After a dismal May, the Royals have rebounded this month, winning their series against the Twins, sweeping the Astros and taking two of three from the Central-leading Tigers. They pounded the Rays 10-1 on Thursday, and heading into tonight's game at Tampa, they were only five games behind Detroit. What has keyed their turnaround? James Shields (pictured) and the rest of their starters? The bullpen? Vote in our poll.
Sam Mellinger writes that there are some signs that hitting coach George Brett is having a positive effect on the Royals. But really, he says the Royals are winning again because of their outstanding pitching from the starters and the bullpen.
Brett began this new life two weeks ago. He is exactly halfway through a one-month commitment as hitting coach, and this road trip may be the most important time he has with the team. Not just for the coaching, either. But for himself. To figure out not just whether he can do this job, but whether he wants to.
Before the Royals left on this trip, Elliot Johnson discussed Tropicana Field and what to look for during this series. He said balls do not carry well in center field. Smart pitchers will use that to their advantage. They pitch to the big part of the park — here it is, try to hit it over the center-field wall — and then count on their center fielders to run the fly balls down. He also said the ball would carry well down the lines, and Johnson hit his home run to right field, about halfway up the bottom section of seats.
Elliot Johnson went three for four and hit a three-run homer while Eric Hosmer added a solo home run as the Royals beat the Rays 10-1 in the opening game of their series at Tropicana Field.
Twelve and counting. The Royals’ 10-1 victory over Tampa Bay on Thursday gave them a franchise record by holding an opponent to three runs or less for the 12th straight game.
Winning tastes good, and the Royals know it tastes even better with a little BBQ sauce. Now fans from around the country have noticed the Royals' Rally Sauce and want to sample Billy Butler's Hit It A Ton creation.
There was plenty of drama in the Royals' 3-2, 10-inning win over the Tigers on Wednesday, from a web-gem David Lough catch to a LoCain homer to Eric Hosmer's walk-off single and BBQ celebration. What was your favorite moment? Watch the videos and vote in our poll.
Down 2-0 to the Tigers, down to their last out and down to their last strike, Lorenzo Cain hit an 0-2 splitter over the fence in right-center field. Nobody was sure it was going to carry out of the park, including manager Ned Yost — as the ball flew through the air, Yost was already making plans in case Cain’s hit turned out to be a double.
A home stand that began with the team tracking what would be the most disappointing season in franchise history — a significant accomplishment — ends with the Royals believing in themselves again, and why not? Baseball can be funny like this.
Eric Hosmer got a barbecue sauce shower Wednesday afternoon after delivering a walk-off RBI single that produced a pulsating 3-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers in 10 innings. Hosmer’s single capped a remarkable comeback that included Lorenzo Cain’s two-out homer on an 0-2 count with two outs in the ninth inning against Jose Valverde.
Yankees second baseman Robinson Cano told the New York Post that there’s “no chance” that he would select Royals DH Billy Butler to participate in this year’s Home Run Derby on July 15 at Citi Field in New York. Cano is still stinging from the reception he received last year at Kauffman Stadium for bypassing Butler for the Derby.
Nothing is more exciting than a bottom of the ninth, come-from-behind win — mainly because they don’t happen very often. So far this season, when the Royals trail after eight, their record is 2-31. It works the other way as well: When the Royals lead after eight innings, their record is 23-2. Some of these games were blowouts, but even when a game is close, it’s clear that it’s hard to come from behind and win a game in the ninth.
Sam Mellinger was pondering this crazy Royals season and found it bizarre that a team could be this streaky, both ways. So he did some research and tried to find the last team to have a stretch as bad as 4-19 and also one as good as 6-0.
Even a new twist at Kauffman Stadium — a picture of a bottle of Billy Butler’s now ubiquitous Rally Sauce on the Crown Vision video board — failed to produce the necessary late magic to avoid a 3-2 loss to the Detroit Tigers. The loss ended a six-game winning streak for the Royals.
General manager Dayton Moore took great pains to remake a rotation that combined for 5.01 ERA in 2012 and apparently with great success. Entering Tuesday, the Royals’ pitchers ranked first in the American League with a team ERA of 3.49.
Jeremy Guthrie and four relievers pitched the Royals to a 3-2 victory over the Detroit Tigers Monday evening at Kauffman Stadium for their sixth win in a row.
The Royals on Monday confirmed that they have signed shortstop Hunter Dozier, their first-round pick and the eighth overall selection in baseball’s first-year player draft. Dozier will receive a $2.2 million bonus.
Although a second pick, the left-hander had been viewed as a top-10 choice before being injured.
This week’s questions were heavy on what roster moves are on the horizon — and decisions are looming for club officials as outfielder Jarrod Dyson and pitchers Danny Duffy and Felipe Paulino work through minor-league rehab assignments. But it’s all speculation at this point. Just know those decisions are rarely made until they have to be made. Too many things can happen in the interim.
