The Royals have spent the last week going 2-4, with wins against the Arizona Diamondbacks and Boston Red Sox, and they enter the final stretch at 66-84. As the season winds down, a few familiar names are finishing strong while others are trying to shake off rough patches.
Michael Wacha has been one of Kansas City’s most dependable arms all year, and his latest outing only added to that case. The 35-year-old right-hander, who earned his second career All-Star selection this season, gave the Royals six innings of work, allowed three hits, struck out four and picked up a quality start. Wacha was a popular name in trade chatter before the deadline, but Kansas City held onto him, and that decision keeps looking better every time he steps on the mound.
Noah Cameron is another pitcher who has found his groove. After a shaky start to his sophomore season, he began calling his own pitches and everything changed.
His most recent start showed it again: six innings, three hits allowed, two walks and seven strikeouts. Cameron’s rise has him pitching toward a much larger role in the 2027 rotation.
On the offensive side, Salvador Perez is giving the Royals a late push at the plate. The 36-year-old catcher hit .333/.407/.500 over the past week, good for a .907 OPS, and added a home run and a double. For a player in his age-36 season, that kind of production this late is a welcome sight.
Michael Massey has also kept himself in the mix for more next season. He’s had a solid year overall, and over his last 20 at-bats he hit .300. Rookie Carter Jensen is making noise in September too, going deep twice and adding three doubles in his last 19 at-bats.
Nate Pearson has continued to turn in strong work as well. Over his last four innings, he didn’t allow an earned run and struck out five, extending what has already been a strong season in Kansas City.
Not everyone enjoyed the same kind of week. Nick Loftin went 4-for-24 over his last stretch of at-bats, hitting .167/.200/.250 while striking out eight times. Even so, the 27-year-old has still put together one of the best seasons of his career.
Craig Kimbrel also had a rough run, allowing four runs on seven hits across two innings over the last week. The veteran is trying to close out his 17th major league season on a better note.
Kyle Isbel is in a similar spot. The center fielder has managed just three hits in his last 20 at-bats and is looking to find something at the plate before the year ends.
In Other News...
Royals Are Back To Facing The Same Isaac Collins Doubt
Isaac Collins has given the Royals a reminder that a good rookie season does not always carry cleanly into year two. After coming over in the trade involving Angel Zerpa, he was expected to help lengthen the lineup and offer some versatility, but his 2026 production has trailed the promise he flashed as a rookie. The decline has shown up across pitch types, leaving Kansas City with a player whose bat has not been as dependable as the front office likely hoped.
The deeper concern is not just the drop in results, but the way Collins is getting there. His swing decisions have been less sharp, and his batted-ball profile has shifted in the wrong direction, with a reduced line drive rate and a heavier lean toward fly balls. For a Royals team trying to piece together offense wherever it can find it, that creates an uncomfortable question about how much impact Collins can realistically provide unless the underlying approach starts to turn. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Prospect Watch Shifts As One Affiliate Starts Turning Heads
The Royals farm system keeps offering a little bit of everything as the minor league schedule moves toward its finish, with Omaha, Northwest Arkansas and Quad Cities each providing its own storyline. The Storm Chasers have been part of the recent attention, while the Naturals and River Bandits have added their own wins, pitching lines and late-season context to a system that is still worth following closely.
Quad Cities, in particular, has started to turn some heads as the River Bandits continue their playoff push and help shift the conversation beyond the usual prospect rankings. With series still ahead and more room for the picture to change before the minor league seasons wrap up, there is still plenty left to sort out in Kansas Citys pipeline, and a fuller read on who really separated themselves will have to wait until the calendar runs out. [Read more 🡒]
Bobby Witt Jr Gives Royals Fans Another Reason To Be Proud
Bobby Witt Jr. has already given Royals fans plenty to cheer about on the field, and now he is adding another layer to his profile in Kansas City. The shortstop was nominated for the Roberto Clemente Award for his philanthropic work in the community, including support for ALS organizations and literacy programs, a recognition that fits the broader image he has built since arriving as one of the franchises centerpieces.
Royals owner John Sherman praised Witts ongoing community involvement, underscoring how much the club values his presence beyond the box score. The announcement came as the stadium project also moved forward, with Minneapolis-based Mortenson and Kansas City-based McCownGordon named as the development firms for the new ballpark, giving the organization another sign of momentum on and off the field. [Read more 🡒]