Royals Rumblings - News for March 27, 2025

Mark Feinsand at MLB talks with J.J. Picollo about his expectations for the 2025 Royals:

Last year’s postseason experience – the Royals swept the Orioles in the Wild Card round, then lost a four-game Division Series to the eventual AL champion Yankees – should help the club’s young players as they look to take another step forward in 2025. “I don’t know how you measure it, but the experience you get in the playoffs, I think it helps them developmentally,” Picollo said. “I felt like there was a level of maturity even though we didn’t win that series in New York; there was no panic, there was confidence, there was a sense that we belong.”

Anne Rogers and Guardians beat writer Tim Stebbins have everything you need to know for Opening Day:

First pitch in Kansas City is slated for 3:10 p.m. CT. The Royals have several ways to watch games this year, but the most familiar way will be on FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City, rebranded from Bally Sports KC last October. FanDuel Sports Network is available via cable or streaming, either through your TV provider or through a FanDuel subscription. Fans can also add on a live TV option to their Amazon Prime account this year. Those outside Royals television territory can watch via MLB.TV.

Bobby Witt Jr. dives deep on his baseball mindset in The Players’ Tribune:

I remember my first year in the minors, 2019, the Arizona League. (Uniform number 17. As a tribute. 15 plus 2, Pedroia and Jeter. My guys.) At the very beginning, I’m doing OK, but nothing spectacular, nothing special. So the whole time, I’m in my head thinking … You’re this high first-round pick. You’re supposed to be performing! Showing out! I’d be back at my apartment thinking: This guy’s doing this. This other guy just did that. What about you? This is the lowest level of pro ball, and this is what you’re able to do? What is going on?!”

Keith Law thinks the Royals had a solid offseason and sees them as contenders ($):

The Royals, on the other hand, did try to get better this offseason, but they were working uphill to some degree as their 2024 season saw them get over 150 starts from five guys, four of whom were better than league average. They re-signed Michael Wacha, brought in some pitching depth, and traded for Jonathan India, who gives them a viable OBP threat to get on base in front of Bobby Witt Jr. The pitching depth — in the forms of Michael Lorenzen and Carlos Estévez — is a modest insurance policy against the inevitable starts some of their four returning starters will miss, but it’s not going to cover them if one of them misses half the season. At least they did something.

Andy McCullough writes about relievers that have successfully made the transition to starting, including Seth Lugo ($):

“Throughout my career when I was in the bullpen,” Kansas City Royals pitcher Seth Lugo said one day this spring, “I did meet a lot of guys who said, ‘I wish I would have held on to it. I got to the big leagues as a reliever, so I took it and ran with it. I wish I would have tried to start. But I didn’t. I just gave up on it.’” Lugo never gave up the dream. He was a starter in the minor leagues before he debuted for the New York Mets in 2016. He toiled for six of the next seven seasons in the bullpen. Yet every winter, he prepared for the season ahead as if he would be welcomed into the rotation. He prioritized volume over velocity. He understood the approach might lower his ceiling as a reliever. “That’s just not what I was interested in,” he said.

Michael Farina at Farm to Fountains outlines how 2025 could go sideways for the Royals:

It’s funny to think of a “nightmare scenario” where Bobby is “only” a 5 WAR player, but the year-to-year difference and its ripple effect on the team would be notable. If the Royals were “barely” a playoff team with Bobby putting up 9-10 WAR, then what would the team be like if he’s only half as good? That all depends on the team around him, of course, which is why I emphasized that *every* condition I’m listing must be met to achieve this “nightmare scenario.” Any player putting up 5 WAR is good, but if he’s the only player even getting close to this mark…that might be an easy sign the team isn’t very good.

The Royals were in the top third of teams in terms of trying to acquire players this offseason.

Paul Skenes is ready to be MLB’s next big star.

Looking ahead at major statistical milestones that could be reached this season.

Angels pitching prospect Ryan Johnson, drafted in the second round last summer, will skip the minor leagues entirely and break camp with the big league club. Johnson has one of the more unusual deliveries that you’ll see from a starting pitcher.

Rafael Devers will be the primary DH for Boston, with Alex Bregman starting at third base.

The White Sox DFA’d former top prospect Oscar Colas.

Colorado is signing outfielder Mickey Moniak to a one-year deal.

Four teams enter the rankings in this week’s college baseball top 25.

Tennessee’s Karlyn Pickens threw the hardest pitch in softball history.

The Oakland Coliseum will host several Major League Cricket matches this summer.

KJ Martin put up one of the worst airballs you’ll ever see in an NBA game.

The world’s first barbecue museum will open in Kansas City in a few weeks.

A new study found that people experience time more slowly during intense exercise.

Marvel unveiled its star-studded cast for Avengers: Doomsday.

Your song of the day is Begin Again by Knife Party.

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