The Royals’ bullpen has spent much of the season fighting through injuries and inconsistency, and the late-inning group is still trying to find its footing. That reality was front and center in the latest episode of “One Royal Way,” where host Joel Penfield dug into both the immediate fallout from Lucas Erceg’s demotion and a few bigger-picture roster questions.
Erceg’s move to Triple-A Omaha came after another rough outing against the Athletics. He entered the first game of that series with a 9-4 lead, then gave up two singles and a walk before getting lifted.
Penfield pointed to that appearance as another example of how far Erceg’s production has slipped this season. Even so, Penfield still sees a path back for him and believes Erceg can work his way back into the Royals’ bullpen.
The conversation also shifted to Michael Massey, who has quietly put together a strong season for Kansas City. Penfield weighed whether Massey has done enough to lock down the second base job moving forward, and that question matters beyond one lineup spot. If Massey has clearly claimed the role, the Royals could be in position to spend more of their offseason energy elsewhere, especially on pitching.
That led naturally into a look ahead to next season, where Carlos Duran came up after making his Royals debut. Penfield singled out Duran’s fastball, slider and deceptive delivery as traits that could help him push for a bullpen role in Kansas City next year.
The latest episode of “One Royal Way” on the KC Sports Network covered all of that and more.
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Caglianones case is built on the kind of hard contact and home-run total that stands out when compared with the other top AL outfielders. The award is voted on by league managers and coaches, with offense carrying the day, and that gives the Royals first baseman-turned-outfielder a real opening if his numbers keep holding. For a club already tracking Witt as its star, the possibility of another bat rising into award territory adds another layer to a season that has been anything but ordinary. [Read more 🡒]
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Royals Suddenly Have An Infield Question Fans Did Not Expect
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The reshuffling did not stop there, either. The Royals also brought left-hander Anthony Gose into the bullpen and optioned Mason Black to Omaha, while reliever Beck Way returned from a rehab assignment after dealing with a lower back issue. It is the kind of layered roster movement that can be easy to overlook on a busy day, but for Kansas City it leaves one central question hanging over the infield: how long the club will have to adjust before Massey is ready to return. [Read more 🡒]