Jac Caglianone took a notable step forward Friday at Fenway Park, getting on-field batting practice for the first time since a Grade 1 flexor strain in his left elbow sidelined him in Saturday’s loss to the Blue Jays.
Before he joined the last hitting group for his normal round, Caglianone also worked in the indoor batting cage and shagged balls in right field. Manager Matt Quatraro stopped short of saying whether Caglianone would be available to pinch-hit in the series opener against the Red Sox, but the update was clearly a positive one.
“Yes, he's definitely better today," Quatraro said. "It's a rest thing, right?
He needs time for it to heal up. We're almost at five days, six days now.
So, we feel like it's going to continue to get better.”
Caglianone has been one of Kansas City’s hottest bats for much of the season. In August, he hit .411/.429/.684 with six home runs and 26 RBIs, a stretch that earned him American League Player of the Month honors. For the year, the 23-year-old is batting .283 with an .825 OPS, 23 homers and 70 RBIs in 131 games.
Getting him back into the lineup, though, will take some juggling. If Quatraro chooses to use Caglianone at designated hitter, that creates a ripple effect with Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez.
“Yeah, we'll have to make a decision on how we get him in there,” Quatraro said. "It's certainly a good problem to have.”
Caglianone still has not started throwing at game intensity, although he did make several throws back to the infield during batting practice. Quatraro said the club will keep the focus on his swing first before deciding on the next step.
“We're going to go hitting first, and then we'll decide based on that whether he starts to throw,” Quatraro said.
In Other News...
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 🡒]
Why Matthew Lugo Could Be A Sneaky Royals Fit
Matthew Lugos path to Kansas City has been a winding one, which is part of what makes him an intriguing add for the Royals. A second-round pick by Boston in 2019, he spent parts of five seasons in the Red Sox organization before finally reaching the majors with the Angels in 2025, giving him a long stretch of minor league seasoning before landing with a new club.
Now in Royals camp after being claimed off waivers in June 2027, Lugo is trying to carve out a role and turn that background into something useful at the next level. He has talked about his development, the lessons from his years in Bostons system and the added perspective of representing Team Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic, all of which gives Kansas City a player with a broader baseball education than the typical waiver claim. [Read more 🡒]