension that he signed way back in 2014.

Cobb, Yankees agree to deal: After missing out on the Yamamoto sweepstakes, the Yankees moved quickly to sign Alex Cobb to a two-year guaranteed deal that will pay him $22 million through 2025, per Jon Morosi of MLB Network. The contract also includes a 2026 team option worth $11 million that holds a buyout of $2.5 million. With Cobb sitting out the 2024 season on the injured list due to rotator cuff surgery, he'll make just $8 million this season, and that figure goes up to $14 million for 2025. The 2025 and 2026 years also include performance bonuses that could bring his figure up to an additional $1 million per year.

San Francisco was rumored, along with St. Louis, Kansas City, and the Angels as being other teams interested, but the top remaining free agent from the initial Top 25 is now off the board to the Yankees.

Guardians, Padres swap: Veteran reliever Scott Barlow is headed back to the AL Central right before the season starts, as he was swapped to the Guardians for cash considerations, per a report from MLB Trade Rumors, who cited a report from MLB.com's Anthony Castrovince. It's another solid addition for the Guardians, who had bullpen questions at the outset of the offseason, but addressed those handily with the acquisitions of John Brebbia, Jacob Webb, Jordan Romano, and now Barlow in front of closer Emmanuel Clase.

Romano, acquired in a trade with the Blue Jays for Joey Cantillo, actually led the AL in saves last year with forty-four. Barlow saved fifty-eight games for the Royals from 2018 through the mid-point of last season, including fifty-five of those since the beginning of the 2021 season.

Veterans sign with teams: After spending his first dozen seasons in San Francisco through 2022, Brandon Belt is now on his third team in the last three years, signing a one-year major league deal with the Cardinals. They acquired Edouard Julien from the Twins with eyes on him taking over the role, but has had a tough spring and St. Louis beat out a few interested clubs for his services. Former Cardinal shortstop Paul De Jong also signed a one-year, $1.75 million MLB contract with the White Sox.

The Dodgers welcomed back Jason Heyward earlier in the week, signing him to a one-year, $9 million pact earlier in the week. He's played in the last few spring training games, and is expected to play in the upcoming two-game series with the Padres in Seoul, South Korea.

Grapefruit League Standings - Updated: Mar 18, 2024
Grapefruit League	W	L	T
New York Yankees	16	6	1
Pittsburgh Pirates	13	9	2
St. Louis Cardinals	11	8	4
Baltimore Orioles	13	10	1
Atlanta Braves	11	10	3
Washington Nationals	10	9	3
Boston Red Sox	10	11	4
Philadelphia Phillies	8	9	5
Toronto Blue Jays	8	10	6
Miami Marlins	8	10	5
New York Mets	10	12	2
Detroit Tigers	9	12	3
Tampa Bay Rays	8	11	3
Minnesota Twins	7	10	8
Houston Astros	7	11	4

Cactus League Standings - Updated: Mar 18, 2024
Cactus League	W	L	T
Los Angeles Dodgers	14	6	1
San Diego Padres	14	7	0
Milwaukee Brewers	13	7	2
Seattle Mariners	13	9	2
Arizona Diamondbacks	10	8	6
Cleveland Guardians	10	10	3
San Francisco Giants	10	10	3
Texas Rangers	11	11	2
Chicago Cubs	12	12	1
Cincinnati Reds	9	11	2
Colorado Rockies	10	13	1
Oakland Athletics	9	12	3
Chicago White Sox	9	13	3
Los Angeles Angels	7	14	3
Kansas City Royals	8	17	0

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2024 SEASON PREVIEW (03/25)

2024 MLB Season Preview: Kansas City Royals
K.C. isn't expected to compete this year, but there must be signs that a solid foundation has been built by year's end.

By MLB.com Staff
03/25/2024

2023 Record: 56-106 (5th, AL Central)
Manager: Matt Quatraro (2nd season)
2024 Payroll: $86 million
Key additions: RHP Tyler Glasnow, OF Andrew McCutchen, IF Jordan Westburg, LHP Joely Rodriguez, RHP Kyle Wright, LHP Jalen Beeks, RHP Nick Anderson
Key losses: OF/C MJ Melendez, RHP Jackson Kowar, OF Edward Olivares, 1B Vinnie Pasquantino, RHP Zack Greinke, RHP Jordan Lyles

Expectations for 2024
After tying a franchise record for losses with 106 last season, Kansas City really can't go anywhere but up — on paper, they seem to be a lot better than last year, acquiring such players like Glasnow, Wright, McCutchen, and Westburg. However, they did have to part with Pasquantino as part of the Westburg package from Baltimore, leaving Nick Pratto as the everyday first baseman; and also traded away outfielders in Melendez and Olivares, while releasing Lyles and paying his $8.5 million price tag in the process. Zack Greinke also decided to not return for this year and retire as a near-lock for the HOF.

Matt Quatraro is back for his second season as the team's skipper; and after tinkering with the lineups nearly day-to-day and using the most openers in baseball last season, he noted early on in the spring that he would likely cut down on the use of openers going forward. This season, he has former Rays in Glasnow, Beeks, and righty reliever Nick Anderson on his Opening Day roster. They also added Kyle Wright from the Braves via trade, although he will miss the entirety of the season due to injury.

"Last season was a lot of evaluation and just trying to figure out what pieces fit the best, and how we could make the team better going forward," he said late in the spring season after much of the roster had been pared down. "This season, we have a better idea of who goes where, and there should be less experimentation with the roster, for lack of a better term."

After playing third base much of last season, the Royals have moved Maikel Garcia over to second base to accomodate Westburg, who won the third base job, as expected by many within the organization. Garcia is also Bobby Witt Jr's (more on him later) main backup at shortstop. Michael Massey is expected to still get a significant amount of at-bats, especially against right-handed arms. Quatraro and the coaching staff were also impressed with Salvador Perez at first base in his limited stints, and should get some work there to get Freddy Fermin at-bats and work behind the plate against southpaws. The outfield from last year remains largely intact, with the addition of Rule 5 pick Shane Sasaki adding depth and additional speed/defense off the bench. Massey can also play third base and shortstop in a pinch, although the Royals could be exposed depth-wise if one of Garcia or Witt go down to injury.

In particular, outfielder Drew Waters has been one of the more impressive players in camp, reporting to spring training in "the best shape I've ever been", per one reporter that covers the team. He came in with the goal of playing all 162 games, which is an admirable goal, but has missed parts of the last two seasons with the Royals with injuries.

The addition of Glasnow should help lengthen a rotation that saw Cole Ragans come out of nowhere and be one of the top three or four pitchers in the American League over the last few months. Unfortunately, a wrist injury for Ragans midway through the spring has lingered, and instead of being ready for Opening Day, Ragans is going to embark on a rehab assignment. Quatraro expects him back by the end of April, which is when his rehab stint expires, but is hopeful he'll be back prior to that.

In the meantime, he has some flexibility with the fifth spot in the rotation now -- both James McArthur and Daniel Lynch made the roster, and Quatraro noted there's some opportunity for both of them to get 'significant innings' every fifth day, meaning they'd be used as a opener or a follower, depending on matchups. Right-hander J.T. Brubaker, formerly of Pittsburgh, could also figure into the opener/follower mix.

Glasnow, Ragans (when he returns), and Kris Bubic, who had an outstanding spring, are the expected top three pitchers. Brady Singer was also mentioned by Quatraro as being in the regular rotation, along with Brubaker. The top two have a pretty lengthy injury history, so chances are that their starting pitching depth will be tested this season. While Carlos Hernandez was solid as the closer after trading away Scott Barlow at the deadline last season, he could face some challenges from Beeks and righty Devin Sweet, who was claimed from the A's in February and had a solid spring to make the roster. Kansas City also added southpaw Joely Rodriguez in a trade with the Red Sox, giving them a proven lefty arm out of the pen, although he struggled to a 6.55 ERA in 2023.

Stories to watch
Superstar shortstop Bobby Witt Jr is back for his third season, but still does not have an extension in hand; although there appears to be some openness in the Witt camp about extending sooner rather than later, which would mean they would need to come to an agreement before Opening Day or soon thereafter. The Royals have notoriously been tight-lipped when it comes to inside information, but G.M. J.J. Picollo was asked by the MLB Network earlier in the spring about a BWJ extension, and was surprisingly candid about the process to date.

"You know, it can get a little contentious, not nasty of course, but we're talking about a generational talent here," he said. "We're still in the early stages of trying to get something done. Will it get done before Opening Day? I don't feel confident that it will at this point, but Bobby has maintained that he doesn't want to get too far into the season before extending, and let it be a distraction to the team."

Also, about that new stadium -- it's still not determined where the new stadium will be built. Ownership, led by principal and KC native John Sherman, has been getting a lot of pushback from the city, but they've maintained that it will be built. It was disclosed that they've actually considered moving across the state line to Kansas, where it could be put near Children's Mercy Park, the home of MLS' Sporting KC squad. It's still unlikely that happens, as the Royals have always been in Missouri and want to keep it that way, but the longer the delay in getting a stadium built, the further you have to push back the timeline.

It was thought that the new stadium, if started by Opening Day this year, could be finished in time for the 2027 season, but it's now looking like (barring something miraculous happening) it will be 2028 or 2029. Ownership is requesting a 3/8th cent sales tax increase for county residents, and has offered to pay the entire cost of building a 'Ballpark Village' of sorts surrounding it, similar to St. Louis and Atlanta.

Final outlook
Much of the success of the Royals in '24 will hinge on two things -- one, the health of their top three starters. If they can get 70-plus starts between Glasnow, Ragans, and Bubic, it should take some pressure off a suspect bullpen and lineup. Secondly, where is the power coming from? After BWJ and Perez, Pasquantino was likely that other big bat that you had to account for. They really need one (preferably two) 'big bats' to step up, and it doesn't really matter who it is -- Waters, Pratto, Westburg, and/or possibly Nelson Velazquez, who flashed some good power late in the season after being acquired from the Cubs. Or maybe McCutchen can continue defying the odds to be a 15-20 homerun bat as he enters his age-37 season, especially if he's going to DH quite a bit.

[artoodeetoo]

Re: Straight Outta Kauffman (OOTP 24)

MLB 2024 SEASON PREDICTIONS
03/26/2024

NL East
1. Atlanta
2. Philadelphia
3. New York
4. Miami
5. Washington

NL Central
1. Milwaukee
2. Cincinnati
3. Pittsburgh
4. St. Louis
5. Chicago

NL West
1. Los Angeles
2. San Diego
3. Arizona
4. San Francisco
5. Colorado

AL East
1. Tampa Bay
2. New York
3. Baltimore
4. Boston
5. Toronto

AL Central
1. Minnesota
2. Cleveland
3. Chicago
4. Kansas City
5. Detroit

AL West
1. Texas
2. Houston
3. Seattle
4. Los Angeles
5. Oakland

AL Playoff Teams: Tampa Bay, Minnesota, Texas, New York, Houston, Baltimore
NL Playoff Teams: Atlanta, Milwaukee, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, San Diego, Arizona

World Series: Texas over Los Angeles (six games)

AL MVP: Aaron Judge, New York
NL MVP: Freddie Freeman, Los Angeles

AL Cy Young: Carlos Rodon, New York
NL Cy Young: Spencer Strider, Atlanta

AL Rookie: Tyler Soderstrom, Oakland
NL Rookie: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Los Angeles

AL Manager: Bruce Bochy, Texas
NL Manager: Craig Counsell, Milwaukee

[artoodeetoo]

Minnesota @ Kansas City (03/28 -- 03/31)

Team Roster/Records | MLB Standings | Statistics

Series Recap: Minnesota Twins

By Jason Calvin | Kansas City Star | April 1st, 2024

Minnesota Twins at Kansas City Royals
Mar 28, 2024	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Minnesota Twins (0-1)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	0
Kansas City Royals (1-0)	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	0	X	1	3	0
W: Angel Zerpa (1-0) L: Pablo Lopez (0-1) S: Carlos Hernandez (1)

Thursday, March 28th, 2024
Royals manager Matt Quatraro stumped for the Royals' front office to find a way to bring Tyler Glasnow to Kansas City early on in the offseason; and after several weeks of discussions between Quatraro, Royals GM J.J. Picollo, and the Rays' front office, made the deal to bring the six-foot-eight righty to Kansas City right before the Winter Meetings hit.

Now, fast forward nearly four-and-a-half months. In his first regular season start with the Royals, Glasnow only went four innings, but he made them count -- he scattered four hits, no runs allowed, and a pair of walks while striking out six; showing off his trademark velocity in touching the high 90's with relative ease.

He threw just seventy pitches, with Angel Zerpa tossing three spotless frames to pick up the win in relief as the Royals blanked the Twins 1-0 to move to 1-0 on the season. Carlos Hernandez picked up the save, striking out a batter while throwing just eight pitches.

"The plan with Tyler was to go around 65-to-70 pitches," manager Matt Quatraro explained to reporters after the victory. "He started losing it a little bit late into the fourth inning, as he lost some of his command and balls started getting hit a bit harder. If we had a bit of a lead, I would have let him try to push through the fifth inning, but we had a rested pen ready to go."

With his seventh-inning homerun, Salvador Perez provided the only offense the Royals would need, a solo shot that knocked Twins starter Pablo Lopez from the game. It was the only blemish on his night, allowing just three hits, no walks, and eleven strikeouts over 6 1/3 innings. Perez's homerun was his 250th career homerun, and his 210th as a catcher. He's just three homeruns away from tying Benito Santiago for 12th all-time in homeruns as a catcher.

Other newcomers to the Royals didn't fare so well in their debuts, as Andrew McCutchen struck out four times, and third baseman Jordan Westburg was 0-for-2 with a walk and a pair of strikeouts. Maikel Garcia was the only other Royal starter to get a hit, going 2-for-4 with a double.

Minnesota Twins at Kansas City Royals
Mar 30, 2024	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10	R	H	E
Minnesota Twins (1-1)	1	1	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	4	8	1
Kansas City Royals (1-1)	0	0	0	1	0	0	0	2	0	0	3	7	0
W: Mark Leiter Jr (1-0) L: Carlos Hernandez (0-1) S: Griffin Jax (1)

Saturday, March 30th, 2024
Carlos Correa's RBI single in the top of the 10th was the deciding hit in the Royals' 4-3 loss to Minnesota, evening the series at one win apiece. The Twins scored single tallies in each of the first three innings, including a solo homerun from Byron Buxton just three pitches into the top of the first.

A bases-loaded walk from Drew Waters in the fourth pulled the Royals one run closer; and they managed to tie the game with a pair of runs in the eighth with Salvador Perez at the plate. Twins reliever Mark Leiter, Jr tossed a wild pitch to score Kyle Isbel, who led the inning off with a double. Perez then laced a pitch from Leiter into the gap for a two-bagger of his own, scoring Bobby Witt Jr to knot it up.

If it were not for an outstanding defensive play in the ninth, Kansas City would have walked away with the victory; but a tremendous throw from Gilberto Celestino in right field erased Jordan Westburg at the plate, preserving the tie and ultimately, the Twins' victory. They had Leiter on the ropes again in the ninth by putting men on first and second with two outs. Michael Massey singled to right, but third base coach Vance Wilson decided to send Westburg instead of holding him at third.

"It was a worthwhile gamble to see if we could steal one there," manager Matt Quatraro said when asked about the play. "They had their outfielders deeper than normal, Mike (Massey) hit the ball pretty hard, which may have negated the advantage there, but it was a real close play. They had to go to review, and it looked like he was safe at first, but it was a good call after looking at the replay, so we didn't challenge. We didn't want to risk losing that replay challenge if we ended up needing it in extras."

Kansas City also left some runs on the table, as the Royals left the bases loaded in the third, scoring just one run in that frame. Both teams stranded eight runners each, including five each in scoring position.

"Yep, that third inning was tough to swallow," Quatraro mused in the post-game interview outside the locker room. "We have to do a better job of cashing in those situations; didn't even get a bat on the ball in a few of those instances to give our guys a chance."

Minnesota's Joe Ryan out-dueled Brady Singer in the pitching matchup, with Ryan's one run and four strikeouts over five frames superior to Singer's three earned over 4 2/3 innings. He scattered five hits and a walk, striking out three with three earned runs allowed.

Minnesota Twins at Kansas City Royals
Mar 31, 2024	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Minnesota Twins (1-2)	0	0	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	2	8	0
Kansas City Royals (2-1)	0	0	0	0	2	0	0	8	X	10	15	0
W: Jalen Beeks (1-0) L: Eric Jokisch (0-1) S: None

Sunday, March 31st, 2024
After going 1-for-9 with five strikeouts in his first two games as a Royal, Andrew McCutchen broke out in a big way, going 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles and a homerun as the Royals shellacked the Twins 10-2, breaking a 2-2 tie with eight men crossing the plate in the eighth inning. McCutchen led the eighth off with a solo homerun against Eric Jokisch, and the Royals went on to collect five straight singles after that to chase the lefty reliever from the contest.

Making his first hit as a Royal memorable was Jordan Westburg, who hit a bases-clearing triple off Andrew Chafin with one out in that eight-run inning, blowing the game wide open as the Royals went from a 5-2 to an 8-2 lead at that point. McCutchen would hit a double two batters later for his second hit of the inning before the Twins finally stopped the bleeding.

"Feels good to finally get it out of the way," Westburg said with a bit of a chuckle regarding his first Royals' hit in front of his locker after the game. "It was a pitch a bit down and in, and frankly, I didn't think I was going to square it up as much as I did, as it was nearly a straight shot to center."

Kris Bubic pitched well in his first outing in nearly a year, going 4 1/3 innings with two earned runs allowed, striking out four while scattering five hits and a walk. He allowed a leadoff double to Austin Martin in the fifth before walking Jorge Polanco two hitters later, leaving runners at first and second with one out. Angel Zerpa, who appeared in all three games of the series, got a double play ball out of Byron Buxton on one pitch to get out of the jam. Zerpa would go on to pitch another two-thirds of an inning before James McArthur replaced him to get the final out of the sixth.

In fact, the Royals' bullpen was nearly spotless throughout the series -- they allowed zero earned runs in fifteen innings, with the only exception being the unearned run in the 10th from Saturday night's extra-inning ghost runner. They walked just two hitters with seventeen punchouts in that same span.

It's the first opening series victory for the Royals since the 2021 season, when they defeated the Rangers two games to one as part of their 15-9 start that season, before going 59-79 the rest of the way.

"Long way to go, but I'm real pleased with what I've seen to date," Matt Quatraro beamed as he fielded questions from the reporters outside the locker room after the game. "I think we're going to surprise some people with our offense this year."

UP NEXT: at Baltimore (04/01 -- 04/03)

[artoodeetoo]

Royals News (04/01)

Royals News, Notes

By MLB.com Staff
04/01/2024

Former Royal on the move: About a month after being shipped to the Braves in exchange for Kyle Wright and Nick Anderson, Jackson Kowar has been traded from the Braves to the Mariners as part of a deal to bring Marco Gonzales to Atlanta. Gonzales will get a chance to start with Charlie Morton out for the season with a torn UCL, which in his age-40 season, likely puts his career in doubt. It's a fairly low-risk move for the Braves, as Gonzales only carries a $12 million salary figure for 2024, and his 2025 option for $15 million is a club option.

Pitching prospect Cole Phillips also went to the Mariners in the deal, as the 2022 second-rounder is now one of the top five prospects in the Mariners' organization after being a top 10 prospect in the Braves' organization. Kowar made one appearance for Atlanta prior to the trade, tossing 3 2/3 innings of one-run ball on Opening Day, striking out three with no walks and four hits scattered in a relief outing.

Cessa signs minor league deal: Kansas City continued to add to its minor league pitching depth, signing former Yankees and Reds hurler Luis Cessa to a minor league deal with a major league option. The option includes an opt out for April 28th in which he can file for free agency and sign with any club, or opt-in for the remainder of the season on the original minor league pact.

Cessa also spent time with the Nationals last season, making eleven starts. His ERA was a ghastly 5.93, and his metrics weren't much better -- just 5.10 on the FIP, and a SIERA of 4.97. Still, he's made plenty of starts over his career, and with the Royals' lack of quality depth, gives them another option should several starters miss extended time.

[artoodeetoo]

Kansas City @ Baltimore (04/01 -- 04/03)

Team Roster/Records | MLB Standings | Statistics

Series Recap: Baltimore Orioles

By Jason Calvin | Kansas City Star | April 4th, 2024

Kansas City Royals at Baltimore Orioles
Apr 1, 2024	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Kansas City Royals (2-2)	0	1	2	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	11	1
Baltimore Orioles (1-3)	0	0	0	2	4	0	0	0	X	6	10	0
W: Cole Irvin (1-0) L: Dylan Coleman (0-1) S: Felix Bautista (1)

Monday, April 1st, 2024
A one-out error in the fifth inning led to four unearned runs, as Nelson Velazquez dropped a line drive from former teammate Vinnie Pasquantino with one out. Adley Rutschman would later come to the plate with two outs and the bases loaded, smacking a grand slam off righty Dylan Coleman to turn a 3-2 deficit into a 6-3 lead, which ended up being the final score as that result held over the final three-and-a-half innings.

"The margin for error is just so small in this game," said manager Matt Quatraro. "It was a tough play, but I think it's a play that Nelly would tell you he has to make. He said the ball sank on him faster than he anticipated, and just didn't get much of the glove on it."

It's the first win of the season for the Orioles after getting swept by the Angels at home to open the season. The last time Baltimore was swept at home to open the season was all the way back in 1977, losing all three of their games at home to the Rangers to open that season; although they went on to win ninety-seven games that year.

"We can all breathe a little bit now," Orioles skipper Brandon Hyde remarked. "It was tough dropping those first handful of games at home in front of the home fans after last year, but maybe this is our chance to get right."

Kansas City jumped out to a 3-0 lead early on, thanks to homeruns from Freddy Fermin and Andrew McCutchen. Fermin's came in his first official at-bat of the season, as his only other action was as a defensive sub in Sunday's game with Minnesota. McCutchen went 2-for-5 in the loss, following up his four-hit game from Sunday with two more hits Monday night.

Kansas City Royals at Baltimore Orioles
Apr 2, 2024	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Kansas City Royals (2-3)	2	0	0	2	0	0	2	2	0	8	12	0
Baltimore Orioles (2-3)	0	2	2	0	2	0	2	0	1	6	10	0
W: Liam Hendriks (1-0) L: Nick Anderson (0-1) S: None

Tuesday, April 2nd, 2024
Balls were flying out of the yard on Tuesday night, with each team knocking four homeruns. However, Baltimore would eventually have the last laugh, walking the Royals off with a two-out RBI single in the ninth to fall 9-8 to the Orioles. Reliever Nick Anderson had Ramon Urias down to his final strike before forcing extra innings, but he laced a single just past the outstretched glove of Michael Massey at second base, scoring ex-Royal Vinnie Pasquantino from third with the winning tally.

Bobby Witt Jr finally got on the board with his first homerun of the season in the first inning, a two-run blast that put the Royals out in front early. Unfortunately, that's the last time that the Royals would ever lead in the game despite being close throughout. Baltimore scored a pair of runs each in the second and third innings, giving them a 4-2 lead. The two teams would go on to trade two-run innings up until the ninth, when Urias smacked his game-winning single.

"It was a game where there was always seemingly an answer for each rally," said manager Matt Quatraro. "Our bullpen came in and picked Danny up, but just didn't do enough in the end to come out on top."

The "Danny" he's referring to is Daniel Lynch, who struggled in his first 2024 start. He surrendered all four Baltimore homeruns, allowing six earned runs just 4 1/3 innings of work. It took twenty-one innings, but the bullpen finally had their earned run streak snapped at twenty-one innings, as Dylan Coleman was tagged for a pair of earned runs in the seventh. Coleman was also on the mound in Monday's game when Adley Rutschman hit a grand slam, but all four runs were unearned due to an error.

In addition to BWJ, Nick Pratto, and Drew Waters all hit their first homeruns of the season, while Andrew McCutchen has gotten off to a blazing start with his third homerun of the year. McCutchen, Kyle Isbel, Jordan Westburg, and Michael Massey all collected a pair of hits each.

Kansas City Royals at Baltimore Orioles
Apr 3, 2024	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Kansas City Royals (2-4)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	1	1	2	0
Baltimore Orioles (3-3)	0	0	1	0	0	0	1	0	X	2	3	0
W: Tyler Wells (1-0) L: Tyler Glasnow (0-1) S: Felix Bautista (2)

Wednesday, April 3rd, 2024
Andrew McCutchen's ninth-inning homerun extended his hitting streak to five games; and his consecutive games streak with a homerun to four. But it was one of just two hits in the game for the Royals, and the Orioles managed to do just enough offensively to hand the Royals their third straight loss in a 2-1 defeat for Kansas City.

With seven innings and just two runs, Tyler Glasnow was the tough-luck loser on Wednesday. He allowed both of the solo homeruns, but was solid overall with just three hits and one walk, striking out five in taking the loss. Despite going three more innings than his last outing, he threw only seventy-nine pitches, landing fifty-five for strikes.

"Something I think you'll find out pretty quick about Tyler is that he doesn't really mess around," manager Matt Quatraro deadpanned to the local media that made the trip after the game. "He's going to get in there and throw strikes when he's at his best. He may give up a homerun or two like today, but that's how you know that he's around the zone; and he's not afraid to give up a longball or two if his stuff is working otherwise."

Bobby Witt Jr was the only other Royal in the lineup to tally a hit with a single and stolen base in the first, going 1-for-4. In addition to his homerun, McCutchen also drew a walk, his first of the season.

Tyler Wells pitched five no-hit innings for Baltimore with four strikeouts and no runs allowed, but walked four. Three relievers combined to preserve their victory, with Felix Bautista working around the solo homerun from McCutchen to pick up the save.

"Despite the lack of offense, I thought we did a nice job in being a little more selective and making (Tyler) Wells work a little bit early on," Quatraro mused. "When they went to the bullpen, we struggled a little bit more with that, as they would mix up contrasting styles with some of the pitchers they brought in."

After catching a quick flight out of Baltimore post-game last night, the the 2-4 Royals head back home to face the White Sox in a four-game series, beginning tonight at 7:05 PM Central time.

UP NEXT: vs Chicago White Sox (04/04 -- 04/07)

[tobin834]

Re: Straight Outta Kauffman (OOTP 24)

I just wanted to let you know this and you are an inspiration to me man. This journal is incredible.