Noah Cameron’s line looked strong on paper, but the Orioles made sure it didn’t turn into a win for the Royals.
Cameron worked seven innings, struck out a career-high nine and allowed only seven baserunners. That’s the kind of outing that usually gives a team a chance.
Instead, Baltimore tagged him for five hits, and three of them left the yard. One was a double, and the other was a single off the wall that still ended with Samuel Basallo being thrown out at second on a sharp Jac Caglianone throw.
The end result was a 6-1 Royals loss.
The damage came in bunches, and the hard contact never really stopped. Cameron kept responding with strikeouts every time the Orioles pushed a run across, which at least gave the outing a strange sort of rhythm.
But Baltimore was seeing him well, and maybe even picking up on something. One of the night’s oddest moments came when Royals announcer Eric Hosmer said Cameron needed to stay away from a fastball to Coby Mayo until Mayo proved he could hit something else.
Cameron then threw a slider in off the plate, and Mayo still crushed it 440 feet or more down the left-field line for a homer.
Baltimore also got to Eli Morgan in the eighth inning. It was Morgan’s first appearance for the Royals in nearly a month, since June 12, and the Orioles greeted him immediately. Gunnar Henderson homered on the first pitch Morgan threw.
Kansas City’s only run came in the seventh while Kyle Bradish was still chasing a no-hitter. Jac Caglianone opened the frame with a single lined over Henderson’s head into left.
Lane Thomas followed with a groundout that moved Caglianone to second, then Vinnie Pasquantino drew a wild pitch ball four that advanced him to third. Salvador Perez brought him home with a sacrifice fly.
The Royals have one game left before the All-Star Break, and three players will be in action despite the club owning the worst record in baseball. Seth Lugo is set to face Shane Baz tomorrow at 12:35 Central. Before that, Blake Mitchell and Kendry Chourio will be in the Futures Game at 11 AM Central, and the rest of the draft begins at 10:30 AM.
In Other News...
Royals Day 2 Draft Haul Might Have More Upside Than Expected
The Royals spent the second day of the MLB draft doing what they have increasingly made a habit of doing: adding volume, variety and a little bit of upside to the organization. Among the names added were Ethan McElvain, Justin LeGuernic, Camden Johnson and several others from both colleges and high schools, a mix that reflects a draft approach built around finding different kinds of talent and giving the player-development staff more to work with.
What stands out in this group is how many of the picks come with something that could make them more than ordinary middle-round selections. Kansas City landed players with notable draft rankings and intriguing traits, and even its first position player of the day brought a different look to the class. There are also prep and injury-rebound types in the mix, the sort of bets that can make a draft haul look better a year or two down the road than it does on the day it is made. [Read more 🡒]
Jac Caglianones Derby Prep Had Royals Fans Doing A Double Take
Before the Royals opened against the Orioles, Jac Caglianone turned batting practice into a bit of a family showcase, taking swings with his father on the mound as he gets ready for the All-Star Game Home Run Derby. The scene drew a crowd, with Royals teammates and even a few Orioles players stopping to watch the rookie outfielder go through his prep work in front of the home dugout.
Royals manager Matt Quatraro even put off his interview so he could catch the session, a sign of how much attention Caglianones Derby run is already generating inside the clubhouse. For Kansas City, it is the kind of midseason moment that blends a little novelty with real pride, especially with teammates backing him and the organization clearly enjoying the spotlight that comes with having one of its young hitters on the Derby stage. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Double Down On A Draft Bet Fans Know Well
The Royals stayed on a familiar path in the 2026 MLB Draft, using their second-round pick on another high-upside prep arm in right-hander Jack Slightom. The 6-foot-5 pitcher out of Lyons Township High School comes with the kind of projection Kansas City has leaned into before, and he arrives with a fastball that has already reached 98 mph along with a slider and changeup that are still taking shape.
Slightom also fits into a system that has been collecting young pitching talent, joining names such as David Shields and Kendry Chourio as part of the next wave. For Kansas City, the appeal is obvious: a big-bodied teenager with power stuff, a college commitment to navigate, and plenty of room for the organization to mold him into something more than a draft-day bet. [Read more 🡒]