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Nick Loftin Nick Loftin Returns Thursday, as expected
Thu, Mar 12, 2026, 4:39 PM
Loftin (thumb) is starting in left field and batting third in Thursday's Cactus League game against the Padres.
Analysis: Loftin has been sidelined the past couple days due to a jammed thumb, but he's ready to rejoin the lineup Thursday. The 27-year-old is expected to open 2026 in a reserve role for Kansas City after posting a .635 OPS in 67 regular-season games last year. |
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Vinnie Pasquantino Vinnie Pasquantino Powers Italy in WBC win
Thu, Mar 12, 2026, 10:08 AM
Pasquantino went 3-for-4 with three solo home runs and a walk Wednesday in Team Italy's 9-1 win over Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic.
Analysis: Pasquantino had gone 0-for-12 through Italy's first three WBC games, but his bat woke up in the final game of Pool B. The Royals first baseman's solo blasts in the second, sixth and eighth innings were all the offense that Italy needed to dispatch Mexico and advance to the knockout round of the WBC after going a perfect 4-0 in pool play. |
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Nick Loftin Nick Loftin Expected back Thursday
Wed, Mar 11, 2026, 12:31 PM
Royals manager Matt Quatraro said Wednesday that Loftin is dealing with a jammed left thumb but should return to the lineup for Thursday's Cactus League game against the Padres, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Loftin was scratched from Tuesday's lineup with the injury, but he's feeling better and is expected back in action imminently. The utility player is competing for a reserve role with the Royals and has had a nice spring, slashing .318/.423/.682. |
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Nick Loftin Nick Loftin Day-to-day with soreness
Tue, Mar 10, 2026, 6:05 PM
Manager Matt Quatraro said Loftin was scratched Tuesday due to "general soreness," Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: There was nothing else disclosed for Loftin's status other than more information will be known Wednesday. Aside from this being a possible road bump for the outfielder, he has been having a good spring with a .318/.423/.682 slash line in 26 plate appearances. |
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Michael Massey Michael Massey Nursing low-grade calf strain
Tue, Mar 10, 2026, 11:16 AM
Royals manager Matt Quatraro said Tuesday that Massey has a "low-grade" calf strain and will be sidelined "hopefully just about a week," Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Massey tweaked the calf during a Cactus League game versus the Dodgers this past Friday and the Royals sent him for imaging after he didn't bounce back as hoped. It does not seem at this juncture like an injury that could threaten Massey's Opening Day availability, but he can't afford any setbacks. |
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Nick Mears Nick Mears Allows three runs in spring outing
Tue, Mar 10, 2026, 9:18 AM
Mears allowed three runs on three hits over one inning in Monday's Cactus League loss to the Guardians.
Analysis: Mears was done in by the long ball, surrendering back-to-back homers to Steven Kwan and Brayan Rocchio with two outs in the fifth inning. After being acquired by the Royals from the Brewers in December, the reliever has made four Cactus League appearances, allowing four runs on four hits and two walks across four innings, with Monday's outing accounting for much of that damage. Coming off a 3.49 ERA and 0.97 WHIP across 56.2 regular-season innings last year with Milwaukee, Mears figures to slot in as a middle-relief option in the Kansas City bullpen for 2026. |
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Steven Cruz Steven Cruz Scoreless spring outing
Tue, Mar 10, 2026, 9:17 AM
Cruz allowed no hits or walks across 1.1 scoreless innings in Monday's Cactus League loss to the Guardians.
Analysis: Cruz entered to record the final out of the seventh inning before retiring the side in order in the eighth frame. Monday marked his third scoreless outing of the spring, though it was the first time the right-hander failed to record a strikeout after punching out a pair in each of his first two appearances. The 26-year-old's fastball, which averaged 98.2 mph last season, sat at 96.6 mph against the Guardians, though velocity dips during spring training are common and not overly concerning unless they persist into the regular season. Cruz will look to continue producing strong results in Cactus League play as he competes for a spot in the big-league bullpen to open the 2026 campaign. |
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Stephen Kolek Stephen Kolek Playing catch
Mon, Mar 9, 2026, 12:32 PM
Kolek (oblique) began playing catch from up to 60 feet Monday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Kolek was shut down for more than a week after being diagnosed with a Grade 1 left oblique strain. He will be slowly ramped back up before returning to Cactus League action. The right-hander should be healthy for Opening Day, barring setbacks, but the injury has significantly lessened his chances of obtaining a spot in the Royals' rotation. |
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Jonathan India Jonathan India Big bop in spring win
Sun, Mar 8, 2026, 10:25 AM
India went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Saturday's Cactus League win over the Reds.
Analysis: India opened the scoring, driving a Nick Lodolo sinker over the left-field fence to lead off the bottom of the first inning. The second baseman has put together a strong showing at the dish so far in Cactus League play, going 4-for-13 with two extra-base hits, three RBI and five walks through seven appearances. India is looking to bounce back from a lackluster first season with the Royals in 2025, when he slashed .233/.323/.346 with 29 doubles, nine homers and 45 RBI across 136 games. |
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Mason Black Mason Black Viewed as reliever
Fri, Mar 6, 2026, 11:03 AM
Black allowed no hits and two walks over a scoreless inning in Thursday's Cactus League loss to the Rangers. He did not record a strikeout.
Analysis: In a high-scoring affair, Black managed to work a scoreless eighth inning, albeit while issuing a pair of walks. The right-hander has worked primarily as a starter throughout his professional career, but Royals manager Matt Quatraro said, "We view him more as a reliever. Just as a reliever? Not necessarily. If you need a spot start, maybe that would be the case," per MLB.com. After being traded from the Giants in November, a retooling of his repertoire with the assistance of Kansas City's coaching staff has proven effective thus far in Cactus League play, as Black has tossed five scoreless innings across four appearances. The 26-year-old may be ticketed to open the season with Triple-A Omaha, but the club appears to believe he can contribute at the big-league level in 2026. |
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Cole Ragans Cole Ragans Roughed up in spring start
Fri, Mar 6, 2026, 10:47 AM
Ragans allowed six runs on five hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch over 1.2 innings in Thursday's Cactus League loss to the Rangers. He struck out two.
Analysis: Ragans was ambushed early, allowing the first three hitters of the game to reach before Jake Burger launched a homer from the cleanup spot that quickly put the Rangers ahead by four in the first inning. Kansas City allowed Andrew Perez to finish the first frame before sending Ragans back out for the second inning, where he surrendered another home run to Wyatt Langford. While it certainly wasn't a banner outing for the southpaw, his velocity wasn't a concern, as his fastball averaged 96.8 mph and topped out at 98.5 mph. It was an injury-riddled and disappointing 2025 season for the 28-year-old, who posted a 4.67 ERA and 1.18 WHIP across 13 starts and 61.2 innings. However, a 2.50 FIP, 14.3 K/9 and a career-worst .354 BABIP are data points that have Kansas City believing Ragans can rebound and return closer to his 2024 form in 2026. |
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Lucas Erceg Lucas Erceg Scoreless frame in spring debut
Wed, Mar 4, 2026, 9:33 AM
Erceg (shoulder) allowed no hits or walks across a scoreless inning in Tuesday's exhibition win over Team Cuba. He struck out one.
Analysis: Erceg made his first appearance of the spring and didn't show any lingering effects from the right shoulder impingement that ended his 2025 season early, an encouraging sign for his health moving forward. The right-hander posted a 2.64 ERA and 1.17 WHIP with 22 holds across 61.1 innings last season, though a diminished 7.0 K/9 and elevated 3.49 FIP are worth noting. Erceg is expected to serve as the primary setup man to Carlos Estevez and could see opportunities in the ninth inning if Estevez falters. |
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Noah Cameron Noah Cameron Struggles in spring outing
Tue, Mar 3, 2026, 11:56 AM
Cameron allowed three runs on six hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch over 2.2 innings in Monday's Cactus League loss to the Angels. He did not record a strikeout.
Analysis: Cameron struggled in Monday's outing, allowing plenty of traffic on the basepaths and having difficulty finishing hitters. He's never been overpowering, but the 26-year-old averaged just 90.3 mph on his fastball (topping out at 91.8 mph) against the Angels after sitting at 92.4 mph last season. The southpaw posted a strong 2.99 ERA and 1.10 WHIP across 24 starts and 138.1 innings in 2025, though a 4.17 FIP and 7.4 K/9 point toward potential regression. Cameron is currently tracking toward a spot in the Royals' rotation, but strong depth options such as Stephen Kolek (oblique), Ryan Bergert and Bailey Falter will push him. |
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Nick Loftin Nick Loftin Strong spring continues
Tue, Mar 3, 2026, 11:54 AM
Loftin started at first base and went 2-for-3 with a double and a run scored in Monday's Cactus League loss to the Angels.
Analysis: Loftin consistently squared the ball up Monday, rocketing both of his hits at 103.8 mph, with his lone out coming on a 99.4 mph groundout. The 27-year-old is off to a strong start in Cactus League play, going 5-for-17 with two doubles, a homer, six RBI and a stolen base through seven appearances. The utility man hit just .208/.278/.357 with 15 extra-base hits and 20 RBI across 67 MLB appearances last season but is competing for a spot on the Kansas City bench in 2026. With 10 Royals on the 40-man roster away competing in the World Baseball Classic, Loftin stands to benefit from additional spring opportunities, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. |
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Dairon Blanco Dairon Blanco Scrubbed from 40-man roster
Mon, Mar 2, 2026, 5:54 PM
The Royals designated Blanco for assignment Monday.
Analysis: The Royals needed to free up a spot on the 40-man roster for Starling Marte, whose signing was officially announced Monday. Known for his blazing speed, Blanco has stolen 59 bases in the majors despite receiving only 285 plate appearances. The 32-year-old could draw interest on waivers from a team seeking outfield depth. |
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Matt Strahm Matt Strahm Scoreless spring debut
Mon, Mar 2, 2026, 10:16 AM
Strahm allowed a hit and no walks across a scoreless inning in Sunday's Cactus League win over the Brewers. He struck out one.
Analysis: Strahm entered in the fifth inning to make his spring debut, working around a leadoff single by Cooper Pratt to retire the side without allowing a run. The veteran left-hander, who began his big-league career with the Royals in 2016, was acquired by Kansas City from Philadelphia in December in exchange for Jonathan Bowlan. Strahm is coming off a 2.74 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with a 10.1 K/9 across 62.1 regular-season innings out of the bullpen last season and figures to handle plenty of high-leverage opportunities for the Royals in 2026. |
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Isaac Collins Isaac Collins Slow start to spring
Mon, Mar 2, 2026, 10:15 AM
Collins went 1-for-3 with a double and a run scored in Sunday's Cactus League win over the Brewers.
Analysis: Collins notched his first Cactus League hit, lining an opposite-field double off Craig Yoho in the fifth inning. Kansas City slow-played the left fielder at the outset of camp after he received platelet-rich plasma injections in both knees over the offseason, and the 28-year-old is off to a sluggish start at the plate since making his spring debut, going 1-for-9 in game action. Acquired from the Brewers in December alongside Nick Mears in exchange for Angel Zerpa, Collins projects to see fairly regular playing time in left field for the Royals in 2026, though Lane Thomas is also in the mix for reps. |
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Michael Wacha Michael Wacha Clean spring outing
Mon, Mar 2, 2026, 9:08 AM
Wacha allowed no hits or walks across two scoreless innings in Sunday's Cactus League win over the Brewers. He struck out three.
Analysis: Wacha followed Sunday's starter, lefty Kris Bubic, and looked in control, recording three strikeouts and allowing no baserunners over two innings. The veteran right-hander bounced back from a shakier first Cactus League outing Tuesday, when he surrendered a run on three hits and three walks across two frames. Coming off a 2025 campaign in which he posted a 3.86 ERA and 1.22 WHIP over 31 starts and 172.2 innings -- his fourth consecutive season with an ERA below 4.00 -- Wacha will aim to remain a steady presence in the Royals' rotation entering 2026. |
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Kris Bubic Kris Bubic Strikes out three in spring debut
Mon, Mar 2, 2026, 9:05 AM
Bubic (shoulder) allowed a run on four hits and no walks across two innings in Sunday's Cactus League win over the Brewers. He struck out three.
Analysis: Bubic wasn't dominant in his spring debut, allowing four hits over two frames, but he did record three strikeouts in his first game action since July 26 after being sidelined by a left rotator cuff strain. The southpaw was in the midst of his strongest season to date in 2025 before the injury, posting a 2.55 ERA and 1.18 WHIP across 20 starts and 116.1 innings. Bubic should log additional Cactus League appearances before slotting back into the Royals' rotation to begin the 2026 regular season. |
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Carlos Estevez Carlos Estevez Velocity down early
Sun, Mar 1, 2026, 12:59 PM
Estevez's fastball has averaged just 89 mph in his first two appearances of spring training.
Analysis: A pitcher showing reduced velocity early in camp is hardly unique, but the fact that Estevez's fastball is down nearly seven mph from his 2025 average is a little worrisome. The right-hander led MLB with a career-high 42 saves in 2025 while finishing with a 2.45 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 54:22 K:BB across 67 outings. There's been no indication of an injury to this point, but fantasy managers should keep an eye on Estevez's velocity as he continues to build up during spring training. Lucas Erceg would likely be the next man up for Kansas City in the ninth inning, should Estevez's effectiveness take a big step backwards. |
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