Kansas City Royals news: The Royals are road warriors

MINNEAPOLIS, MINNESOTA - JUNE 7: Starling Marte #0 of the Kansas City Royals celebrates after hitting a three-run home run against the Minnesota Twins during the fifth inning of the game at Target Field on June 7, 2026 in Minneapolis, Minnesota. (Photo by Stephen Maturen/Getty Images) | Getty Images Jaylon Thompson won Sunday to have a .500 road trip.

“I’m really proud of the way these guys battled,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “I mean, the week started off kind of poorly. … Sometimes it goes the other way when you’re on these three-city trips. And for these guys to really dig down deep, I’m really proud of the effort.”

Anne Rogers also writes about how the team is coming together.

“Everybody knows their role,” Vinnie Pasquantino said. “Which I think is good. We’ve started to move the lineup a little bit around, trying to find the best matchups. We’re just trying different things as a team, and right now it’s working, because the pieces are fitting where we want. We’ve started to put together complete games, where both position players and pitchers are doing their jobs.”

Bobby Witt Jr. exited mid-game on Sunday with a knee injury.

“Nothing acute,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of the injury. “No onset. Just kind of usage. You know, it feels like it got progressively worse during the game.”

Jac Caglianone and Salvador Perez were also out of the lineup on Sunday.

Caglianone was in the lineup to begin Saturday’s game but exited in the fourth inning for pinch-hitter Lane Thomas. Caglianone hadn’t been able to shake the soreness he was feeling, so the Royals lifted him before anything could get worse.

class="has-text-align-none">“We don’t think it’s anything structural, but he was favoring it a little bit in the swing,” Quatraro said. “So we didn’t want to take any chances.”

class="has-text-align-none">Quatraro said Caglianone felt better Sunday, but he was being evaluated before the game to determine his availability off the bench. With the Royals believing that there’s not anything structurally wrong, the hope is that Caglianone will feel improved enough in the next few days to get back in the lineup.

Is Alex Lange now the closer?

KC handed the keys to Lange, and he delivered as he’d done twice before on this road trip.

class="has-text-align-none">“It’s been great,” Lange said of his recent performances. “I love baseball and I love being out here. I love being in this locker room, and I love being around the guys. Any opportunity I get to toe the mound and wear this uniform is pretty special.”

Vahe Gregorian writes about the roller coaster up-and-down Royals.

Maybe they’ll get some serious traction and momentum and key parts back … and maybe not.

class="has-text-align-none">But it’s a lot more interesting to wonder than assume, isn’t it?

class="has-text-align-none">Which is something like another Yost-ism he took to saying down the stretch in 2014 as the Royals were seeking their first playoff berth since 1985.

class="has-text-align-none">“Nobody knows,” he liked to say, “what’s going to happen.”

class="has-text-align-none">Even when we think we do.

Former Royals pitcher Thomas Hatch signs with a team in Korea.

class="has-text-align-none">The A’s are interested in Royals pitcher Kris Bubic.

class="has-text-align-none">Former Royals catcher Sebastian Rivero goes 5-for-5 with 6 RBI in a career day.

class="has-text-align-none">Michael Harris III delivers a clutch pinch-hit single for the Braves.

class="has-text-align-none">The Orioles have climbed back into the race with their starting rotation.

class="has-text-align-none">The Baltimore/Toronto game is decided on a controversial baserunning non-call.

class="has-text-align-none">Alex Bregman takes the blame for the Cubs’ struggles.

class="has-text-align-none">What makes Padres closer Mason Miller so hard to hit?

class="has-text-align-none">What would a blockbuster Tarik Skubal trade look like?

class="has-text-align-none">The Diamondbacks sign suspended outfielder Max Kepler.

class="has-text-align-none">Bob Nightengale previews the trade deadline and reports the Royals aren’t quite ready to be sellers yet.

class="has-text-align-none">President Trump favors a salary cap in baseball.

class="has-text-align-none">Korean baseball teams are breaking attendance records.

class="has-text-align-none">The most Knicks moments of the last 27 years.

class="has-text-align-none">Alexander Zverev wins a marathon French Open final for his first grand slam title.

class="has-text-align-none">McClatchy Media wants the Kansas City Star to use more AI.

class="has-text-align-none">A passenger uses a fake boarding pass to get on a United flight.

class="has-text-align-none">The Odyssey ticket sales have already made AMC a winner.

class="has-text-align-none">Your song of the day is Lindsey Buckingham with Trouble.