The Royals have made a habit of beating the teams they’re supposed to beat, and Wednesday night was another example of that. Kansas City erased a four-run deficit and outlasted the Athletics 9-7 at Kauffman Stadium in front of 11,579 fans, stretching its winning streak against Oakland to three games.
It also gave the Royals their 31st comeback win of the season, a total that trails only the Rays and White Sox. Kansas City, which fell to 20 games under .500 at 54-74, has now won 57% of its games when coming from behind.
The turnaround started with Vinnie Pasquantino, who cut into a 5-1 deficit in the sixth inning with a 427-foot homer to right field. That blast marked Pasquantino’s 500th MLB hit.
The real damage came in the eighth, when Kansas City sent 11 hitters to the plate and turned the game completely upside down.
Pasquantino opened the inning with a hit that struck the right-field padding and left the imprint of the ball behind. Salvador Perez walked, Carter Jensen lined out to center, and Tyler Tolbert drew another walk to load the bases. Kyle Isbel followed with a single that brought home Pasquantino and pulled the Royals within one at 5-4, while keeping the bases full.
Isaac Collins then lifted a sacrifice fly to tie it, and after the Athletics intentionally walked Bobby Witt Jr. to reload the bases, John Rave - playing in place of the injured Jac Caglianone - doubled home all three runners to put Kansas City ahead 8-5. Maikel Garcia, who started the inning with a triple, added the final run with an RBI single that scored Rave.
The A’s got two runs back on a Max Muncy homer off Steven Cruz in the ninth, but the Royals had already done enough.
Before the game, Matt Quatraro gave an update on Carlos Estévez, who is on the 60-day injured list with a right rotator cuff strain. The Royals manager said, “He threw a live BP (batting practice) today in Arizona, so all reports were good,” and added, “He felt good about it.
We’ll see how he comes in tomorrow, but if that goes well, he will pitch again later this week. I’m not exactly sure where yet.
Could be in Arizona.”
Quatraro also said right-hander Tony Gonsolin is scheduled to throw live batting practice on Thursday. Gonsolin, who is returning from an elbow injury, signed with the Royals last week and posted a 5.00 ERA in seven starts for the Dodgers in 2025.
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Jac Caglianone's Early Exit Just Put Royals Fans On Edge
Jac Caglianone gave Royals fans a brief scare on Aug. 20 when he exited the game with right ankle soreness, ending a productive night earlier than expected. Before leaving, the young outfielder had stretched his on-base streak to 17 games, then was replaced by a pinch hitter in the fifth inning as Kansas City adjusted on the fly.
The Royals update offered only the soreness designation, leaving the broader picture murky for now. What matters most for Kansas City is that Caglianone had been in the middle of one of the steadier runs in the lineup, so any injury check becomes a real concern, especially with no immediate clarity on the cause or how serious it might be. [Read more 🡒]
Maikel Garcias Latest Injury Puts Royals Right Back In A Bind
Maikel Garcia had only just worked his way back into the Royals lineup after missing 46 games with a left-hand muscle strain, giving Kansas City a needed everyday presence on the infield again. Instead, his return took another turn against the As when he pulled up while rounding third base and had to leave with a left hamstring injury, a jarring development for a club that had only recently gotten him back from the injured list.
The setback sends the Royals right back into a familiar roster puzzle, with Nick Loftin and John Rave stepping in after Garcia exited. It also comes on the heels of Garcia dealing with a right hamstring strain earlier in the season, when he missed six games, which only deepens the concern around a player Kansas City has been counting on to stay on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Just Sent A Clear Message About Their Outfield Plans
The Royals have made their outfield direction a little clearer by moving on from veteran Starling Marte, who had been designated for assignment before being released. Marte had the right to reject an outright assignment, and he is now free to sign with any club that wants to add an experienced bat and outfield depth for the stretch run.
Kansas City will remain on the hook for the rest of Martes contract, while any new team would only need to pay the prorated league minimum for the time he spends on its roster. It is a clean example of how the Royals are sorting through their options, trimming a veteran piece and signaling that the focus is on where the outfield goes from here. [Read more 🡒]