The Royals went into July with Alex Lange looking like one of the more obvious bullpen chips they could move before the Aug. 3 trade deadline. That picture has changed fast.
Lange had worked his way back from a rough start and into a trusted late-inning role, even passing Lucas Erceg in the bullpen pecking order as Kansas City’s main closing option. On a one-year deal, he fit the profile of a reliever a contender might want as a rental. He had the closing experience, and he had shown enough in high-leverage spots to make sense as a deadline piece.
Then July arrived and wiped out that momentum.
Tuesday’s blown save was the latest hit to his value. Lange entered with a 2-1 lead in the ninth, gave up a leadoff single, walked Brooks Lee with one out, and then watched Royce Lewis end it with a walk-off two-RBI triple. It was the kind of outing that summed up the month.
From Apr. 22 to July 5, Lange had logged a 3.71 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and .219 batting average against in 26.2 innings, with seven saves and no blown saves. Since July 5, those numbers have cratered: a 14.21 ERA, 1.89 WHIP and .321 BAA in 6.1 innings, with three saves and three blown saves.
The damage has been severe. In seven outings, he’s allowed 10 earned runs on nine hits, two homers and three walks. Whatever trade buzz he had entering the heart of summer has taken a major hit.
That doesn’t mean Kansas City’s bullpen market disappears with him. John Schreiber has been the steadier expiring-contract arm, putting together a fourth straight sub-4.00 ERA season and surviving his early-season rough patch. Matt Strahm, despite a rough year, still carries the reputation of a left-handed setup man who could draw interest from teams looking for a change of scenery.
And beyond the rentals, Daniel Lynch IV stands out as a more valuable type of deadline piece. The left-hander has turned in a breakout 2026 season, with a 2.05 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and .180 BAA, and that kind of controllable relief talent can matter just as much as a short-term arm.
Still, Lange’s collapse matters because it strips away one possible trade option for a Royals team that could use every asset it can get. It also leaves them needing to sort out the closer’s role again if he’s no longer part of the answer.
Even so, Kansas City isn’t short on possibilities. The Royals can still be active in the coming days, and Lange’s struggles don’t have to define their deadline - even if he stays put.
In Other News...
Salvador Perez Just Sent A Powerful Message About His Royals Future
Salvador Perez has spent so long as one of the faces of the Royals that any conversation about his future in Kansas City carries real weight. Even with his role behind the plate trimmed to 39 appearances this season, he remains a familiar presence in the lineup and a veteran bat the club has leaned on for years, which is why his name naturally draws attention whenever the market for catchers starts to heat up.
And the market is heating up, with clubs such as the Yankees, Red Sox, Rays and Dodgers all said to be in the hunt for help behind the plate. Perez has still shown some pop with 15 home runs in 100 games, but his overall production has been uneven, and the bigger question now is whether the Royals would even entertain the idea of moving a player who has been such a central part of the franchise for so long. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Suddenly Have A New Worry With Vinnie Pasquantino
Vinnie Pasquantinos latest trip through the Royals lineup ended a little earlier than expected against the Twins, when the first baseman came out of the game with soreness in his hand. Kansas City has been easing him back into regular duty since his return from surgery, so any discomfort in that area is going to get attention quickly, especially with the club still trying to keep its everyday first baseman on the field.
Manager Matt Quatraro said the issue is more noticeable for Pasquantino when he swings, which is the kind of detail that can make a routine maintenance concern feel a lot bigger. The Royals planned to monitor him closely, and for a player whose bat matters so much to their offense, the next few days will say plenty about whether this is just a brief pause or something that could linger. [Read more 🡒]