We will have real baseball this week!
Vinnie Pasquantino exited Saturday’s game with a hamstring strain.
“I feel fine,” Pasquantino said as he got ready to leave with the team for the airport and then fly to Texas. “I don’t want to put any timeframe on it, but I don’t think – my gut tells me it’s not going to affect anything. But my gut is not the medical staff. So we’ll get it evaluated tomorrow and we’ll see.”
Anne Rogers writes that Daniel Lynch IV has made the team in the bullpen.
“A lot of it is his intent,” Quatraro said. “The way he approached the spring business-like, putting the work in during the offseason, coming here in great shape, and really just attacking the zone, keeping hitters on their heels, that’s been one of the biggest differences I’ve seen.”
She also writes about how the Opening Day roster is coming into focus.
Sam McDowell writes about how Matt Quatraro and others in the organization have used last year’s postseason loss to fuel them.
In their opening spring training meeting, Quatraro and Picollo considered the 2024 year as confirmation of the processes they put in place. Even if it didn’t feel that way to them on, say, Oct. 10, 2024, the Royals moved in the right direction a year ago.
At some point, they had to acknowledge that.
Well, briefly.
“He said last year was a great year, but immediately he said, ‘But how do we improve?’” Picollo recalled. “We don’t want to settle. We came up short. When it comes down to it, I don’t think we were any different than, say, the Yankees. We’re the same way. They didn’t win the World Series. We didn’t either. We weren’t happy.”
Jonathan Mayo talks to Royals farm director Mitch Maier about the farm system, writing that Frank Mozzicato has a lot to prove.
“I think he’s going to have a great year,” Maier said. “The way he’s continued to clean up the mechanics, making sure he’s getting the ball in the strike zone and the stuff has continued to trend in the right direction. He was 93-95 mph with the great breaking ball and changeup recently and the pitch profile is still the same. It’s a riding, 20-plus vert fastball.
“We have to continue to get into the season and have success. But I think you look at a kid from the Northeast, with his development, if you’re not patient you’re going to mess it up. I think Frank’s going to continue to be a big arrow up guy going into this year.”
The Royals made an interesting amateur signing.
The @Royals signed RHP Ryan McDonagh as a NDFA for $425k ($275k counts vs 2024 bonus pool). Threw in mid-80s as Canadian HS two-way guy last year, has been 92-96 mph this spring as a pitcher only. Largest previous HS NDFA bonus I can find is $400k for Felipe Perez in 2012.
— Jim Callis (@jimcallisMLB) March 23, 2025
Kevin O’Brien at Royals Reporter reacts to the Mark Canha trade.
Preston Farr at Farm to Fountains projects the Quad Cities roster.
The Braves trade pitcher Ian Anderson to the Angels for pitcher Jose Suarez.
The Rockies trade outfielder Nolan Jones to the Guardians for infielder Tyler Freeman.
Cleveland signs pitcher Tanner Bibee to a five-year, $48 million extension.
Baltimore’s Gunnar Henderson will begin the season on the Injured List.
Detroit signs veteran outfielder Manuel Margot.
Seattle releases veteran outfielder Mitch Haniger.
How Japanese stars are revitalizing baseball.
The Nationals unveil new City Connect jerseys.
The 14-year-old son of former Yankees outfielder Brett Gardner dies during a family vacation.
Texas basketball fires coach Rodney Terry and will hire Xavier’s Sean Miller.
The involvement of private equity in the sale of the Boston Celtics could be a bad sign for sports.
Why do kids have imaginary friends?
How migrating birds use quantum mechanics to navigate.
The failure of the Star Wars: Galactic Starcruiser hotel will become a documentary.
Your song of the day is The Mighty Mighty Bosstones with The Impression That I Get.