The boys are balling against the Brewers.
David Lesky writes about a dominant season debut for southpaw Kris Bubic. [$]
His fastball was a monster. It is absolutely wild to me that the guy who had the fastball that he had early in his career has developed that pitch to be as good as it is. In 2020, he gave up a .299 average and .464 slugging percentage on his fastball with a 23.4 percent whiff rate. In 2022, he gave up a .348 average with a .587 slugging percentage and a 20.2 percent whiff rate. Yesterday, though? Oh my. He carried over what he did with the fastball out of the bullpen in a big way.
Craig Brown had his own thoughts on Bubic’s outing but asked the question few Royals fans are willing to ask.
Do I dare fall for Maikel Garcia again? It’s not a rhetorical question. I bought into him last year based on his hot start at the plate and, wouldn’t you know, it’s at it again. He crushed a 428-foot bomb to center in the second inning. It was the furthest ball Garcia has hit in his career, the perfect confluence of bat speed and launch angle. He also had the start in center field with India at third base. If he takes to the outfield and continues to lift the baseball…
Royals Data Dugout looked into the numbers behind Bubic’s start, including some “pillow soft” contact from Brewers batters.
The Brewers mustered just a 77.8 MPH average exit velocity, which would be good for second among MLB starters so far this season, entering Monday’s games, behind just one man: second-year sensation Paul Skenes. In fact, two of Milwaukee’s hits came on some of its softest contact. Add Garrett Mitchell’s and Joey Ortiz’s exit velocities together and you narrowly beat out Maikel Garcia’s team-high 108.8 MPH rocket over the center field wall.
ESPN gives the Royals a puncher’s chance at winning the World Series this year, saying the glaring lineup disparity is holding the club back this season. [$]
Pivotal statistic: .653. The flip side of this number is .812. That’s the combined OPS the Royals got from their 2-hole (mostly Bobby Witt Jr.), 3-hole (Vinnie Pasquantino) and 4-hole hitters (Salvador Perez). Only the Yankees, Dodgers and Diamondbacks did better. Alas, the Royals’ other spots compiled that unsightly collective .653 OPS, ranking 24th in the majors. Simply put, the Royals need to give their big three more support to keep last year’s good vibes going.
Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly calls Jonathan India one of baseball’s most overhyped stars in 2025.
In any event, while India is a Major League player, we don’t have a ton of evidence to suggest he’s much more than that, despite him being billed as a pretty big offseason addition for the Royals.
A reminder that the first of Kansas City’s simulcasts on KCTV and KSMO will be this Sunday against the Baltimore Orioles. The weekend matinee is a partial rematch of last year’s AL Wild Card, where Kansas City swept Baltimore in Camden Yards.
“We’re trying to find a way to put those games out there, kind of the way people used to watch our games, right?” Royals CEO/Chairman John Sherman said earlier this year. “Although I don’t think they got 162 that way. I think they had a game of the week back in the day.”
Kauffman Stadium lands among baseball’s best in USA Today’s rankings for best MLB stadium and best baseball stadium food, ranking 10th and fifth respectively.
You can’t dine at Kauffman Stadium without sampling some of the city’s famous barbecue, including pulled pork, brisket, ribs, and sausages. Other stadium favorites include buffalo chicken wraps, deep-fried tacos, loaded nachos, and pizza. Satisfy your cravings for something sweet with a milkshake from Belfonte Ice Cream or a half pint of your favorite flavor from Andy’s Frozen Custard.
MLB.com predicts the 2025 All-MLB Team after a handful of games in the 162-game season.
MLB Pipeline predicts which top prospects will debut in which months this season.
Managers and front officer personnel, both past and present, react to the Torpedo bat fever following this weekend.
FanGraphs’ Jay Jaffe looks at the surprising success of the Chicago White Sox starter.
Looking to get into baseball? The Cleveland Guardians have an opening for a Pro Acquisitions Analyst.
Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani leads the league in baseball jersey sales.
World Series champion pitcher Lance Lynn calls it quits.
Reliever Adam Ottavino joins the New York Yankees on a one-year pact.
Chicago Cubs’ Carson Kelly hit for the cycle in a 18-3 rout of the Athletics in 1st MLB game at Sutter Health Park.
Read about the nearly five-decade career of baseball organist Fred Costello, keeping one of baseball’s historic sounds alive in Rochester.
NFL’s tush push vote pushed down the road, but other rules entered the league’s rulebook.
Tiger Woods pulls April Fool’s joke on fans ahead of the Masters.
TGL indoor golf is blowing up and already considering expansion.
Today’s song is Bob Dylan’s A Hard Rain’s A Gonna Fall.