KC Royals - An OOTP 25 Narrated Playthrough - Day 1

[Biggp07]

The Twins are hitting .564 this season, with 66 wins and 51 losses. They lead the Central Division. The Twins are in good form right now, currently on a 3-game winning streak. They've scored 578 runs, ranking 4th in the American League, and have a batting average of .253, which is 5th. Defensively, they've allowed 474 runs, the best in the league, and their starters have an ERA of 3.85, ranking 2nd. Their bullpen's ERA is 3.44, placing 4th. Against our Royals this season, they have 3 wins and 4 losses. They play at Target Field, a neutral park that can hold 39021 fans.

Here are the projected pitching matchups:
RHP A. Marsh (1-1, 7.56 ERA) vs RHP P. Lopez (9-9, 3.42 ERA)
RHP C. Hernandez (4-6, 4.76 ERA) vs RHP L. Varland (4-5, 5.72 ERA)
RHP Z. Eflin (6-8, 4.43 ERA) vs RHP C. Paddack (9-9, 3.93 ERA)

The top 5 players on their team are:
1. CF Byron Buxton (Age: 30, Overall: 80, Potential: 80)
2. CL Jhoan Duran (26, 70, 70)
3. SS Carlos Correa (29, 65, 65)
4. SP Pablo Lopez (28, 65, 65)
5. RF Max Kepler (31, 60, 60)

Game Summary – August 12th – Royals Lose to Twins, 7-5; Bench Clearing Brawl



Kansas City shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. was outstanding. He hit 2 home runs, drove in 3 RBIs, and scored twice. However, it wasn't enough to lead his team to victory. Minnesota defeated the Royals, 7-5. The American League Central Division-leading Twins have a record of 67-51. Minnesota catcher Christian Vázquez made a key play in the bottom of the third inning. With two outs, he hit a slider to right field for a 2-run single. It was his 76th hit of the season and put the Twins ahead, 7-0.

"We'll kick back tonight, then get set for the next one," Vázquez said.

The league commissioner's office responded quickly to the incident at Target Field involving Royals' MJ Melendez and Twins' Griffin Jax. Both players have been suspended for 5 games for violating the league's code of conduct. The suspensions will take effect immediately.

In 2024, Melendez has a batting average of .251 with 84 hits, 13 home runs, 49 RBIs, and has scored 45 runs.
For the year, Jax has recorded 2 saves in 42 relief appearances. He also struck out 49 batters and walked 15 in 42 innings, posting a 3.21 ERA and a 2-3 win-loss record.

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Bobby Witt Jr.
Ballpark: Target Field
Weather: Clear skies (66 degrees), wind blowing in from center at 10 mph
Start Time: 6:40 PM CT
Time: 3:07
Attendance: 38684
Special Notes: MJ Melendez and Griffin Jax were ejected in the 9th inning for igniting a bench-clearing brawl.

[Biggp07]

This might be one of the most embarrassing losses we’ve had this year. I don’t even know what to think. After the first inning, we basically forgot we were in a game and lost all focus on baseball. It was truly one of the most embarrassing displays I’ve seen this year.

Zac Eflin was terrible in his start, and we never recovered from it. This game just shows how certain decisions made throughout the year can be brutal. I probably made one flawed decision too many to blame anyone other than myself for this end-of-season disaster starting to form.

Game Summary – August 13th – Kansas City Decked by Escobar, Twins



The Minnesota Twins produced offense throughout the lineup while defeating the Kansas City Royals, 14-3. One standout was third baseman Eduardo Escobar. Escobar, who led the NL in triples with 10 in 2019, went 2-4 with 2 home runs and a walk, while driving in 7 RBIs and scoring twice. Minnesota now holds a record of 68-51 with the win. Making an impact for Minnesota was right fielder Max Kepler. Rozycki hit a 2-run double off Zach Eflin in the bottom of the third. For the game, Kepler went 1-3 with a double and 2 walks. He drove in 2 runs and scored once.
You start scoring runs and winning, everyone's going to get excited," said Kepler.

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Eduardo Escobar
Ballpark: Target Field
Weather: Partly Cloudy (73 degrees), wind blowing out to right at 12 mph
Start Time: 6:40 PM CT
Time: 3:36
Attendance: 38716

[Biggp07]

I’ll target him for a trade this off-season. There's nothing good about this series, and we lost Bobby again for a couple of weeks due to a leg strain. Let’s just get to the off-season and start rebuilding for next season. I think we know how this season ends. We may not even reach a .400 winning percentage with this kind of play. Our whole offense is cold as hell, and now we don't even have Bobby for two more weeks.

Game Summary – August 14th – Paddack Masters Kansas City in Complete Game Win



Minnesota Twins starter Chris Paddack delivered an outstanding performance against the Kansas City Royals at Target Field, leading to a 5-1 victory for Minnesota. The first-place Twins have now won six straight games. Paddack surrendered just one run over nine innings and struck out ten batters.

"Obviously, you want to go out there and be good every time out," said Paddack. "I take the ball every day with the same mindset."

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Chris Paddack
Ballpark: Target Field
Weather: Clear skies (69 degrees), wind blowing out to right at 12 mph
Start Time: 12:10 PM CT
Time: 2:34
Attendance: 38625
Special Notes: SS Bobby Witt Jr. was injured while running the bases.

[Biggp07]

We have a three-game series on the road against the Cincinnati Reds kicking off today. The Reds play their home games at Great American Ball Park, which can be described as a hitter's haven. The ballpark has a seating capacity of 42319 fans. The Reds are playing at a .512 winning percentage this season, with a record of 63 wins and 60 losses. They are in third place in the Central Division, 3.0 games behind the leader. Their total runs scored are 578, ranking fifth in the National League, and their batting average of .247 also ranks fifth. On the defensive side, they have surrendered 610 runs (13th), with their starters compiling an ERA of 4.63, which ranks 11th. Their bullpen has an ERA of 4.45, placing them 12th.

Here are the projected pitching matchups, our pitchers listed first:
LHP A. Veneziano (2-2, 4.00 ERA) vs RHP J. Aguiar (2-1, 1.82 ERA)
LHP D. Lynch IV (3-4, 5.68 ERA) vs LHP A. Abbott (11-10, 4.03 ERA)
RHP A. Marsh (1-1, 4.40 ERA) vs RHP S. Lugo (4-10, 5.12 ERA)

The top 5 players on their team are:
1. CF TJ Friedl (Age: 29, Overall: 65, Potential: 65)
2. SS Elly De La Cruz (22, 60, 80)
3. RF Will Benson (26, 60, 60)
4. SP Hunter Greene (25, 60, 60)
5. SP Seth Lugo (34, 60, 60)

Game Summary – August 16th – Royals Win, 4-3, at Cincinnati



The Kansas City Royals edged out the Cincinnati Reds, 4-3, at Great American Ball Park, thanks in part to a strong performance by shortstop Elly De La Cruz. De La Cruz went 2-4 with a home run and a double, drove in 3 runs, and scored once. Huascar Brazoban earned his 2nd save in 2 chances. The Royals improved their record to 53-70. Who knows how it would've ended if not for Salvador Perez? The eight-time All-Star Perez delivered a run-scoring single in the top of the seventh to give Kansas City a 4-3 lead. For the game, he went 2 for 4, including a double and a single.

"I like the grit of this ballclub," Perez said.

I'd love to see us get over 60 wins at least. But I'm looking at the off-season already and thinking about winter meetings and spring training development.

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Elly De La Cruz
Ballpark: Great American Ball Park
Weather: Partly Cloudy (78 degrees), wind blowing out to right at 9 mph
Start Time: 6:40 PM ET
Time: 3:05
Attendance: 34142

[Biggp07]

We continue struggling to gain momentum going into the wildcard race. There are 38 games left in the season, and we’re unlikely to gain much ground for a wildcard spot. I’ve decided to focus on finishing the season with our best possible record, then head into the off-season to start planning for next year.

Game Summary – August 17th – Reds Earn Late 8-7 Win



No one was more impactful than TJ Friedl in Cincinnati's 8-7 victory over Kansas City. Friedl, who is tied for third in the NL with 8 triples, went 3 for 5 with a home run and two singles. He scored two times and drove in two runs. Cincinnati reliever Ian Gibaut earned the win, improving to 3-1. Will Klein took the loss. The win raised Cincinnati's record to 64-61. The game was tied until the bottom of the eighth when first baseman Christian Encarnacion-Strand came to bat. Facing Kansas City pitcher John McMillon, he hit a 1-0 fastball for a run-scoring single. It was a game-changing hit, putting Cincinnati ahead 8-7.

"It was a solid team effort, and we'll try to keep this momentum going," Encarnacion-Strand told reporters after the game.

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: TJ Friedl
Ballpark: Great American Ball Park
Weather: Partly Cloudy (73 degrees), wind blowing in from left at 9 mph
Start Time: 6:40 PM ET
Time: 3:36
Attendance: 34608

[Biggp07]

We managed to win 2 of 3 games against the Reds on the road this series, so that’s a good sign. It won't matter much unless we can keep the momentum going, but at least we're adding another win to the record. We stuck with an opener/follower strategy for Alec; this time, we had to call up Sam Long because we used Lyles last night in the same strategy, just switching followers to Lynch IV. It didn’t turn out exactly as we hoped, but we were close.

KANSAS CITY PITCHING LINESCORE

Player 	Rslt (W-L) IP  H R ER BB K HR PI ERA     
S. Long           3.0  1 0 0  2  4 0  42 0.55    
A. Marsh W  (2-1) 6.0  2 0 0  3  5 0  84 3.10

Batters Faced: S. Long 11, A. Marsh 21
Ground Outs - Fly Outs: S. Long 2-2, A. Marsh 5-6
Pitches - Strikes: S. Long 42-25, A. Marsh 84-50

Game Summary – August 18th – Royals Shut Out Reds, 6-0



Starting pitcher Alec Marsh handled his role, helping the Kansas City Royals shut out the Cincinnati Reds, 6-0. With the win, the Royals improved to 54-71. In the top of the sixth inning, Kansas City second baseman Nick Loftin had a key at-bat. With runners on second and third and one out, Loftin hit a 2-run single to center. It made the score 3-0, Kansas City. For the game, he was 1-for-4. He drove in 2 runs and scored once.

"We just try to have good at-bats, whether we're winning, losing, or tied," said Loftin.

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Alec Marsh
Ballpark: Great American Ball Park
Weather: Partly Cloudy (81 degrees), wind blowing out to right at 10 mph
Start Time: 1:40 PM ET
Time: 3:07
Attendance: 32382
Special Notes: Elly De La Cruz was ejected in the 1st inning for arguing a strike call. SP Seth Lugo was injured while pitching.

[Biggp07]

The Los Angeles Angels, our next opponent in an upcoming three-game series, are batting .468 this season, with a record of 58 wins and 66 losses. They’re in third place in the West Division, 8.5 games behind the leader. Their 576 runs scored tie for fifth in the American League, and their .245 batting average ranks tenth. On the defensive side, they've given up 637 runs (fifteenth), with their starters posting an ERA of 4.84, which ranks fourteenth. Their bullpen has an ERA of 4.97, placing fifteenth. When facing our Royals this season, they’ve won 1 game and lost 3.

Here are the projected pitching matchups:
RHP Z. Eflin (6-9, 4.69 ERA) vs RHP S. Bachman (1-3, 4.91 ERA)
RHP C. Hernandez (4-7, 4.93 ERA) vs LHP P. Sandoval (9-6, 4.17 ERA)
LHP A. Veneziano (2-2, 4.24 ERA) vs LHP R. Detmers (11-12, 4.82 ERA)

The top 5 players on their team are:
1. CF Mike Trout (Age: 33, Overall: 75, Potential: 75)
2. C Logan O'Hoppe (24, 70, 70)
3. 1B Nolan Schanuel (22, 65, 75)
4. LF Taylor Ward (30, 55, 55)
5. SS Zach Neto (23, 55, 55)

Game Summary – August 19th – Royals Prevail, 4-2, Over Los Angeles



Kansas City received a strong performance from Zach Eflin as the Royals beat the Los Angeles Angels, 4-2, at Kauffman Stadium. With a 55-71 record, the Royals sit in last place in the American League Central Division. Kansas City took a 4-2 lead on Salvador Perez's 25th double of the season. The run-scoring double, which Perez hit in the bottom of the seventh, visibly frustrated Los Angeles pitcher Jose Suarez.

"No time for posing," said Perez. "The next game will be here before you know it."

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Zach Eflin
Ballpark: Kauffman Stadium
Weather: Partly Cloudy (74 degrees), wind blowing right to left at 12 mph
Start Time: 7:10 PM CT
Time: 3:10
Attendance: 22212

[Biggp07]

We tried to make a home stand here, but we could not get it done.

Game Summary – August 20th – Angels Victorious at Kansas City, 9-5



The Los Angeles Angels beat the Kansas City Royals, 9-5, at Kauffman Stadium. Los Angeles was powered by 30-year-old left fielder Taylor Ward, who went 2-3 with 2 doubles and 2 walks. He scored 2 runs. Sitting at 59-67, Los Angeles is in third place in the American League West Division. Shortstop Zach Neto contributed a timely at-bat in the top of the first. With two outs, he hit a splitter to right-center field for a 2-run single. It was his 110th hit of the season and gave the Angels a 3-0 lead.

"Enjoyed this one," Neto told the Los Angeles News. "But it's back to work tomorrow."

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Taylor Ward
Ballpark: Kauffman Stadium
Weather: Clear skies (82 degrees), wind blowing out to the right at 10 mph
Start Time: 7:10 PM CT
Time: 3:34
Attendance: 20520

[Biggp07]

We showed some great late-inning offense, and our bullpen continues to get the job done. At this point, however, I’m just trying to finish games to give the guys a chance to develop for next season.

Game Summary – August 21st – Royals Score Late to Upend Angels, 10-4



The Kansas City Royals defeated the Los Angeles Angels, 10-4, in American League play at Kauffman Stadium. The standout performance was by Kansas City pitcher and Hackettstown, New Jersey, native Anthony Veneziano. The last-place Royals stand at 56-72. Kansas City took the lead, 5-4, on Sam Haggerty's fourth home run of the season. This three-run shot came off Los Angeles pitcher Ben Joyce in the bottom of the eighth.

We swung the bats well throughout the lineup," said Kansas City skipper Todd "BigP" Pollard.

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Anthony Veneziano
Ballpark: Kauffman Stadium
Weather: Clear skies (75 degrees), wind blowing in from the center at 11 mph
Start Time: 7:10 PM CT
Time: 3:30
Attendance: 17550
Special Notes: CF Mike Trout was injured while throwing the ball.

[Biggp07]

Today, we start a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies at our stadium. With their record at 60 wins and 67 losses, the Phillies have a winning percentage of .472. They sit in third place in the East Division, 29.0 games behind the leader. They have scored 559 runs, ranking 10th in the National League, and their batting average is .245, which ranks seventh. On the defensive side, they've allowed 592 runs (tied for eighth place), with their starters posting an ERA of 4.55, ranking eighth. Their bullpen has an ERA of 4.24, placing eleventh.

Here are the projected pitching matchups:
LHP D. Lynch IV (3-4, 5.75 ERA) vs RHP A. Nola (13-8, 3.68 ERA)
RHP A. Marsh (2-1, 3.10 ERA) vs RHP M. Abel (2-0, 1.88 ERA)
RHP Z. Eflin (7-9, 4.63 ERA) vs LHP A. Krob (2-1, 3.48 ERA)

The top 5 players on their team are:
1. SP Aaron Nola (Age: 31, Overall: 70, Potential: 70)
2. 1B Bryce Harper (31, 70, 70)
3. CL Jose Alvarado (29, 65, 65)
4. RP Orion Kerkering (23, 60, 60)
5. LF Kyle Schwarber (31, 55, 55)

Game Summary – August 23rd – Royals Popped by Phillies, 11-3



The Philadelphia Phillies secured a victory at Kauffman Stadium, defeating the Kansas City Royals 11-3. Starting pitcher Aaron Nola played a significant role in the win. The Royals, who are in last place, fell to 56-73. Philadelphia clutched a key at-bat from Kyle Schwarber to seal the deal. The designated hitter hit a 3-run home run in the top of the second inning to give the Phillies a 3-0 lead. It was his only hit in 3 at-bats, but it was a real game-changer.

"I'm just trying to make good contact," said Schwarber, "one at-bat at a time."

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Aaron Nola
Ballpark: Kauffman Stadium
Weather: Clear skies (80 degrees), wind blowing in from left at 12 mph
Start Time: 7:10 PM CT
Time: 3:26
Attendance: 25537

[Biggp07]

We’re kind of just playing to make it to the off-season now. I’ve tried all season to put us in a better position to compete for a wild card spot, but it just seems to be a bridge too far.

Game Summary – August 24th – Royals Suffer 6-2 Home Defeat.



The Philadelphia Phillies relied on a strong performance from 23-year-old starting pitcher Mick Abel to secure a 6-2 victory over the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Orion Kerkering earned the save, now having converted 2 of 4 save opportunities. The Phillies' winning streak has grown to three games. Bryson Stott contributed to the win in the top of the second inning with a run-scoring ground out. For the game, the second baseman went 1 for 4. Stott said his team "played with determination."

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Mick Abel
Ballpark: Kauffman Stadium
Weather: Clear skies (79 degrees), wind blowing out to left at 10 mph
Start Time: 6:10 PM CT
Time: 3:20
Attendance: 26177

[Biggp07]

Zac Eflin pitched an outstanding game for us tonight. It was a strong defensive effort, and our offense supported him with early runs. Glad to get a win in the final game of this three-game series with the Phillies.

KANSAS CITY PITCHING LINESCORE

Player 	Rslt (W-L) IP  H R ER BB K HR PI ERA    
Z. Eflin W (4-1)   7.0 3 1 1  1  9 0  97 5.40    
C. Ferguson        1.0 0 0 0  1  2 0  24 1.29    
B. Bernardino      1.0 0 0 0  1  1 0  15 4.97

Batters Faced: Z. Eflin 24, C. Ferguson 4, B. Bernardino 4
Ground Outs - Fly Outs: Z. Eflin 6-5, C. Ferguson 0-1, B. Bernardino 1-1
Pitches - Strikes: Z. Eflin 97-65, C. Ferguson 24-14, B. Bernardino 15-7
Inherited Runners - Scored: C. Ferguson 2-1
WP: C. Ferguson, B. Bernardino



Garcia has been a solid performer all year for us, and tonight his leadoff home run was a nice addition to his achievements, helping him secure his spot in the lineup. We’ll work on developing his plate discipline and gap power to see if we can increase his on-base percentage. I don’t think we can get more power out of him, but that might be worth trying if we get him in the lab with a good hitting coach.

Game Summary – August 25th – Phillies Stymied by Royals, Eflin.



The home crowd had a good time watching the Philadelphia Phillies and Kansas City Royals get after it. The Kansas City Royals beat the Philadelphia Phillies, 6-1, at Kauffman Stadium. Starting pitcher Zach Eflin was a big reason why. He held his opponent in check all game. With the victory, the Royals record stands at 57 74. Eflin scattered 3 hits over 7 innings for the Royals. Now 4-1, Eflin has struck out 32 this season. "It's nice to come out on top today," said Eflin.

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Zach Eflin
Ballpark: Kauffman Stadium
Weather: Partly Cloudy (82 degrees), wind blowing out to the center at 10 mph
Start Time: 1:10 PM CT
Time: 3:28
Attendance: 24083

[Biggp07]

The Cleveland Guardians, our upcoming opponent in a three-game series, play in a relatively pitcher-friendly park. Progressive Field has a capacity of 35041 fans. The Guardians are playing .443 ball this season, with a record of 58 wins and 73 losses. They are in 4th place in the Central Division, 16.5 games behind the leader. The Guardians are on a cold streak, losing their last three games. Their total runs scored of 549 rank 12th in the American League, and their .252 batting average ranks sixth. On the other side of the diamond, they have given up 559 runs (fifth), with their starters compiling an ERA of 4.34, which ranks ninth. Their bullpen sports an ERA of 3.54, ranking fourth. When playing against our Royals this season, they have a record of four wins and three losses.

Here are the projected pitching matchups:
RHP C. Hernandez (4-8, 5.28 ERA) vs LHP J. Cantillo (0-2, 3.65 ERA)
LHP A. Veneziano (2-2, 4.03 ERA) vs RHP X. Curry (2-2, 3.34 ERA)
LHP D. Lynch IV (3-5, 6.34 ERA) vs RHP T. Bibee (7-12, 4.48 ERA)

The top 5 players on their team are:
1. CL Emmanuel Clase (Age: 26, Overall: 65, Potential: 65)
2. 3B Jose Ramirez (31, 65, 65)
3. 2B Andres Gimenez (25, 65, 65)
4. C Bo Naylor (24, 65, 65)
5. RP Cade Smith (25, 60, 60)

We waived and designated SP Carlos Hernandez due to his declining stats from the mound. He has lost 4 of his last 5 starts and managed to collect a 5.28 ERA over 23.2 IP. His flyball tendency, lack of options, and a likely $2.2 million arbitration demand do not help his case for us to keep him into next season, even though he’s a popular player with the local fan base. We have Brady Singer nearing the end of his rehab to promote to the 26-man roster, and with roster expansion just around the corner on September 1st, we can bring up another potential starter to evaluate before offseason development begins.

Cole Ragans is still four weeks away from his 60-day IL release, so he won’t make any starts for the rest of this season. Kyle Wright, also on the 60-day IL, will continue to recover through most of the off-season with three months remaining on his IL stay. My hope is that both have good recoveries, and we can start their rehab during spring training so they’re both available by the start of next season.

We still have a few young pitchers in Triple-A that we’ll review more closely during the offseason and determine how to develop them for a possible start next year. I believe we’ll be fine; whether through free agency or a trade, we'll find a reliable back-end rotation starter as insurance to start the 2025 season.

Game Summary – August 26th – Guardians Rally Late to Clip Kansas City



Despite a strong performance by Kansas City right fielder Drew Waters, the Cleveland Guardians defeated the Royals 7-6 at Progressive Field. Waters went 4 for 5, with a home run and 2 doubles, and scored 3 times. Cleveland reliever Emmanuel Clase earned the win, improving his record to 4-8. Huascar Brazoban took the loss. With the victory, the Guardians' record stands at 59-73. The crucial at-bat came in the bottom of the ninth inning when Cleveland first baseman Kyle Manzardo, facing Brazoban, hit a run-scoring sacrifice fly, giving the Guardians the 7-6 win.
Trying isn't enough in this league," said Manzardo. "You've got to deliver results.

Waters had a great game tonight, and we stayed in until the end. We just couldn’t get the win, which has been typical of our season. That’s what we need to try and fix this off season.

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Drew Waters
Ballpark: Progressive Field
Weather: Partly Cloudy (65 degrees), wind blowing out to the left at 12 mph
Start Time: 6:40 PM ET
Time: 3:35
Attendance: 24520
Special Notes: RP Tim Herrin was injured while pitching.

[Biggp07]

Veneziano is one of our young pitchers we hope will develop into a solid mid-to-back-end starter. He’s been great for us this year, and if we can add a fourth pitch to his arsenal, it will definitely secure his spot in the rotation next season.

KANSAS CITY PITCHING LINESCORE

Player 	Rslt (W-L)  IP  H R ER BB K HR PI ERA    
A. Veneziano       6.0  5 2 2  5  7 0  96 3.86    
C. Ferguson        2.0  0 0 0  2  1 0  29 1.00    
S. Long W    (3-0) 1.0  1 0 0  0  0 0   6 1.37    
B. Bernardino SV(7)1.0  0 0 0  0  1 0  12 4.78

Batters Faced: A. Veneziano 29, C. Ferguson 8, S. Long 3, B. Bernardino 4
Ground Outs - Fly Outs: A. Veneziano 4-6, C. Ferguson 1-4, S. Long 2-0, B. Bernardino 0-2
Pitches - Strikes: A. Veneziano 96-55, C. Ferguson 29-17, S. Long 6-3, B. Bernardino 12-9
Hit Batsmen: A. Veneziano 2, B. Bernardino

Game Summary – August 27th – Royals Pull Off Thrilling 5-2 Win in Extras



Kansas City capitalized on a decent outing from starter Anthony Veneziano to secure a solid win over the Cleveland Guardians. The final score was 5-2. Kansas City reliever Sam Long earned the win, improving his record to 3-0. Emmanuel Clase was charged with the loss. The defeat brings Cleveland's record to 59-74. Kansas City relied on the timely hitting of Austin Nola to clinch the victory. The pinch hitter delivered a run-scoring single in the top of the tenth inning to put the Royals ahead, 3-2. It was his only hit in one at-bat, but it was a game-changing moment. Nola credited the win to "everyone pulling their weight."

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Anthony Veneziano
Ballpark: Progressive Field
Weather: Clear skies (70 degrees), wind blowing out to the center at 10 mph
Start Time: 6:40 PM ET
Time: 3:22
Attendance: 26208
Special Notes: SS Brayan Rocchio was injured being hit by a pitch.

[Biggp07]

We played aggressively to win this third game against Cleveland and tie our records at 59-75. I’m happy to win a series on the road against a division opponent anytime, so this one feels great. We will meet them again in about a week for the final series at home, so I hope we keep the winning streak against them. We head to Houston next for a four-game series at their neutral site, Minute Maid Park. Then, with roster expansion in the final month, we’ll decide who to call up in hopes of boosting our push for a wild-card spot.

Game Summary – August 28th – Royals Shut Out Guardians, 2-0



Kris Bubic pitched a gem to lead Kansas City to a 2-0 victory over the Cleveland Guardians. Alex Claudio earned the save, his second in four chances. Kansas City now stands at 59-75. Who knows how it might've ended if not for Drew Waters? The Kansas City right fielder drove in a run with a double in the top of the fifth inning to put the Royals ahead, 2-0. Throughout the game, Waters went 1-for-4 with a double and two singles.

"Kris was able to locate to both sides, up and down," said Kansas City manager Todd "BigP" Pollard.

We called up Bubic the same day we put Hernandez on waivers, and true to form, he delivered in his first start back.

KANSAS CITY PITCHING LINESCORE

Player 	Rslt (W-L) IP  H R ER BB K HR PI ERA    
K. Bubic W   (1-2) 6.1 4 0 0  1  4 0  91 7.85    
J. McArthur H (1)  2.1 1 0 0  0  3 0  44 3.38    
A. Claudio SV (2)  0.1 0 0 0  0  0 0   4 3.60

Batters Faced: K. Bubic 25, J. McArthur 9, A. Claudio 1
Ground Outs - Fly Outs: K. Bubic 9-6, J. McArthur 1-3, A. Claudio 0-1
Pitches - Strikes: K. Bubic 91-56, J. McArthur 44-28, A. Claudio 4-2
Inherited Runners - Scored: A. Claudio 2-0
WP: J. McArthur

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Kris Bubic
Ballpark: Progressive Field
Weather: Clear skies (67 degrees), wind blowing left to right at 10 mph
Start Time: 1:10 PM ET
Time: 3:04
Attendance: 23126

[Biggp07]

We have a four-game series on the road against the Houston Astros, starting today at Minute Maid Park, a neutral site with a capacity of 42060 fans. With their record at 69 wins and 64 losses, the Astros have a winning percentage of .519. They are in second place in the West Division, 4.0 games behind the leader. Their total runs scored are 557, tying for 12th in the American League, and their batting average is .245, ranking 10th. Defensively, they have given up 580 runs (6th), with their starters posting an ERA of 4.24, which ranks 5th. Their bullpen has an ERA of 4.02, ranking 10th. When playing against our Royals this season, they have a record of 0 wins and 3 losses.

Here are the projected pitching matchups:
RHP A. Marsh (2-2, 4.26 ERA) vs LHP F. Valdez (12-10, 3.84 ERA)
RHP Z. Eflin (8-9, 4.49 ERA) vs RHP J. France (3-1, 2.81 ERA)
RHP B. Singer (5-5, 4.11 ERA) vs RHP C. Javier (7-15, 5.33 ERA)
LHP A. Veneziano (2-2, 3.86 ERA) vs RHP R. Blanco (4-4, 4.40 ERA)

The top 5 players on their team are:
1. LF Yordan Alvarez (Age: 27, Overall: 70, Potential: 75)
2. SP Framber Valdez (30, 70, 70)
3. CL Josh Hader (30, 60, 60)
4. 2B Jose Altuve (34, 55, 55)
5. C Yainer Diaz (25, 55, 55)

We have released Hernandez since he was not claimed off waivers. At this point in the season, his payout is only about $175,000, so we can start planning for next year.

Game Summary – August 29th – Valdez Finds Groove in 6-1 Houston Triumph



Framber Valdez brought his best to help Houston beat the Kansas City Royals, 6-1. Houston improved to 70-64 with the win. Valdez allowed 3 hits over 9 innings for the Astros. With the win, Valdez moves to 13-10 on the season with 196 strikeouts. Framber attacked the strike zone and threw good pitches when it mattered.
We got some good innings from Marsh, but again, just couldn't get over the hump with the offense, especially against a guy like Framber Valdez. He was in the zone tonight.

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Framber Valdez
Ballpark: Minute Maid Park
Weather: Partly Cloudy (80 degrees), wind blowing in from right at 7 mph
Start Time: 7:10 PM CT
Time: 2:33
Attendance: 41814

[Biggp07]

Zac Eflin gave up 5 homers tonight after strong performances in his previous 2 games. He was well rested and showed no signs of fatigue, so I think Houston must have figured him out early. He has experienced a slight decline since early in the season, so we’ll try to condition him in the off-season to hopefully last a few more years. One game is no reason to panic, but it should raise an eyebrow for lasting impact.

Game Summary – August 30th – 7-4 Win Takes Astros to 71-64



The Houston Astros topped the Kansas City Royals, 7-4, with center fielder Jacob Melton playing a big role. Melton was 2 for 4 with a home run. He scored 2 runs and drove in 2 for the Astros in the win. Houston pitcher Scott Barlow earned the win, hiking his record to 2-0. Zach Eflin suffered the loss. Josh Hader was credited with the save. He has now successfully converted 41 of 45 save opportunities. Had Melton not come through in the bottom of the seventh, the outcome might have changed. Instead, with two down, Melton hit a run-scoring single. The Astros never looked back after taking the 5-4 lead.

"What's not to like about a win?" said Melton. The Houston win streak is now 3 games.

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Jacob Melton
Ballpark: Minute Maid Park
Weather: Partly Cloudy (81 degrees), wind blowing out to the center at 9 mph
Start Time: 7:10 PM CT
Time: 3:04
Attendance: 41682

[Biggp07]

We didn’t end August on a good note, so we’re heading into September playing catch-up.

Game Summary – August 31st – Royals Lose to Astros in Walk-Off



Houston Astros starter Cristian Javier pitched his team past the Kansas City Royals, 4-2. Houston pitcher Josh Hader got the win, upping his record to 5-4. Huascar Brazoban got the loss. Houston has now won 4 games in a row. The decisive blow was delivered by Jacob Melton in the bottom of the ninth when he hit a 2-run home run off 34-year-old right-handed pitcher Huascar Brazoban to win the game for Houston. The home crowd went nuts.

"Nice to tuck this win away," said Javier.

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Cristian Javier
Ballpark: Minute Maid Park
Weather: Cloudy (84 degrees), wind blowing left to right at 9 mph
Start Time: 6:10 PM CT
Time: 3:05
Attendance: 41901

[Biggp07]

We called up RF Nelson Velasquez and SP David Lynch IV to fill our expanded roster. Veneziano pitched another great game, so it’s encouraging to see him developing in the big leagues this year. I’m excited for him to get some starts next season and see what we can accomplish with him in the off-season development lab.

Game Summary – September 1st – Royals Win at Houston, 5-2



Kansas City pitcher Anthony Veneziano played a key role in his team defeating the Houston Astros, 5-2. The opposition couldn't rally much against the left-hander. Veneziano earned the win, improving to 3-2. He allowed 3 hits and walked 2 over 5 innings and gave up 2 runs. Brennan Bernardino recorded his 8th save in 9 opportunities. Bobby Witt Jr. hit a big 2-run home run for the Royals in the top of the first inning. With Kansas City leading 1-0 and a runner on first, he timed a fastball from 31-year-old right-hander Ronel Blanco and crushed it. The pitch resulted in his 20th home run of the season, extending the lead to 3-0. Witt Jr. said his team "played with focus." The last-place Royals improved their record to 60-78.

KANSAS CITY PITCHING LINESCORE

Player 	  Rslt (W-L) IP  H R ER BB K HR PI ERA    
A. Veneziano W (3-2) 5.0 3 2 2  2  5 0  89 3.83    
J. McMillon H  (6)   2.0 0 0 0  1  0 0  26 3.89    
C. Ferguson H  (1)   1.0 0 0 0  0  1 0  14 0.82   
B. Bernardino SV (8) 1.0 0 0 0  0  0 0   4 4.61

Batters Faced: A. Veneziano 20, J. McMillon 6, C. Ferguson 3, B. Bernardino 3
Ground Outs - Fly Outs: A. Veneziano 5-5, J. McMillon 1-4, C. Ferguson 1-1, B. Bernardino 2-0
Pitches - Strikes: A. Veneziano 89-53, J. McMillon 26-14, C. Ferguson 14-10, B. Bernardino 4-4

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Anthony Veneziano
Ballpark: Minute Maid Park
Weather: Roof closed, 93 degrees
Start Time: 1:10 PM CT
Time: 3:07
Attendance: 41757

[Biggp07]

We have a 3-game series at home against the Cleveland Guardians starting today. It’s only been a week since we last faced them on the diamond, and we could possibly get a redeeming series win with this final set. The Guardians are playing .453 ball this season, with a record of 62 wins and 75 losses. They’re in 4th place in the Central Division, 15.5 games behind the leader. The Guardians are playing well at the moment, riding a 3-game winning streak. Their runs scored tally of 579 ranks 11th in the American League, and their .252 batting average ranks 6th. On the other side of the diamond, they’ve given up 584 runs (tied for 4th), with their starters tallying an ERA of 4.34, which ranks 9th. Their bullpen has an ERA of 3.52, ranking 3rd. When playing against our Royals this season, they’ve gone 5-5.

Here are the projected pitching matchups:
LHP K. Bubic (1-2, 7.85 ERA) vs RHP X. Curry (2-2, 3.29 ERA)
RHP A. Marsh (2-3, 4.36 ERA) vs RHP T. Bibee (7-13, 4.41 ERA)
RHP Z. Eflin (8-10, 4.67 ERA) vs LHP L. Allen (8-9, 4.25 ERA)

The top 5 players on their team are:
1. CL Emmanuel Clase (Age: 26, Overall: 65, Potential: 65)
2. 3B Jose Ramirez (31, 65, 65)
3. 2B Andres Gimenez (25, 65, 65)
4. C Bo Naylor (24, 65, 65)
5. RP Cade Smith (25, 60, 60)

Game Summary – September 2nd – Cleveland Beats Kansas City, 4-1



Starting pitcher Xzavion Curry played a key role in the Cleveland Guardians' 4-1 victory over the Kansas City Royals. Curry, now 3-2, was the winning pitcher. In 7.2 innings, he allowed 7 hits, struck out 5, walked none, and gave up 1 run. Emmanuel Clase earned his 29th save in 32 tries. Cleveland secured the win partly thanks to Bo Naylor. The catcher hit a solo home run in the top of the third inning to give the Guardians a 1-0 lead. Naylor finished the game with 1 double and 1 home run in 4 at-bats.

"We played a good game and came out on top," said Naylor. The Guardians have now won four straight.

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Xzavion Curry
Ballpark: Kauffman Stadium
Weather: Clear skies (70 degrees), wind blowing out to right at 10 mph
Start Time: 3:10 PM CT
Time: 3:02
Attendance: 18983
Special Notes: 3B Jose Ramirez was injured being hit by a pitch.