Being shut out is no fun.
Sam McDowell at the Star has five takeaways from the first two weeks of the season:
Those three hitters in the middle of the order combined for a 1.025 on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS) with runners in scoring position in 2024. Witt was second in baseball at 1.183, Pasquantino 14th and Perez 15th. A year later, that trio has combined for a .695 OPS in those same spots. They’ve totaled just one home run with a runner on second or third, and it came off that bat of Pasquantino on opening day. Wonder how the Royals rank in the bottom third of the league in runs over a 12-game stretch? That’s how.
The Royals hope Drew Waters can add a spark to the offense after being called up:
“The goal for any player that goes down to Triple-A is to make us call them back up,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “This happened to be because of an injury. But Drew was producing in the week-plus of Triple-A. If he wasn’t, then maybe it makes it a tougher decision on who does get called up.”
It remains to be seen how much the Royals use Waters in the big leagues, though, and he won’t be expected to be a hero when he does play. The offense isn’t going to take off until the middle of the order finds its way. Perez is hitting .196 to begin the year with a .549 OPS, while Vinnie Pasquantino is hitting .171 with a .580 OPS. Both went a combined 0-for-6 in the Royals’ three-hit effort Wednesday night.
Royals Reporter Kevin O’Brien breaks down Sam Long’s tough start to the season:
Long has been flooding the strike zone with his pitch mix, as demonstrated by his 55.2% zone rate. He also hasn’t been hit too hard, based on xwOBA Contact, which is 0.313. He is producing a groundball rate of 64.7%, a 21.8% increase from his mark in 2024. Conversely, Long is allowing a .471 BABIP, a 105-point increase from a season ago.
Thus, there has been an element of flukiness regarding Long’s rough beginning in 2025. Long is doing what he needs to regarding contact, but hitters are finding holes, which unfortunately results in runs in crucial spots.
Longtime strength and conditioning coach Ryan Stoneberg resigned over the weekend.
Jac Caglianone crushed a 468’ homer.
Take a look at some hot starts that you can believe in.
Cody Bellinger says he won’t eat chicken wings anymore after catching food poisoning from some.
Ben Clemens at FanGraphs introduces a new way to measure a team’s organizational depth.
The Twins are really going through it right now.
Atlanta is acquiring right-handed pitcher Rafael Montero from Houston.
How about a big ol’ injury roundup?
- Texas outfielder Wyatt Langford is heading to the IL with an oblique injury.
- San Diego outfielder Jackson Merrill is heading to the IL with a leg injury.
- Cubs left-handed pitcher Justin Steele is heading to the IL with an elbow injury.
- Baltimore right-handed pitcher Zach Eflin is heading to the IL with a back injury.
- Detroit catcher Jake Rogers is heading to the IL with an oblique injury.
- Seattle infielder Ryan Bliss is heading to the IL with an arm injury.
Pools for the 2026 World Baseball Classic have been finalized.
Arkansas takes #1 and Kansas enters the rankings in this week’s college baseball top 25.
Luka Dončić played his first game in Dallas since being traded.
14 questions about the state of professional golf entering the 2025 Masters.
The Vancouver Canucks saved their season by scoring three goals in the final minute of a game.
LeBron James is the first male athlete to be honored with an official Ken Doll.
How long can you safely go without urinating?
A Minecraft Movie has become the TikTok generation’s Rocky Horror.
Your song of the day is Love You ‘Til I’m Dead by Grabbitz and Rezz.