The Royals spent August looking like a team that had found something. September has already started asking how much of that is real, and how much of it can carry forward.
Kansas City took two of three from Cleveland, but the bigger story hanging over the series was organizational. John Schreiber was placed on waivers and claimed by the Yankees, a move that saved money and also said plenty about where the front office seems to think this roster stands. Seth Lugo’s slide got the same kind of blunt treatment, with his recent ERA spike and falling strikeout numbers raising real questions about whether his extension is a clean decision or a complicated one.
Then there’s the pair that made August feel different. Jac Caglianone and Noah Cameron have turned into the kind of young production that can change the mood around a season in a hurry.
Caglianone put together a monster month and made a legitimate run at AL Player of the Month. The numbers across batting average, slugging, OPS, and RBI all backed it up.
What makes it stand out is how he’s doing it: the opposite-field power, the bat control, the sense that this isn’t just a brief heater. For Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco, it’s the least shocking breakout of the year.
Cameron’s month was every bit as loud in a different way. He’s in the AL Pitcher of the Month conversation after an August built on dominant run prevention and a much better ability to suppress hits. The thread running through that jump is control - specifically, taking over more of his own pitch calling.
That kind of progress is why the Royals are starting to think beyond this season. Bobby Witt Jr., Caglianone, Carter Jensen, and Cameron are becoming the names Kansas City can trust as the core for 2026 and beyond.
September’s roster expansion brings another layer of intrigue. Carson Roccaforte is getting attention after a strong week in Omaha, and his center field upside keeps him in the mix.
Lucas Braun could be part of the rotation depth picture. Hunter Owen’s strikeout streak strengthens his Rule 5 protection case.
Gavin Cross is also in the conversation now that he’s back healthy.
In Other News...
Royals Bring Back A Familiar Name With His Future Still Unclear
The Royals used the roster expansion to add some familiar depth, recalling right-handers Nolan Hoffman and Easton McGee while also selecting the contract of outfielder Drew Waters. For Kansas City, the move gives the club a little more flexibility as the season enters its final stretch, and Waters is set to provide bench help or emergency coverage in the outfield.
Waters return comes with his place on the roster still very much in flux. He has already exhausted his options and had been designated for assignment before clearing waivers, so the Royals are not bringing him back with a long runway, especially after a stint in which his offense and defense both fell short of league average. For now, he fits as a useful extra body, but the bigger question is how long he can hold that spot. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Just Lost A Bullpen Piece They Planned To Build Around
Carlos Estvezs season is over before it really got going, and the Royals are now bracing for the reality that his time in Kansas City may be finished, too. The right-hander is scheduled to undergo shoulder surgery next week after a frustrating run of injuries wiped out his season and kept him from delivering the kind of bullpen help the Royals envisioned when they brought him in.
Estvez had not pitched since March, first dealing with a left foot contusion before a right rotator cuff strain added to the setback, and his velocity never fully came back during rehab. While the club moved ahead with its September roster additions by bringing up relievers Easton McGee and Nolan Hoffman along with outfielder Drew Waters, the loss of a bullpen arm they had planned to build around leaves another hole to manage as the season winds down. [Read more 🡒]
Jac Caglianone Is Forcing A Big Royals Question
Jac Caglianones rise has become one of the more important developments in Kansas Citys season. After struggling through 2025 and the early part of 2026, he caught fire in June, when he mashed nine home runs and posted a 1.036 OPS, enough to earn a spot in the leagues Home Run Derby and remind everyone why his bat has been so closely watched.
By late August, the numbers had backed up the breakout, with 23 home runs and an .832 OPS on the season. The bigger intrigue for the Royals is what comes next, because the improved plate discipline and elite exit velocity suggest this isnt just a hot stretch but a possible long-term answer in the middle of their lineup. [Read more 🡒]