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<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-orioles-fans-tomoyuki-suganos-admission-1st-mlb-win');   ga('set', 'title', 'Orioles fans will love Tomoyuki Sugano’s admission after 1st MLB win');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Tomoyuki-Sugano-cover.jpg"></figure><h1>Orioles fans will love Tomoyuki Sugano’s admission after 1st MLB win</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-06T00:44:36-07:00">April 6th, 12:44am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-06T00:44:36-07:00">April 6th, 12:44am</time><address><a>Brayden Haena</a>Brayden Haena is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He's a die-hard San Francisco Giants fan and a football fanatic. In addition to sports writing, he works for Arizona Football in the Player Personnel and Recruiting department and formerly served as the Defensive Coordinator for Heritage High School.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Tomoyuki Sugano didn’t just <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/orioles-news-orioles-trade-for-cubs-pitcher-acquired-cody-bellinger-deal">earn his first Major League win on Saturday</a> — <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/orioles-news-tomoyuki-sugano-championship-message">he made a statement that’ll fire up the entire Orioles fanbase</a>. After holding the Kansas City Royals to just one run over 5 1/3 innings, the 35-year-old rookie <a href="https://x.com/jcalvinmeyer/status/1908661133193761089" rel="noopener">had this to say</a> via interpreter Yuto Sakurai:</p><p>“I’m not here to win one game in the major leagues. I’m here to win day to day and, ultimately, get the championship.” via  Chandler Rome on X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>Sugano, a two-time Sawamura Award winner in Japan (essentially their version of the Cy Young), looked like the decorated veteran he is after a shaky debut. Gone were the hand cramps and nerves <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/tomoyuki-sugano-gets-first-career-win-with-orioles" rel="noopener">that plagued his first outing</a>. On Saturday, it was all poise and precision.</p><p>He allowed just five hits, one walk, and struck out four as the Orioles snapped a three-game losing streak with an 8-1 win at Kauffman Stadium. Even more impressive was Sugano’s pitch mix — six different offerings, from sweepers to splitters, cutters to curveballs — keeping the Royals off balance all afternoon.</p><h2><b>Orioles defeat the Royals on Saturday, end losing skid </b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Tomoyuki-Sugano.jpg"><figcaption>William Purnell-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>“He was really attacking the strike zone,” said catcher Gary Sánchez, who drove in two early runs. “All the pitches worked the way they were supposed to today.”</p><p>The biggest test came in the fifth. With runners on first and second and nobody out, Sugano buckled down and retired the next three batters. That momentum carried into a four-run sixth inning for Baltimore, giving Sugano all the run support he’d need.</p><p>The only blemish came when Bobby Witt Jr. took him deep in the sixth, but even that came after a long wait between innings in the frigid Kansas City weather.</p><p>Still, Sugano did his job — and he got the full treatment from the team afterward. The Orioles celebrated his milestone win with a beer shower, pushing Sugano through the clubhouse in a laundry cart.</p><p>“Typically in Japan, the beer shower only happens during the championship,” Sugano said. “So I was really happy to get that treatment. It made me feel like I want to succeed even more.”</p><p>Manager Brandon Hyde noted Sugano looked much more comfortable this time around. “Really good command like he had in Spring Training with all of his pitches,” Hyde said.</p><p>Baltimore’s bats backed him up big time. The Orioles’ 5-through-9 hitters combined for eight hits and all eight RBIs. Rookie Jackson Holliday went 3-for-4 with a two-run single, and Heston Kjerstad came up clutch against a lefty reliever, proving he deserves more at-bats.</p><p>With Colton Cowser sidelined, Kjerstad’s big knock could earn him more playing time — especially if he keeps delivering in high-leverage moments. The Orioles improved to 4-5, matching last season’s record through nine games — and we all know how that story ended. With Sugano looking like a stabilizing force in a rotation still missing key arms, Baltimore just might have found another piece of its winning formula.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Orioles fans will love Tomoyuki Sugano’s admission after 1st MLB win

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/mlb-stories/orioles-news-baltimore-royals-trade-game-nick-gordon');   ga('set', 'title', 'Orioles, Royals make trade before head-to-head matchup');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Nick-Gordon-scores-a-run.jpg"><figcaption>Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Orioles, Royals make trade before head-to-head matchup</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-05T10:59:28-07:00">April 5th, 10:59am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-05T10:59:28-07:00">April 5th, 10:59am</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/joey.mistretta/" rel="facebook">Joey Mistretta</a>Joey Mistretta is a Dallas Mavericks beat reporter, Dallas Wings beat reporter and lead MLB editor for ClutchPoints. He is originally from Lake Arrowhead, California. Mistretta graduated from Biola University with a degree in broadcast journalism.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Baltimore Orioles</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Baltimore Orioles are playing the Kansas City Royals on Saturday. The Royals and Orioles <a href="https://x.com/ByRobertMurray/status/1908570562143854604" rel="noopener">also made</a> a trade on Saturday before their head-to-head matchup, per Robert Murray of Fansided.</p><p>“Trade: The Kansas City Royals are acquiring Nick Gordon from the Baltimore Orioles, sources say. Gordon, who was in Triple-A with the Orioles, has hit .244/.283/.386 with 23 home runs and 112 RBI in four major-league seasons,” Murray wrote on X, formerly Twitter.</p><h2><b>Royals acquire Nick Gordon from Orioles</b></h2><p>As Murray wrote, Gordon was in Triple-A. He does have MLB experience, however.</p><p>The 29-year-old made his MLB debut in 2021 with the Minnesota Twins. His best season came in 2022, though, as he slashed .272/.316/.427/.743 across 136 big league games. Gordon added nine home runs and six stolen bases.</p><p>After playing in Minnesota from 2021-2023, Gordon joined the Miami Marlins for the 2024 campaign. He appeared in 95 MLB games last season, hitting .227 with a .627 OPS.</p><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/kansas-city-royals/fatal-flaw-kansas-city-royals-must-address-2025-mlb-season">Royals are hoping to make another postseason run</a> this year. Acquiring a veteran such as Gordon from the Orioles could help their situation. Kansas City features a fairly young team overall, so players with multiple years of MLB experience are especially valuable for the team. Gordon also offers defensive versatility.</p><p>The Orioles, meanwhile, are also looking to compete. Baltimore has displayed signs of potential in recent seasons, but they have yet to make a true World Series run. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/baltimore-orioles/orioles-news-gunnar-henderson-playing-tonight-royals-latest-injury-update">Gunnar Henderson recently returned from injury</a>, and he has a realistic opportunity to help the O’s take the next step.</p><p>When it comes to the Orioles-Royals current series, Kansas City took care of business on Friday. The Royals defeated the Orioles by a final score of 8-2. Baltimore and Kansas City will play once again on Saturday before the series finale on Sunday.</p><p>The Orioles will attempt to bounce back on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 PM EST.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Orioles, Royals make trade before head-to-head matchup

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/kansas-city-royals/royals-news-vinnie-pasquantino-kc-feat-george-brett');   ga('set', 'title', 'Royals’ Vinnie Pasquantino accomplishes KC feat not seen since George Brett');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Royals-news-Vinnie-Pasquantino-accomplishes-KC-feat-not-seen-since-George-Brett.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Royals’ Vinnie Pasquantino accomplishes KC feat not seen since George Brett</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-04-05T09:26:41-07:00">April 5th, 9:26am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-04-05T09:26:41-07:00">April 5th, 9:26am</time><address><a>Zachary Draves</a>Zachary Draves is a sportswriter and broadcaster based in the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa. Zachary covers a variety of different sports as well as sports history, sport and society, and sport and culture. He is also a professor of sociology.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Kansas City Royals</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>In a few weeks, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/kansas-city-royals/royals-news-vinnie-pasquantino-hamstring-injury" rel="noopener">Kansas City Royals slugger Vinnie Pasquantino injured his hamstring</a> and shortly thereafter made team history. </p><p>On Friday, Pasquantino <a href="https://x.com/SlangsOnSports/status/1908356924459860181" rel="noopener">solidified his place</a> in the history books by becoming the first Royal to hit a three-run single since George Brett in 1985, per Sarah Langs of MLB.com. The moment came in the 8th inning against the Baltimore Orioles. </p><p>Pasquantino hit a bloop single that cleared the bases and drove in three of the Royals’ five runs in that inning. The Royals went on to win the game 8-2 to start the season 3-4. </p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/kansas-city-royals/royals-news-vinnie-pasquantino-pasquatch-nickname-origin">Pasquantinois is affectionately known as “Pasquatch”</a> on the team, apparently for his distinct look and his hitting ability. He is known for his versatile hitting who can hit for average and for power when necessary. </p><p>Brett became the first Royals player to hit a three-run single on June 20, 1985, against the Milwaukee Brewers. </p><p>Brett was the Royals’ franchise player from 1973-1993 and became a Hall of Famer. Aside from surpassing Brett’s feat, Pasquantino shares a unique connection with Brett in their approach to hitting. </p><h2><b>The one commonality between Pasquantino and Brett </b></h2><p>Brett referred to Pasquantino as the “Italian Nightmare” during the Royals’ spring training. The biggest common denominator between the two is plate discipline and a low strikeout rate. </p><p>Throughout his career, Brett was a consistent hitter who walked more than he struck out. In his MVP year of 1980, Brett hit twenty-four home runs, struck out twenty-two times, and batted .390. From 1976-1989, he walked more than struck out during that fourteen-season stretch. </p><p>Pasquantino has a career strikeout rate of 22.9 percent and has seventy-five strikeouts in 554 attempts at bat. In his rookie season with the Royals in 2022, Pasquantino struck out only 34 times in 111 plate appearances. </p><p>Royals hitting coach Alec Zumwalt has noticed the comparison between the two. He has mentioned before that he asked Brett questions about strikeouts and that Pasquantino has the same mindset as Brett. </p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Royals’ Vinnie Pasquantino accomplishes KC feat not seen since George Brett

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/kansas-city-royals/royals-news-3-consecutive-moves-before-mlb-opening-day');   ga('set', 'title', 'Royals make 3 consecutive moves before MLB Opening Day');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Royals-news-Kansas-City-makes-3-consecutive-moves-before-MLB-Opening-Day.jpg"></figure><h1>Royals make 3 consecutive moves before MLB Opening Day</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-24T22:47:36-07:00">March 24th, 10:47pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-24T22:57:20-07:00">March 24th, 10:57pm</time><address><a>Mike Gianakos</a>Mike Gianakos is the former editor-in-chief of High Times magazine, where he also spearheaded the video department and event production. He is a longtime podcaster and even longer suffering NY Jets fan.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Kansas City Royals</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Kansas City Royals reached the playoffs for the first time in nine seasons last year. Royals fans have renewed hope in the team thanks in large part to rising star Bobby Witt Jr. In 2024, he became the only shortstop in baseball history with multiple 30/30 seasons. And expectations are even higher in 2025 as <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-yankees/yankees-news-aaron-judge-al-mvp-repeat-bobby-witt-jr-poll">Witt is favored to win AL MVP</a> over Aaron Judge.</p><p>Unfortunately, Witt can’t pitch. The Royals could use the depth as the team will start the season with three pitchers <a href="https://x.com/Royals/status/1904369972555448613" rel="noopener">on the shelf</a>.</p><p>Alec Marsh, Kyle Wright and James McArthur have all been moved to the 15-day injured list, according to the Royals’ official account on X.</p><p>Wright will begin his second straight season on the IL as he continues to recover from right shoulder surgery. A shoulder injury limited Wright to just seven starts in 2023 and kept him <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/atlanta-braves/braves-news-kyle-wright-injury-update-2024">out for the entire 2024 season</a>. However, he’s making progress in his long journey back to the mound.</p><h2><b>The Royals could get a mid season boost from return of injured pitchers </b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Alec-Marsh.jpg"><figcaption>Peter Aiken-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Last week, Wright faced hitters for the first time since his last Major League appearance in September 2023. He has yet to pitch in a spring training game as the Royals are bringing him along slowly. But the team believes he’ll be worth the wait.</p><p>In 2022, Wright led all of baseball with 21 wins. That season he posted a 3.19 ERA, 1.159 WHIP and 174 strikeouts in 180.1 innings. The Royals hope Wright can return to form and if all goes well, he could <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/kyle-wright-alec-marsh-take-next-steps-in-rehab-for-royals" rel="noopener">join the team</a> in May, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com.</p><p>Marsh is slightly ahead of Wright in his recovery. The 26-year-old righty is dealing with a right shoulder impingement that’s kept him sidelined this spring. However, he was able to pitch in a Minor League game, facing hitters for the first time this spring training.</p><p>The Royals believe Marsh could return to the team at some point in April but they don’t intend to rush him back. Last season Marsh started 25 games for Kansas City and had a 4.53 ERA, 1.256 WHIP and 123 strikeouts in 129 innings.</p><p>As for McArthur, the right-handed reliever is recovering from surgery to repair a fractured olecranon in his right elbow and there is no current timeline for his return to the Royals. McArthur has shown flashes over his brief MLB career. Last season he saved 18 games for Kansas City. But he struggled over the second half before an elbow issue landed him on the injured list in September.</p><p>The Royals have also had several injury scares with position players this spring. Most recently <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/kansas-city-royals/royals-news-vinnie-pasquantino-hamstring-injury">Vinnie Pasquantino suffered a hamstring strain</a> that has jeopardized his Opening Day status.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Royals make 3 consecutive moves before MLB Opening Day

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/new-york-yankees/yankees-news-aaron-judge-al-mvp-repeat-bobby-witt-jr-poll');   ga('set', 'title', 'Aaron Judge’s AL MVP repeat dreams dashed by Bobby Witt Jr. in poll');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Yankees-news-Aaron-Judges-AL-MVP-repeat-dreams-dashed-by-Bobby-Witt-Jr.-in-poll.jpg"></figure><h1>Aaron Judge’s AL MVP repeat dreams dashed by Bobby Witt Jr. in poll</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-24T07:49:52-07:00">March 24th, 7:49am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-24T07:49:52-07:00">March 24th, 7:49am</time><address><a>Christopher Hennessy</a>Christopher Hennessy graduated with a journalism degree from Fordham University in 2022. He has also worked at Spectrum News One in Albany, New York and with The Hockey Writers as a New York Islanders writer. Chris is originally from Connecticut and is a lifelong New York Yankees, Islanders, and Jets fan.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Kansas City Royals</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The New York Yankees come into the 2025 MLB season with <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/editorials/largest-contracts-mlb-history-after-juan-soto-765-million-deal">high expectations even after losing Juan Soto</a>. That is mostly because of Aaron Judge, the Yankees captain who hit 59 homers last year. He won the American League MVP unanimously, beating out Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/6222015/2025/03/24/mlb-predictions-2025-world-series/?source=emp_shared_article" rel="noopener">In a preseason poll</a>, staffers at The Athletic picked Witt to clip Judge and win his first MVP Award.</p><p>“The American League hasn’t had a back-to-back MVP winner since Miguel Cabrera in 2012 and ’13. That might explain why only five of our writers picked Aaron Judge to win the MVP this season,” Chad Jennings wrote.</p><p>“Instead, our writers are all-in on Bobby Witt Jr. who’s coming off his own elite season, one of the greatest ever by a shortstop. Witt got 18 of 33 votes for AL MVP. Gunnar Henderson got three votes, and no other player — other than Judge — got more than two,” he continued.</p><p>The Yankees need Judge to have an MVP season to compete for the AL pennant. Just look at 2023, when he hurt his foot in the outfield at Dodgers Stadium and they missed the playoffs.</p><p>The rest of the voting in this poll includes: Corey Seager, Julio Rodriguez, Vladimir Guerrero Jr, Jose Ramirez, and Isaac Paredes.</p><h2><b>How can Aaron Judge repeat as American League MVP?</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Aaron-Judge-with-NY-Yankees-1.jpg"><figcaption>Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Witt had a phenomenal season with the Royals last year with a major-league-leading .332 batting average and 211 hits. He enters his age-25 season with high expectations and a Kansas City team on his back. Witt is also an amazing defender at shortstop but it was not enough to edge Judge last year.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-yankees/did-yankees-aaron-judge-just-have-the-goat-right-handed-hitting-season">Judge had, by many metrics, the greatest season a right-handed hitter</a> has ever had. The Yankees captain played center field last year and hit 58 homers with a 1.159 OPS. Now, he will be moving back to right field, his original position, where his defense should take a step up.</p><p>If Judge’s numbers are anywhere in the vicinity of last year’s production, he will likely win AL MVP again. Another 35 homers would put him at 350 for his career during his tenth season. Voters love round numbers and Judge has the chance to reach historic levels in his career.</p><p>Witt will win an American League MVP at some point in his career. His floor is among the highest in the league and his speed gives him an advantage over Judge. If the slugger was to get hurt, Witt would take the lead over Judge in the MVP race.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Aaron Judge’s AL MVP repeat dreams dashed by Bobby Witt Jr. in poll

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/kansas-city-royals/royals-news-vinnie-pasquantino-hamstring-injury');   ga('set', 'title', 'Royals’ Vinnie Pasquantino suffers hamstring injury before Opening Day');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Royals-Vinnie-Pasquantino-suffers-hamstring-injury-before-Opening-Day.jpg"></figure><h1>Royals’ Vinnie Pasquantino suffers hamstring injury before Opening Day</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-22T16:56:31-07:00">March 22nd, 4:56pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-22T16:56:31-07:00">March 22nd, 4:56pm</time><address><a>Quinn Allen</a>Quinn Allen is a Senior Associate Editor with ClutchPoints. He specializes mainly in soccer, basketball, and baseball. When Quinn isn't producing content for CP,  he's writing sports betting predictions for numerous sites across North America.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Kansas City Royals</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Kansas City Royals have been dealt a scare ahead of Opening Day.</p><p>Slugger Vinnie Pasquantino <a href="https://x.com/anne__rogers/status/1903567509024051464" rel="noopener">suffered a hamstring injury</a> in spring training on Saturday and will be evaluated on Sunday to determine the severity, per Anne Rogers.</p><p>Pasquantino said he feels fine but knows it’ll be up to the medical staff to diagnose how bad the strain is:</p><p>“I feel fine,” Pasquantino said. “My gut tells me it’s not going to affect anything, but my gut is not the medical staff.</p><p>“Just trying to kind of bust it down the line,” Pasquantino continued. “It just kind of grabbed on me. I don’t believe it’ll be a big deal.”</p><p>Pasquantino tweaked his hamstring while trying to beat out a double play ground ball. He immediately came up limping and looked to be in discomfort. The 27-year-old was the Royals’ third-best hitter last season and that will surely be the case again. He had a breakout 2024 season, hitting .262 with 19 home runs. Pasquantino will be Kansas City’s starting first baseman.</p><p>Hamstring injuries can be tricky. It’s hard to know at this point just how serious the strain could be, but it’s far from ideal. The Royals open the 2025 campaign on Thursday, March 27 against the Cleveland Guardians. Pasquantino will be evaluated in Arlington on Sunday because KC is heading to the Lone Star State to take on the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field.</p><p>If Pasquantino does miss any time, the ball club at least have more weapons to make up for the loss. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/mlb-news-reds-royals-swing-brady-singer-jonathan-india-trade">They traded for Jonathan India this offseason</a> in exchange for Brady Singer, while<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/royals-news-kansas-city-trade-veteran-utility-man-brewers"> the Royals also swung a trade for utility man Mark Canha</a> on Friday. He’s capable of playing first base if needed.</p><p>The Royals went 86-76 last season and made the playoffs for the first time since 2015. They ultimately lost in the ALDS to the New York Yankees.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Royals’ Vinnie Pasquantino suffers hamstring injury before Opening Day

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/chicago-cubs/cubs-news-cubs-release-former-highly-regarded-royals-prospect');   ga('set', 'title', 'Cubs release former highly-regarded Royals prospect');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Cubs-news-Chicago-releases-former-highly-regarded-Royals-prospect.jpg"></figure><h1>Cubs release former highly-regarded Royals prospect</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-22T00:03:42-07:00">March 22nd, 12:03am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-22T00:03:42-07:00">March 22nd, 12:03am</time><address><a>Brayden Haena</a>Brayden Haena is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He's a die-hard San Francisco Giants fan and a football fanatic. In addition to sports writing, he works for Arizona Football in the Player Personnel and Recruiting department and formerly served as the Defensive Coordinator for Heritage High School.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Chicago Cubs</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/mlb-news-cubs-trade-kris-bryant-to-giants-in-blockbuster-deal">Chicago Cubs have officially parted ways with veteran infielder</a> Nicky Lopez, granting him his release following a request triggered by an opt-out clause in his minor league contract. Lopez, 30, initially signed with the Cubs as a non-roster invitee in early February, <a href="https://x.com/JonHeyman/status/1903118716927082733" rel="noopener">aiming to secure a spot</a> as a versatile defensive piece in the club’s infield.</p><p>“Nicky Lopez requested and was granted his release by the Cubs today per the opt-out in his contract, in order to pursue other opportunities.” via Jon Heyman on X, formerly Twitter.</p><p>Despite performing exceptionally well during Spring Training, posting a robust <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/03/cubs-release-nicky-lopez-opt-out.html" rel="noopener">.450/.542/.550</a> slash line in limited action, he found himself on the outside looking in due to the Cubs’ considerable infield depth. The presence of recently acquired Jon Berti and Vidal Bruján, as well as the quick ascension of top prospect Matt Shaw, ultimately limited Lopez’s opportunities.</p><h2><b>Nicky Lopez was left off the Cubs roster prior to the Tokyo Series </b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Nicky-Lopez.jpg"><figcaption>Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/mlb-news-how-dodgers-cubs-tokyo-series-made-jaw-dropping-mlb-history">Cubs’ decision to leave Lopez off their 31-man roster heading to Japan</a> to open the season was likely the final factor prompting him to pursue options elsewhere. Lopez spent the 2024 season across town with the Chicago White Sox, where he played in 124 games but managed only a modest .241/.312/.294 batting line.</p><p>Known more for his defensive acumen than his bat, Lopez brings considerable value with his versatility, excelling at second base, shortstop, and third base. His standout year came in 2021 with the Kansas City Royals when he hit an impressive .300/.365/.378, though he hasn’t replicated that level of offensive success since.</p><p>Defensively, Lopez is regarded highly by metrics such as Defensive Runs Saved and Outs Above Average, both of which highlight his strengths at multiple infield positions. His ability to handle the glove reliably at three critical defensive spots could make him an attractive target for teams needing depth and versatility.</p><p>The Cubs’ decision reflects their confidence in their current infield mix, with depth pieces like Bruján, Berti, and Rule 5 pick Gage Workman ready to contribute. Lopez will now explore other opportunities, likely searching for a team willing to offer immediate major-league playing time.</p><p>Lopez’s departure kicks off what could be a busy weekend around the league as players with similar opt-outs look for roles on major-league rosters ahead of Opening Day. Lopez, with his proven defensive skills and consistent contact abilities, shouldn’t remain unsigned for long.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Cubs release former highly-regarded Royals prospect

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/kansas-city-royals/royals-news-kansas-city-trade-veteran-utility-man-brewers');   ga('set', 'title', 'Royals swing trade for veteran utility man from Brewers');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Royals-swing-trade-for-veteran-utility-man-from-Brewers.jpg"></figure><h1>Royals swing trade for veteran utility man from Brewers</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-21T19:37:20-07:00">March 21st, 7:37pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-21T19:37:20-07:00">March 21st, 7:37pm</time><address><a>Quinn Allen</a>Quinn Allen is a Senior Associate Editor with ClutchPoints. He specializes mainly in soccer, basketball, and baseball. When Quinn isn't producing content for CP,  he's writing sports betting predictions for numerous sites across North America.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Kansas City Royals</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/royals-news-patrick-mahomes-reacts-making-mlb-playoffs">The Kansas City Royals are coming off an impressive 2024 season where they finally returned to the playoffs</a>. While their roster is already very talented, the ball club added an intriguing piece on Friday in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers.</p><p>The Royals<a href="https://x.com/JonHeyman/status/1903242646409138505" rel="noopener"> have acquired</a> utility man Mark Canha, as reported by insider Jon Heyman. The Brew Crew received a player to be named later and cash in return.</p><p>Canha was on a minor league deal with Milwaukee in spring training but he was struggling offensively, going just 2 for 23 at the dish. However, he had a respectable 2024 campaign, splitting time with the Detroit Tigers and San Francisco Giants. Canha is a 10-year big league veteran who can a variety of positions. He’s spent time in the outfield and even at first base.</p><p>The 36-year-old hit .242 last season with seven home runs and 42 RBI across 125 games. Canha will be a bench player for the Royals and while there’s no guarantee he’ll get a ton of playing time, he will be on the MLB roster. Kansas City does need another right-handed bat off their bench who can swing it relatively well against lefties.</p><p>Plus, the Royals are a young team. Canha brings experience and leadership to the table. That’s very important for any ball club looking to contend. This could end up being an under-the-radar move for KC.</p><p>They went 86-76 in ’24, making it to the ALDS <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/3-royals-most-blame-alds-loss-yankees">before losing to the New York Yankees in the American League Division Series</a>. Bobby Witt Jr heads into 2025 as an MVP candidate once again, while the likes of Salvador Perez, Vinnie Pasquantino, and MJ Melendez, will be important players offensively. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/mlb-news-reds-royals-swing-brady-singer-jonathan-india-trade">The Royals also traded for Jonathan India</a> this offseason but lost Brady Singer in the process.</p><p>The AL Central is wide open and Kansas City should be competitive again.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Royals swing trade for veteran utility man from Brewers

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/kansas-city-royals/royals-news-royals-hall-of-fame-adds-new-member');   ga('set', 'title', 'Royals’ Hall of Fame adds new member');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Royals-news-Kansas-Citys-Hall-of-Fame-adds-new-member.jpg"></figure><h1>Royals’ Hall of Fame adds new member</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-14T23:16:44-07:00">March 14th, 11:16pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-14T23:16:44-07:00">March 14th, 11:16pm</time><address><a>Nathan Yasis</a>Nathan Yasis is an Associate Editor for ClutchPoints, specializing in the NBA.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Kansas City Royals</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Alex Gordon will be enshrined as the 31st member of the Royals Hall of Fame, with the Kansas City Royals naming him the lone inductee of the 2025 class on Friday morning.</p><p>Gordon’s induction ceremony is set for June 13 at Kauffman Stadium before the Royals face the A’s. He will receive a blue jacket, joining an elite group that includes his former manager Ned Yost, as well as Royals legends like George Brett and Bo Jackson.</p><p>The 41-year-old <a href="https://www.twitter.com/Royals/status/1900562586720141376" rel="noopener">earned induction in his first year</a> on the ballot, receiving 97.8% of the vote, per the team. The near-unanimous support reflects his legacy as a homegrown star who played a pivotal role in the Royals’ 2014 American League pennant and 2015 World Series championship.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Introducing the newest member of the Royals Hall of Fame, Alex Gordon! <a href="https://t.co/AmNmj9nOJ7">pic.twitter.com/AmNmj9nOJ7</a></p><p>— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) <a href="https://twitter.com/Royals/status/1900562586720141376?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/royals-news-alex-gordon-retiring-from-baseball-after-14-year-career-face-franchise">Gordon’s journey to the Royals</a> took several turns after they drafted him second overall in 2005 out of Nebraska. He started as a third baseman and debuted two years later, but by his fourth season, he was back in Triple-A, working with the team on a position change. Struggling with a .194 batting average, he was sent down in May 2010 to learn left field while Mike Moustakas, a rising infield prospect, climbed through the Minor Leagues.</p><p>What followed showcased why Gordon is so revered within the Royals’ organization. He put in the work—relentlessly. He mastered left field and stayed committed to his routines. By the summer of 2010, he had earned his way back to the Majors. The next year, he claimed his first Gold Glove Award.</p><h2><b>Alex Gordon coming into his Hall of Fame form with the Royals</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Alex-Gordon-playing-with-the-Royals.jpg"><figcaption>Peter Aiken-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Gordon earned his first All-Star selection in 2013, setting the standard for the rising core that would help deliver a World Series title to Kansas City in 2015. His dedication became a blueprint for the Royals’ young talent—so much so that the team distributed footage of his pregame outfield drills to Minor Leaguers as a teaching tool. In 2023, the organization honored his legacy by creating the Heart and Hustle Alex Gordon Award, given to the player who embodies his relentless approach to the game.</p><p>The Royals former left fielder set the benchmark for outfield defense, patrolling left field at Kauffman Stadium for a decade while securing two Platinum Glove Awards and eight Gold Gloves. His highlight reel is packed with spectacular grabs, from diving catches on the grass to fearless leaps into the stands. But one play stands out in his memory—the moment he finally got his shot in center field. After persistently lobbying Yost and the Royals’ coaching staff, Gordon made the most of his opportunity, crashing into the wall and tumbling to the ground while securing a catch against the Rays at Tropicana Field.</p><p>Gordon delivered several strong offensive seasons, wrapping up his career with a .257/.338/.410 slash line and 34.5 WAR, per Baseball Reference. After 14 seasons, he retired in 2020, finishing right where he started—with the Royals.</p><p>He cemented his place in franchise history, ranking among the Royals’ top 10 in multiple offensive categories. He sits sixth in games played (1,753), fifth in home runs (190), seventh in RBIs (749), sixth in hits (1,643), third in walks (684), fifth in doubles (357), and sixth in total bases (2,622). No Royal was hit by more pitches than Gordon, who absorbed 121 over his career.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Royals’ Hall of Fame adds new member

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/kansas-city-royals/fatal-flaw-kansas-city-royals-must-address-2025-mlb-season');   ga('set', 'title', 'Fatal flaw Kansas City Royals must address for 2025 MLB season');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Fatal-flaw-Kansas-City-Royals-must-address-for-2025-MLB-season.jpg"></figure><h1>Fatal flaw Kansas City Royals must address for 2025 MLB season</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-12T20:05:24-07:00">March 12th, 8:05pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-12T20:05:24-07:00">March 12th, 8:05pm</time><address><a>Brayden Haena</a>Brayden Haena is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He's a die-hard San Francisco Giants fan and a football fanatic. In addition to sports writing, he works for Arizona Football in the Player Personnel and Recruiting department and formerly served as the Defensive Coordinator for Heritage High School.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Editorials</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/mlb-news-reds-royals-swing-brady-singer-jonathan-india-trade">Kansas City Royals have defied expectations and positioned themselves</a> as legitimate playoff contenders. With a rising superstar in Bobby Witt Jr., a reliable starting pitching staff, and a team identity centered around speed and defense reminiscent of their 2015 World Series championship squad, optimism is high in Kansas City. However, despite these strengths, one glaring issue could derail their postseason hopes: a bullpen that remains a significant liability.</p><h2><b>The Bullpen Problem</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Carlos-Estevez.jpg"><figcaption>Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>A <a href="https://www.si.com/mlb/royals/news/could-alleged-fatal-flaw-doom-royals-2024-world-series-chances-jackson3" rel="noopener">shaky bullpen</a> entering the postseason is often a “death sentence” rather than a formula for success. This was evident in the Royals’ struggles last season, where late-game collapses became a recurring theme. Their 7th-9th inning ERA ballooned to 4.72, a number that simply won’t cut it in October. Even after acquiring closer Lucas Erceg midseason and signing Will Smith and John Schreiber in the offseason, the Royals’ bullpen still lacks the consistency needed to match the league’s elite teams.</p><p>The Royals’ front office appears to recognize this flaw and has taken steps to address it. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/royals-news-agree-terms-closer-carlos-estevez">The addition of Carlos Estévez, a proven closer,</a> adds some stability at the back end of the bullpen. However, questions remain about the depth and reliability of their relievers in high-pressure situations.</p><h2><b>Key offseason departures and additions</b></h2><p>The Royals saw notable departures, including outfielder Robbie Grossman, right-hander Brady Singer, lefty Will Smith, second baseman Adam Frazier, first baseman Yuli Gurriel, shortstop Paul DeJong, and veteran outfielder Tommy Pham. Losing Singer, who provided solid innings in the rotation, and bullpen pieces like Smith hurts a team already struggling with relief depth.</p><p>On the other hand, the team made some crucial additions. The Royals traded for second baseman Jonathan India, acquired outfielder Joey Weimer to add athleticism to the lineup, and signed closer Carlos Estévez, which could provide some stability to the bullpen. These moves improve certain areas, but the bullpen remains a concern.</p><h2><b>How the Royals Can Fix Their Bullpen</b></h2><p>If Kansas City wants to make a deep postseason run, they must further fortify their bullpen. Here are three possible solutions:</p><p>Acquire a Proven High-Leverage Reliever: Estévez provides a solid closing option, but the Royals need another dominant setup man. The free-agent market still has viable options, and a midseason trade could help them bolster the bullpen for October.</p><p>Develop Internal Options: Kansas City has some intriguing young arms in their system. If any of their prospects can step up as a reliable late-game option, it would provide much-needed stability without requiring external additions.</p><p>Adjust Usage Strategies: Manager Matt Quatraro needs to be strategic in how he deploys relievers. Mixing and matching based on matchups and keeping pitchers fresh throughout the season will be critical in avoiding bullpen fatigue down the stretch.</p><h2><b>Reasons for optimism</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Bobby-Witt-Jr.jpg"><figcaption>Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Despite the bullpen issues, the Royals have plenty to be excited about. Their starting pitching, led by Cole Ragans and Seth Lugo, gives them a solid foundation. If Michael Wacha and Kris Bubic can provide quality innings, the rotation should keep Kansas City competitive.</p><p>Additionally, the lineup boasts a mix of established veterans and young talent. Bobby Witt Jr. is emerging as one of the game’s brightest stars, and the infield of Vinnie Pasquantino, Jonathan India, Maikel Garcia, and Witt provides a dynamic combination of power, speed, and defensive prowess.</p><p>The Royals have the makings of a dangerous team, but their bullpen remains the most glaring weakness. If they can find a way to address this flaw, they could be a legitimate threat in the American League. Otherwise, they may find themselves watching another promising season slip away due to late-game collapses. The front office has made strides, but more work is needed to turn Kansas City into a true contender in 2025.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Fatal flaw Kansas City Royals must address for 2025 MLB season

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/kansas-city-royals/royals-news-bobby-witt-jr-leaves-spring-training-game-injury-scare');   ga('set', 'title', 'Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. leaves spring training game amid injury scare');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Royals-news-Bobby-Witt-Jr.-delivers-powerful-reminder-to-Kansas-City-after-ALDS-loss.jpg"></figure><h1>Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. leaves spring training game amid injury scare</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-12T17:11:56-07:00">March 12th, 5:11pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-12T17:40:21-07:00">March 12th, 5:40pm</time><address><a>Rexwell Villas</a>Rexwell Villas is an experienced sports writer covering a variety of sports, including the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and college football. He's a Communications Arts graduate from the University of Santo Tomas in the Philippines, and he claims to have JR Smith's conscience with his shot selection. He has won a basketball, a baseball, and a football championship in fantasy all within a year.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Kansas City Royals</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Kansas City Royals star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. exited Wednesday’s spring training game in Peoria, Arizona, after <a href="https://x.com/JeffPassan/status/1899974289861837289" rel="noopener">getting hit by a fastball</a> in ht fifth inning of a contest versus the Seattle Mariners.</p><p>However, it doesn’t seem that the infielder suffered a major injury, with Jeff Passan of ESPN reporting that Witt did not break a bone.</p><p>“Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. did not suffer a broken bone when he was hit on the left forearm by a 96-mph fastball today, sources tell ESPN. While the timetable for his return is unclear, Witt is expected to avoid a long absence,” Passan noted on X (formerly Twitter).</p><p>Witt seemingly grimaced in pain and fell to the ground after getting hit by the pitch from right-hander relief pitcher Andrés Muñoz. Royals manager Matt Quatraro <a href="https://x.com/anne__rogers/status/1899959421054443809" rel="noopener">later shared</a> that the 2024 batting champion said that “he just lost feeling in his fingers, but he said it was coming back. They’re going to get an X-ray just to make sure,” per Anne Rogers of MLB.com</p><p>The Royals also provided an update about Witt’s injury via social media, saying that he <a href="https://x.com/Royals/status/1899974573149610017" rel="noopener">has a contusion on his left forearm</a>, but the X-rays taken did not reveal a fracture, adding that the 2024 All-Star shortstop will be “reevaluated” Thursday morning.</p><p>Witt helped allay fears of a long absence among fans when he shared a two-emoji post as a reaction to the Royals’ update on X.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="art">👍🙏 <a href="https://t.co/a6TtYIsTNU">https://t.co/a6TtYIsTNU</a></p><p>— Bobby Witt Jr (@BwittJr) <a href="https://twitter.com/BwittJr/status/1899976671710896411?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 13, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/betting/kansas-city-royals-2025-over-under-win-total-prediction-odds-pick">Considering his importance to the Royals</a> and how close the start of the 2025 MLB regular season is from Opening Day, it can be fair to expect Witt to miss the remainder of Kansas City’s schedule in spring training.</p><p>Witt, who made his MLB debut in 2022, has already become one of the best talents in the big leagues. In 2024, the former first-round pick slashed .332/.389/.588 with 32 home runs and 109 RBIs through 709 plate appearances while missing only a game. He finished <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-yankees/yankees-news-aaron-judge-wins-2nd-al-mvp-award-dominant-season">second in the 2024 American League Most Valuable Player voting</a>, just behind New York Yankee superstar outfielder Aaron Judge.</p><p>The Royals will open their 2025 campaign on March 27 for the start of a three-game series at Kauffman Stadium against the Cleveland Guardians.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. leaves spring training game amid injury scare

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/kansas-city-royals/royals-news-vinnie-pasquantino-pasquatch-nickname-origin');   ga('set', 'title', 'Royals’ Vinnie Pasquantino opens up about ‘Pasquatch’ nickname origin');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Royals-news-Vinnie-Pasquantino-opens-up-about-Pasquatch-nickname-origin.jpg"></figure><h1>Royals’ Vinnie Pasquantino opens up about ‘Pasquatch’ nickname origin</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-10T05:41:54-07:00">March 10th, 5:41am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-10T05:41:54-07:00">March 10th, 5:41am</time><address><a>Christopher Hennessy</a>Christopher Hennessy graduated with a journalism degree from Fordham University in 2022. He has also worked at Spectrum News One in Albany, New York and with The Hockey Writers as a New York Islanders writer. Chris is originally from Connecticut and is a lifelong New York Yankees, Islanders, and Jets fan.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Kansas City Royals</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Kansas City Royals made the playoffs in 2024, powering out of their rebuild with an 86-win season. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/yankees-news-aaron-judge-reaction-unanimous-mvp-2024">Bobby Witt Jr finished second in MVP voting</a> and got all of the attention. But Royals first baseman Vinnie ‘Pasquatch’ Pasquantino was a star as well, with 97 RBIs in his third season. He spoke with MLB Network’s Adnan Virk <a href="https://x.com/MLBNetwork/status/1898897592135929908" rel="noopener">about how he got the name</a> Pasquatch.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"I get called Pasquatch a lot… it's replaced my real name."<a href="https://twitter.com/Royals?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Royals</a> first baseman <a href="https://twitter.com/VPasquantino?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@VPasquantino</a> talks about the origin of his nickname, goals for 2025 and more.</p><p>MLB Network + <a href="https://twitter.com/TMobile?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TMobile</a> <a href="https://t.co/lrd23oxcRR">pic.twitter.com/lrd23oxcRR</a></p><p>— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBNetwork/status/1898897592135929908?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 10, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“I have no idea,” Pasquantino said when asked how the nickname started. “I’m pretty sure, Ryan O’Hearn, I’m pretty sure you were the first one to call me that. And then the Royals ran with it and they’ve really run with it so I’ve started to run with it too.”</p><p>O’Hearn and Pasquantino played on the 2022 Royals, who won 65 games and finished last in the AL Central. They were both first basemen so they likely spent a lot of time together in that season.</p><p>“I get called Pasquatch a lot which is very funny,” he continued. “Whether I’m walking out to the field, it’s replaced my real name. So it’s kinda just what I get called now and I’m used to turning my head when I hear it.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="zxx"><a href="https://t.co/0ZQzYLcJVW">pic.twitter.com/0ZQzYLcJVW</a></p><p>— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) <a href="https://twitter.com/Royals/status/1841105890671198341?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 1, 2024</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>To see how far the Royals have taken the Pasquatch nickname, look no further than this social media post from October. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/royals-tease-vinnie-pasquantino-return-for-wild-card-series-vs-orioles">Pasquantino was hurt at the end of the regular season</a>. Instead of a traditional injury announcement, they posted a picture of a sasquatch holding a baseball bat. This got fans riled up and was immediately recognized by everyone who was waiting for the news.</p><p>The Royals need Pasquantino to slug to win games this season. Witt should put together another MVP-caliber season but it could go to waste without a great slugger behind him. The Pasquatch is healthy and ready to lead Kansas City to another playoff berth.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Royals’ Vinnie Pasquantino opens up about ‘Pasquatch’ nickname origin

Angel
Zerpa

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2025 SEASON STATS
IP	ERA	K	WHIP	HOLDS	SAVES
27	0	9	0.2222	2	0

2025 SEASON STATS
IP	ERA	K	WHIP	HOLDS	SAVES
27	0	9	0.2222	2	0

Angel Zerpa

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Royals make 3 consecutive moves before MLB Opening Day

Aaron Judge’s AL MVP repeat dreams dashed by Bobby Witt Jr. in poll

Royals’ Vinnie Pasquantino suffers hamstring injury before Opening Day

Cubs release former highly-regarded Royals prospect

• Royals swing trade for veteran utility man from Brewers

• Royals’ Hall of Fame adds new member

• Fatal flaw Kansas City Royals must address for 2025 MLB season

• Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr. leaves spring training game amid injury scare

• Royals’ Vinnie Pasquantino opens up about ‘Pasquatch’ nickname origin

Angel
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