The Royals made a round of roster moves, outrighting Alex Lange, Mason Black, Connor Seabold, Alec Marsh and Easton McGee to the minors.
Black’s situation is a little different from the rest. He does not have the right to elect free agency because this is his first career outright and his service clock is under three years. He also is not eligible for seven-year minor league free agency, since he has only played in five minor league seasons.
That gives Kansas City the option to keep him in a non-roster role and work to get him back on track.
Elsewhere, there’s a wider conversation about what the Royals can borrow from the teams that have reached the top of the sport in recent years. Jaylon Thompson looked at what Kansas City can learn from the Brewers and the Rays, two organizations the Royals have tried to mirror in different ways.
The connections are already there. The Royals hired Matt Quatraro from the Rays organization in 2022, and they brought in hitting coach Connor Dawson from the Brewers. Michael Wacha, now a Royals starter, also came from Tampa Bay, while Isaac Collins reached Kansas City after his time with Milwaukee.
But the bigger lesson, according to the reporting, is that if the Royals want to take the next step, they have to lean on their own system. Prospect development and the farm are where that leap has to happen.
David Lesky also examined whether trading Vinnie Pasquantino should be on the table. His view was mixed, but skeptical of the idea making complete sense. He pointed out that Pasquantino’s slow starts are a real issue, but said the production tends to show up by the end of the season, citing OPS+ marks of 114, 118 and 113 over the last three years, along with wRC+ figures of 109, 116 and 109.
Lesky argued that moving Pasquantino would create more work for the roster, not less. The Royals already need at least one corner outfielder, and dealing Pasquantino would mean finding two sure middle-of-the-order bats instead of one. He noted that replacing that kind of offense is a difficult task, especially with limited trade options and the reality that spending money is easier said than done.
Around the league, the Cardinals parted ways with hitting coach Brant Brown, and the amount for a qualifying offer will rise to $23.15 million this year. The MLBPA also withdrew a grievance against the Rays last year.
There was more news beyond roster talk, too. Shohei Ohtani is expected to pitch next year, with surgery not on the table.
FanGraphs is also asking for input on crowdsourcing free-agent contract predictions. Former Twins and Mariners catcher Mitch Garver has retired.
Other notes from around the sports world: MLB in-game ads were criticized for showing how little they care about fans, Scott Boras took aim at MLB owners ahead of talks about a salary cap, MLB players offered a sneak peek of Avengers: Doomsday, the Knicks fooled employees with a championship-ring email that turned out to be a phishing test, and there’s a question about whether Troy Aikman and Joe Buck could be headed for a split.
In Other News...
Royals Face A Painful Jac Caglianone Decision Fans Wont Ignore
Jac Caglianones bat gave the Royals enough reason to dream big in 2026, but his first full look in right field also reminded the club that potential and fit are not always the same thing. Kansas City has been happy to let his offensive upside play, yet the defensive growing pains have reopened a familiar question around his long-term home, especially with first base suddenly looking like the cleanest way to maximize his value.
Vinnie Pasquantino still holds that spot for now, but the Royals are also staring at a roster built around future decisions as much as present production. With salary and roster needs in the mix, Pasquantino could become part of the conversation, even as Kansas City balances Caglianone against other young pieces such as Carter Jensen and a wave of prospects expected to arrive in the seasons ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Fans May Not Realize What Danny Jackson Did In 1985
The 1985 World Series already has a permanent place in Royals lore, but Danny Jackson carved out a smaller piece of history during Game 5 that even he did not fully appreciate for decades. In the middle of the championship run, Jackson delivered the only immaculate inning ever thrown in the postseason, striking out three batters on nine pitches and adding a little-known footnote to one of the most celebrated nights in franchise history.
Jackson did not learn just how rare that feat was until 30 years later, when a trivia question at a Royals game put the achievement back in front of him. For a team that still celebrates the 1985 title as its signature moment, it is a reminder that some of the most remarkable details from that season were hidden in plain sight, waiting for fans and even the pitcher himself to catch up. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Prospect Brooks Bryan Is Forcing A New Conversation
Brooks Bryan is making his Arizona Fall League stint look like more than a simple post-injury tuneup. The Royals catching prospect has been one of the brighter bats for the Surprise Saguaros, launching three home runs in six games while mostly working at first base, a reminder that his offensive tools are starting to show up in a bigger way after a difficult year.
The production has been loud enough to turn heads inside the organization, especially with the way he has generated it. Bryan is hitting .296 with a .704 slugging percentage and a 1.049 OPS, and his recent power display has included a 442-foot blast and a go-ahead three-run homer. For a player coming off an injury-shortened Single-A season, the early Fall League run is giving the Royals a fresh look at what kind of conversation he might eventually force. [Read more 🡒]