The Royals have moved on from Brandon Drury, ending the veteran infielder’s run in the organization after a quiet stretch at Triple-A.
Kansas City released the 34-year-old, according to the MLB transaction log. Drury had joined the Royals on a minor league deal over the offseason after spending 2024 with the Los Angeles Angels.
His time in the minors with Kansas City never really caught fire. In Triple-A, Drury hit .226/.354/.362 across 212 plate appearances, a line that didn’t do enough to keep him in the mix as the season wound down.
Drury’s release closes another chapter for a player who has spent 10 years in the majors and once looked like a middle-of-the-order threat. He won a Silver Slugger Award and has shown real pop at different points in his career. Just two seasons ago with the Angels, he hit 26 home runs in 125 games.
His best power season came in 2022, when he split time with the San Diego Padres and Cincinnati Reds and launched a career-high 28 homers while posting a career-best .813 OPS.
A new team could still take a look, but the timing complicates things. The minor league season is almost over, and Drury would not be eligible for the postseason if he signed an MLB deal.
Durability has also been part of the story. Because of several injuries, Drury has topped 100 games in only five of his 10 big league seasons.
In Other News...
Jac Caglianone Injury Renews A Royals Fear They Can't Ignore
Jac Caglianones latest scare came Sept. 5, when he suffered a Grade 1 left flexor strain in his elbow during a game, a diagnosis that is not expected to send him to the injured list. Royals manager Matt Quatraro described the issue as low grade, which gives the team room to take a more aggressive approach to getting him back on the field without losing him for an extended stretch.
Even so, any elbow problem attached to Caglianone naturally brings the conversation back to durability. The Royals have invested in his talent and see a long-term role for him in their plans, but injuries have a way of forcing a pause around a young player whose development is still being shaped by the grind of a full season. For Kansas City, the immediate concern is manageable, but the broader one is harder to shake. [Read more 🡒]
Diamondbacks Survived A Wild Road Finish Fans Will Be Talking About
Corbin Burnes is set to make his return to the major leagues tonight against the Royals, and it gives Kansas City another big-name arm to navigate as the stretch run keeps tightening. It will be Burnes first appearance since June 2025, a notable spot for any lineup to draw, especially with the Royals trying to keep their footing against pitchers who can change a game with one outing.
Around the league, the pitching headlines have been just as loud. Phillies left-hander Jesus Luzardo authored a complete-game shutout with 12 strikeouts to help Philadelphia split its series with the Braves, while Aaron Judge was activated from the 60-day injured list and is expected to play for the Yankees against the Rockies after working back from a rib injury. For the Royals, it is another reminder that every night can bring a different kind of challenge, from elite arms returning to the mound to star hitters rejoining the mix. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Wasted A Brilliant Pitching Night In A Brutal Extras Collapse
Noah Cameron gave the Royals exactly the kind of start they needed, working deep into the game and keeping Arizona off the board while the offense searched for any kind of breakthrough. The matchup with the Diamondbacks stayed scoreless through nine innings, a frustrating but familiar sort of setup for a team trying to squeeze value out of a strong pitching night.
The game finally cracked open in extras, and the tension only grew from there as both clubs found late offense in a wild 10th inning. Kansas City made things interesting with a quick answer, but the rally still came up short in a 5-4 loss that turned a crisp pitching performance into a bitter finish for the Royals and a costly one for bettors leaning on the under. [Read more 🡒]