Carter Jensen keeps stacking up reasons for the Royals to feel good about what’s coming next.
The Kansas City rookie went deep again on Saturday, launching a game-tying solo shot in the top of the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox. Kansas City still fell 5-1, but Jensen’s swing did more than briefly even the score. It pushed him into a share of one franchise mark and put another one in sight.
That homer was Jensen’s 24th of the season, moving him into the team lead. It also tied the Royals’ rookie home run record, matching Bob Hamelin’s total from his 1994 rookie season. With 13 games left, Jensen has a real shot to break it before the year is over.
The 23-year-old’s season line sits at .231/.318/.452 with 71 RBIs, and the power has been the headline all along. He’s shown enough thump and enough ability to get on base to make the rookie year feel less like a flash and more like a foundation.
Saturday also brought another record. Jensen extended his streak of extra-base hits to 12 consecutive knocks, setting a new franchise mark. September has clearly treated him well over the last two years, and this latest run only adds to that pattern.
Kansas City’s season may not have gone the way it wanted, but Jensen has been one of the bright spots. So has Jac Caglianone, giving the Royals at least one very clear takeaway as the year winds down: the young bats are giving them something to build on.
In Other News...
Royals Finally Got An Encouraging Jac Caglianone Injury Sign
Jac Caglianone took a meaningful step forward this week by getting back on the field for batting practice, his first such session since suffering a Grade 1 flexor strain in his left elbow. For a Royals team tracking every update on his recovery, that alone counts as encouraging news, especially after he had been limited to the margins while working his way back from the injury.
Matt Quatraro struck a hopeful tone about where Caglianone stands, though he stopped short of saying whether the young hitter would be available to pinch-hit in the next game. Caglianone still has not resumed throwing with game intensity, but he did make several throws during batting practice, another sign that the rehab process is moving in the right direction as Kansas City waits for the next checkpoint. [Read more 🡒]
Seth Lugo Gave The Royals Something They Had Been Missing On The Road
Road games have been a grind for Kansas City for much of the season, so Seth Lugos night at Fenway Park stood out for more than just the result. The right-hander settled in after Boston put up some early pressure, held the Red Sox to two runs over five innings and picked up his seventh win in a 3-2 Royals victory. Kansas City also got an encouraging showing from rookie Carter Jensen, who doubled twice and scored twice, while the bullpen took care of the rest with scoreless work to close it out.
For a club that has needed more dependable starts away from home, Lugo gave them the kind of steady outing that can travel. The Royals are still well below .500 at 66-82, but this was the sort of win that can matter in a season like this, especially with a young lineup contributor like Jensen making his Fenway debut look comfortable and the relief corps protecting a slim lead against a Boston team that has now dropped three straight. [Read more 🡒]
Nate Pearson Is Giving The Royals A Bullpen Decision To Make
Nate Pearson arrived in Kansas City in late July with the kind of arm that can change the conversation in a bullpen, and he has spent the weeks since backing that up. In 21 innings for the Royals, the right-hander has allowed just one earned run and piled up 20 strikeouts, giving the club a late-season look at a power pitcher who has fit in quickly after coming over from Houston.
Pearsons immediate impact has also created an offseason decision the Royals will have to sort through. Kansas City controls him through the 2027 season, which gives the front office some flexibility, but it also raises the question of whether his recent work has made him a legitimate piece for next years bullpen rather than just a short-term arm added for depth. [Read more 🡒]