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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/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

<!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-salvador-perez-troubling-injury-spring-training-mariners');   ga('set', 'title', 'Salvador Perez suffers troubling injury in spring training vs. Mariners');   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/Salvador-Perez-suffers-troubling-injury-in-spring-training-vs.jpg"></figure><h1>Salvador Perez suffers troubling injury in spring training vs. Mariners</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-05T22:38:02-08:00">March 5th, 10:38pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-05T22:39:24-08:00">March 5th, 10:39pm</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 in 2024 for the first time in nine years. Led by third-year shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and veteran catcher Salvador Perez, the Royals swept the Baltimore Orioles in the Wild Card Series before <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/kansas-city-royals/3-royals-most-blame-alds-loss-yankees">losing to the New York Yankees</a> in the ALDS.</p><p>Entering his 15th season in the majors, Perez was behind the plate for a spring training game against the Seattle Mariners on Wednesday when he had to <a href="https://x.com/Royals/status/1897472711846453720" rel="noopener">leave the game</a> in the third inning due to a laceration under his left eye, per the Royals’ official account on X. The team added that Perez would continue to be monitored.</p><h2><b>The Royals hope their veteran catcher avoided serious injury</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/Salvador-Perez.jpg"><figcaption>Peter Aiken-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The injury occurred when Mariners’ second baseman Ryan Bliss swung through a Michael Lorenzen offering. Bliss’ backswing got under Perez’s mask and caught the catcher under his eye. The training staff came out to check on the five-time Gold Glove winner, who appeared to be bleeding from the cut.</p><p>Had this been a regular season game, Perez would likely have been able to continue. But, being a meaningless game in early March, the Royals played it safe and took the nine-time All-Star out. Backup catcher Carter Jensen filled in for Perez behind the plate.</p><p>Since Perez debuted in the majors in 2011, the Royals have reached the postseason three times. However, the team made two World Series appearances and won a championship in 2015. After <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/kansas-city-royals/royals-news-patrick-mahomes-reacts-making-mlb-playoffs">reaching the playoffs last year</a>, Kansas City has fans excited.</p><p>Witt Jr. is entering his fourth season with the team and he recently surpassed Aaron Judge as the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/betting/royals-news-bobby-witt-surpasses-aaron-judge-al-mvp-betting-favorite">betting favorite to win AL MVP</a>. The All-Star shortstop was magnificent in 2024, winning his first Gold Glove and becoming the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/kansas-city-royals/royals-news-bobby-witt-jr-milestone-not-seen-before-mlb-history">first player ever</a> to hit 20 or more home runs and steal 20 or more bases in each of his first three seasons.</p><p>Witt Jr. finished the year as the only shortstop in MLB history with multiple 30/30 seasons. He had 32 homers and 31 steals in 2024 and finished second to Judge in MVP voting.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Salvador Perez suffers troubling injury in spring training vs. Mariners

<!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-legend-signing-1-day-contract-to-retire-with-team');   ga('set', 'title', 'Royals legend signing 1-day contract to retire with team');   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/unnamed-1_5c1ff6.jpg"></figure><h1>Royals legend signing 1-day contract to retire with team</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-03-03T13:24:20-08:00">March 3rd, 1:24pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-03-03T13:24:20-08:00">March 3rd, 1:24pm</time><address><a>Daniel Locke</a>Daniel Locke covers the New Orleans Pelicans and is an Associate Editor for ClutchPoints. He will graduate from Auburn University with a degree in Journalism in May. Daniel has covered Auburn Athletics for the entirety of his time as a student, focusing on football, men's basketball, and baseball.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Kansas City Royals</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Former Kansas City Royals first baseman Mike Moustakas will sign a one-day contract with his former team and retire from baseball as a Royal.</p><p>The Royals announced that they will <a href="https://x.com/Royals/status/1896611606706151816" rel="noopener">have a pregame retirement ceremony</a> for Moustakas when they host the Detroit Tigers on May 31.</p><p>Moustakas was a member of the Royals from the beginning of his career in 2011 through 2028, helping them make back-to-back appearances in the World Series, winning it all in 2025.</p><p>He also played for the Milwaukee Brewers, Cincinnati Reds, Los Angeles Angels, Colorado Rockies and Chicago White Sox.</p><p>Throughout his 13 years in the MLB, Moustakas will finish with a .247 batting average, 215 home runs, 683 RBI and 21 stolen bases.</p><p>As the<a href="https://clutchpoints.com/editorials/kansas-city-royals-2025-over-under-win-total-prediction-odds-pick"> Royals aim to make another postseason run in 2025</a>, they will enjoy the opportunity to honor a player who helped them compete for championships in the mid 2010’s. General manager JJ Picollo <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/royals-news-kansas-city-hand-gm-contract-extension-after-2024-playoff-appearance">earned a contract extension</a> and is determined to prove it was a good move by the team.</p><h2><b>Royals hoping for more outfield production in 2025</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/unnamed-2_ca2b13.jpg"><figcaption>ay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The Kansas City Royals’ successful campaign was one of the more surprising parts of the 2024 season. They reached the ALDS and made a case for themselves as a competitor in the league for years to come.</p><p>One area of the Royals <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city-royals/article301297829.html" rel="noopener">that was not particularly strong</a>, however, was the outfield. Center fielder Kyle Isbel hopes to see that change this season.</p><p>“I don’t think as players that is something you pay attention to,” Isbel said. “Every offseason, your goal is to try to get better. That’s every aspect of your game – defensively and offensively – while learning more about the game. It’s our job to grow and get better as players every day.”</p><p>Left fielder MJ Melendez hopes to take a step up as well in 2025 and help the team have an even better season in 2025.</p><p>“I want to play this game as long as possible and I want to play at the highest level,” Melendez said. “That comes with consistency, and I don’t think anything should be given. I’m very thankful for this organization (and) that I have been given plenty of opportunities. And I just want to prove them right.”</p><p>Right fielder Hunter Renfroe dealt with a lingering hamstring injury last season. He hopes to have put that behind him.</p><p>“My Achilles was bothering me a little bit,” Renfroe said, “and trying to navigate that kind of got the hamstring tight and the lower back. The Achilles kind of compounded the hamstring a little bit.”</p><p>If the Royals’ outfield plays better in 2025, the team could be in a position to make a run.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Royals legend signing 1-day contract to retire with team

<!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-signing-pitching-ross-stripling-minor-league-contract');   ga('set', 'title', 'Royals sign ex-Dodgers draft pick to minor league contract');   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/2025/02/KC-signs-ex-Dodgers-draft-pick-to-minor-league-contract.jpg"></figure><h1>Royals sign ex-Dodgers draft pick to minor league contract</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-02-19T18:11:27-08:00">February 19th, 6:11pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-02-19T18:11:27-08:00">February 19th, 6:11pm</time><address><a>Josey Curtis</a>Josey Curtis is an avid sports fan, with passions for MLB, the NFL, and college basketball. Josey has been writing about sports since middle school, including a seven-year stint at SB Nation. She also interned as a Baseball Video Scout at Sports Info Solutions. When she's not catching a game, you can find Josey in a barn. She has backgrounded 200 head of beef cattle annually since 2021.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Kansas City Royals</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Early in the offseason, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/cincinnati-reds/mlb-news-reds-royals-swing-brady-singer-jonathan-india-trade">Kansas City Royals acquired Jonathan India</a> and shipped off Brady Singer in a blockbuster trade; nonetheless, the team has remained relatively quiet the rest of the winter. On Wednesday, <a href="https://x.com/Royals/status/1892351202169430053" rel="noopener">the team announced</a> they have made a signing to add to their pitching depth. The Royals have signed left-handed pitcher Ross Stripling to a minor league contract, and the lefty will participate in Major League Spring Training.</p><p>The Los Angeles Dodgers drafted Stripling in the fifth round of the 2012 MLB Draft, and he made his debut in 2016. Although he was an All-Star in 2018, Stripling never really found his footing in Los Angeles, as he shuffled back and forth between Triple-A often. The Dodgers traded Stripling to the Toronto Blue Jays during the 2020 season, and the lefty stayed north of the border for a couple of seasons. Across his two full years with the Blue Jays, Stripling had a 4.02 FIP and logged 235 2/3 innings over 56 games (43 starts).</p><p>The San Francisco Giants were home to Stripling in 2023, and the lefty put up a 5.36 ERA in 22 games (11 starts). The other (well, former other) Bay Area team, the Oakland Athletics, staffed Stripling in 2024. Stripling posted a 3.89 FIP in 85 innings for the A’s.</p><p>Kansas City’s rotation is difficult to poke holes in. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/kansas-city-royals/royals-news-kansas-city-million-contract-extension-cole-ragans">Left-hander Cole Ragans recently signed a three-year extension</a> and headlines the starting staff after finishing fourth in American League Cy Young voting last season, where he maintained a 2.99 FIP over 32 games and starts. Right-hander Seth Lugo finished second in Cy Young voting and — with his 3.00 ERA and 181 punchouts in 206 2/3 innings — put up some of the best stats of his nine-year career. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/kansas-city-royals/royals-news-seth-lugo-45-million-contract">Lugo signed a three-year contract with the Royals</a> in December of 2023.</p><p>Right-hander Michael Lorenzen turned in a sub-2.00 ERA in six starts for Kansas City down the stretch in 2024; southpaw Kris Bubic served in the bullpen last year, but <a href="https://www.kansascity.com/sports/mlb/kansas-city-royals/article296900384.html">he will get stretched out to start this spring</a>.</p><p>Rounding out the Royals’ rotation is Michael Wacha. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/kansas-city-royals/royals-news-michael-wacha-agrees-contract-worth-72-million">Kansas City signed Wacha to a three-year deal</a> over the winter after the 33-year-old righty had a 3.35 ERA in 29 starts last year. Wacha was drafted by the St. Louis Cardinals in 2012 — the same year as Stripling. The right-handed Wacha played his college ball at Texas A&amp;M — the same school as Stripling. In fact, the two hurlers were college roommates.</p><p>Back in 2016, <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/ross-stripling-bests-wacha-for-first-mlb-win-c177957744?msockid=1326309c5f596e6d2c4422a75e276f6b" rel="noopener">in an early May matchup</a> between the Dodgers and Cardinals, Stripling beat Wacha for his first Major League win.</p><p>You just have to wonder if the baseball gods brought these two friends back together in Kansas City.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Royals sign ex-Dodgers draft pick to minor league contract

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2025 SEASON STATS
IP	ERA	K	WHIP	HOLDS	SAVES
27	6	12	1.7778	0	0

2025 SEASON STATS
IP	ERA	K	WHIP	HOLDS	SAVES
27	6	12	1.7778	0	0