One Royal Way (OOTP 23)

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PITCHING MATCHUPS
06/20: RHP Brady Singer (4-2, 5.59) vs RHP Griffin Canning (1-0, 1.63)
06/21: RHP Carlos Hernandez (0-1, 6.50) vs LHP Patrick Sandoval (2-4, 4.66)
06/22: LHP Kris Bubic (0-1, 7.00) vs RHP Noah Syndergaard (8-1, 2.11)

WHO'S HOT?
RHP Griffin Canning, Los Angeles -- 12.1 IP, ER, 15 K (2 starts)
RHP Shohei Ohtani, Los Angeles -- 15 IP, 2 ER, 25 K (3 starts)

WHO'S NOT?
C MJ Melendez, Kansas City -- 1-for-20 (.050), 2B, 3 BB, 5 K

KANSAS CITY INJURED LIST
RHP Jonathan Bowlan (elbow) -- 60-day IL
RHP Taylor Clarke (knee) -- 10-day IL
RHP Zack Greinke (hamstring) -- 10-day IL
RHP Brad Keller (elbow) -- 10-day IL
LHP Richard Lovelady (elbow) -- 60-day IL
SS Adalberto Mondesi (knee) -- 60-day IL
OF Edward Olivares (quad) -- 10-day IL
LHP Gabe Speier (shoulder) -- 10-day IL

LOS ANGELES INJURED LIST
LHP Reid Detmers (elbow) -- 60-day IL
RHP Michael Lorenzen (elbow) -- 60-day IL

[Scuzz]

Whoa, Salvy is on a strong pace with the knocks. Rooting for 60!

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Team Roster/Records | MLB Standings | Statistics

Series Recap: Los Angeles Angels

By Brian Douglas | Kansas City Star | June 20th, 2022

Kansas City Royals at Los Angeles Angels
Jun 23, 2022	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Kansas City Royals (31-35)	0	0	2	0	2	1	0	0	0	5	9	0
Los Angeles Angels (44-26)	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	9	1
W: Brady Singer (5-2) L: Ty Buttrey (1-1) S: Scott Barlow (9)

Monday, June 20th, 2022
It was a debut to remember for Nick Pratto, as he hit a two-run homerun in his third MLB at-bat, and walked twice with three RBI to help the Royals knock the Angels off 5-3 to open their three game series.

It's just the eighth loss of the season for Los Angeles at home, as they were 28-7 in Anaheim coming into Monday night's game, by far the best home record in the league.

With 5 2/3 innings of two-run baseball, Brady Singer moved to 5-2, even if it wasn't the prettiest outing. He surrendered seven hits and walked four, but struck out six. Shohei Ohtani hit a couple of homeruns; one against Singer, and the other versus Joel Payamps, but little other damage was done by the Angels' lineup.

Carlos Santana reached base four times, going 2-for-3 with a pair of walks. Andrew Benintendi and Salvador Perez also collected a pair of hits, and Emmanuel Rivera was 1-for-3 with a couple of walks.

Kansas City Royals at Los Angeles Angels
Jun 21, 2022	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Kansas City Royals (31-36)	0	0	0	2	0	0	1	0	0	3	6	1
Los Angeles Angels (45-26)	0	0	3	0	0	0	1	0	X	4	4	2
W: Aaron Loup (4-1) L: Jake Brentz (1-4) S: Raisel Iglesias (15)

Tuesday, June 21st, 2022
Nick Pratto homered for the second time in as many games, and Carlos Santana also went deep for the fifth time this season, but it wasn't quite enough as a passed ball charged to Salvador Perez scored the go-ahead run for the Angels in the seventh inning in a 4-3 defeat for the Royals.

Carlos Hernandez got the ball for the Royals, and threw ninety pitches in just four innings, but largely kept the Royals in the game with just three hits, three earned runs, two walks, and four strikeouts.

His only blemish was a three-run homerun allowed to Shohei Ohtani, who has three homeruns for the series, and has essentially been the entire offense for the Angels through the first two games.

Jake Brentz took the loss despite not allowing an earned run, as he was on the mound for the crucial passed ball. Amir Garrett and Josh Staumont combined to keep the Angels off the board the rest of the way, but Kansas City never really threatened offensively the rest of the way.

Kansas City Royals at Los Angeles Angels
Jun 22, 2022	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Kansas City Royals (31-37)	0	0	1	0	2	0	0	0	0	3	9	0
Los Angeles Angels (46-26)	0	2	1	1	0	0	0	1	X	5	9	0
W: Noah Syndergaard (9-1) L: Kris Bubic (0-2) S: Ryan Tepera (4)

Wednesday, June 22nd, 2022
Despite losing in a 5-3 decision on Wednesday night, Nick Pratto made team and league history in the third inning, popping his third homerun in as many games to begin his MLB career. He's only the second player since 1900 to turn the feat, joining Trevor Story in 2016, who began his career with four homeruns in his first three games.

With family in attendance for all three games, he said it's a 'stretch of time he'll never forget'. Pratto also doubled in the ninth inning, giving him four extra base hits through three MLB games.

"I'm just thrilled for him to come out and show his stuff out there," said manager Mike Matheny. "I'm sure the competitor in him would trade those homeruns for wins, but he looks like he belongs. Clearly."

Coming back with some hope for better success in his second stint with the Royals, Kris Bubic fell flat -- allowing eight hits and four walks in just 3 2/3 innings, including a pair of homeruns.

Will Kincanon continues to throw the ball well, tossing 2 1/3 scoreless innings with just one walk and three strikeouts. He's allowed just three baserunners in 6 2/3 since joining the Royals earlier in the month.

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Royal Rumblings

By Brian Douglas | Kansas City Star | June 23rd, 2022

Royals Deal Santana To Milwaukee: Roughly three weeks since returning from the injured list and a subsequent rehab trip, the Royals traded Carlos Santana to the Milwaukee Brewers for veteran utility player Jace Peterson late on Tuesday night.

While Santana was able to make it to Milwaukee in time to suit up for the Brewers last night (and go 0-for-4), Peterson was unable to get to Los Angeles in time as his flight out of Milwaukee was delayed early on Wednesday morning due to a mechanical issue with the plane.

Including the 0-fer last night, Santana is hitting for a robust .986 OPS (173 OPS+) in June. The Padres also reportedly showed interest, but were asking the Royals to wear a pretty significant chunk of his contract to facilitate any deal.

What are the Royals getting in Peterson? Well, he's a free agent at the end of the year, so there's no commitment to him beyond this season. He's also incredibly versatile, playing all three outfield spots and all four infield spots at various points in his career.

Between 2020 and 2021, he was roughly a league-average player (101 OPS+) with Milwaukee, and also brings solid walk rates (11.1%), and a decent 21.1% strikeout rate.

Most importantly, though, the move unloads a net $5 million in payroll, bringing the Royals down to about $92 million for the team. It also slightly eases the logjam at first base, although the Royals now have prized prospect Nick Pratto at first to take at-bats.

Pitcher Maximum Of Fourteen To Remain Through July 1st: The active roster maximum of fourteen pitchers has been extended through games on July 1st, according to the MLB league office's press release today. It was set to expire tomorrow, June 24th, but the owners and players' association voted unanimously to extend it another week.

This is good news for the Royals -- lefty Gabe Speier is set to come off the injured list at some time today, and others like Taylor Clarke and Zack Greinke are also on the tail end of injury recoveries. Other teams, like Atlanta and St. Louis, have been ravaged by injuries to their pitching staffs.

The press release also stated that this would be the last extension, citing the upcoming trade deadline that teams could use to add healthy pitching help. Rosters will also increase to twenty-eight beginning September 1st, as normally scheduled, with a pitcher maximum of fourteen.

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PITCHING MATCHUPS
06/24: RHP Daulton Jefferies (3-9, 2.23) vs LHP Angel Zerpa (0-0, 0.60)
06/25: RHP Paul Blackburn (4-0, 1.91) vs LHP Daniel Lynch (5-5, 4.58)
06/26: RHP J.T. Ginn (3-4, 1.74) vs RHP Brady Singer (5-2, 5.33)

WHO'S HOT?
RHP J.T. Ginn, Oakland -- 10 IP, 7 K, ER (2 starts)
RHP Daulton Jefferies, Oakland -- 11.1 IP, 9 K, ER (2 starts)

WHO'S NOT?
IF Hunter Dozier, Kansas City -- 3-for-28 (.107), BB, 10 K
C MJ Melendez, Kansas City -- 1-for-21 (.047), 2B, 3 BB, 5 K
OF Ramon Laureano, Oakland -- 3-for-38 (.078), 2B, 3 BB

OAKLAND INJURED LIST
RHP Deolis Guerra (elbow) -- 60-day IL
RHP Frankie Montas (forearm) -- 60-day IL

KANSAS CITY INJURED LIST
RHP Jonathan Bowlan (elbow) -- 60-day IL
RHP Taylor Clarke (knee) -- 10-day IL
RHP Zack Greinke (hamstring) -- 10-day IL
RHP Brad Keller (elbow) -- 10-day IL
LHP Richard Lovelady (elbow) -- 60-day IL
SS Adalberto Mondesi (knee) -- 60-day IL
OF Edward Olivares (quad) -- 10-day IL

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Team Roster/Records | MLB Standings | Statistics

Series Recap: Oakland Athletics

By Brian Douglas | Kansas City Star | June 27th, 2022

Oakland Athletics at Kansas City Royals
Jun 24, 2022	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Oakland Athletics (31-41)	0	0	0	0	5	0	1	2	1	9	14	1
Kansas City Royals (31-38)	2	1	0	0	0	0	0	0	4	7	12	1
W: Colin Peluse (1-0) L: Angel Zerpa (0-1) S: Adrian Martinez (4)

Friday, June 24th, 2022
Down 9-3 going into the bottom of the ninth, the Royals nearly pulled off the single best comeback in the league this season, but ultimately fell a few runs short as the A's took the first game of the return series in Kansas City by a 9-7 score. With one out and the bases loaded in the frame, lefty Sam Moll delivered up a gopher ball to Whit Merrifield, who parked it over the left field bullpen wall to get the Royals back in the game.

After Hunter Dozier struck out for the second out against Moll, both Salvador Perez and Nick Pratto singled off closer Adrian Martinez to put the game-winning run at the plate in the form of MJ Melendez, but fanned for the second time in the game to dash the Royals' hopes of pulling off the stunner.

Kansas City jumped out to a 3-0 lead after two innings, with the Royals getting a two-run homerun from Perez in the first, and then Bobby Witt, Jr., scored on a single by Michael A. Taylor in the second. They barely threatened again until the ninth, when they put together their furious rally.

Meanwhile, Angel Zerpa cruised through the first four innings before running into trouble in inning number five. He got through the fifth, but not before getting tagged for five runs. In sum, he allowed seven hits, three walks, and struck out four.

A pair of Royals' relievers had their scoreless appearances streaks snapped -- Will Kincanon's ended at five (7 IP), while Scott Barlow's ended at nine (9 1/3 IP).

Oakland Athletics at Kansas City Royals
Jun 24, 2022	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Oakland Athletics (31-42)	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	6	0
Kansas City Royals (32-38)	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	2	X	4	9	1
W: Dylan Coleman (2-2) L: Tony Watson (2-2) S: Scott Barlow (10)

Saturday, June 25th, 2022
RBI doubles from Andrew Benintendi and Nick Pratto in the eighth inning turned a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 lead, and Scott Barlow locked down the ninth to secure the victory in Saturday night's contest. Through five MLB games, Pratto is hitting .350/.409/.950 with three doubles, two walks, and three homeruns.

"As I said earlier in the week, he just doesn't look like that anything bothers him," said manager Mike Matheny. "His confidence level is just through the roof right now, and is playing with that veteran's poise."

Starting pitcher Daniel Lynch also turned in a nice effort after a slow start, allowing two earned runs over 6 1/3 innings, striking out five while walking just two.

Kansas City struck first on an RBI triple by MJ Melendez in the second inning, and then added a solo homerun in the fifth. The two hits snapped a lengthy slump for him in which he had just one hit in his last twenty-seven at-bats.

Oakland Athletics at Kansas City Royals
Jun 24, 2022	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
Oakland Athletics (31-42)	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	6	0
Kansas City Royals (32-38)	0	1	0	0	1	0	0	2	X	4	9	1
W: Brady Singer (6-2) L: Adam Oller (1-5) S: Amir Garrett (1)

Sunday, June 26th, 2022
Seven innings of two-run baseball from Brady Singer, along with some timely contributions from Nick Pratto and Salvador Perez, the Royals claimed the home and season series with Oakland in a 5-4 victory.

With two outs in the sixth, Perez's two-run single put the Royals up for good as it broke a 2-2 stalemate at the time. MJ Melendez seems to be breaking out of a slump, as he added another homerun in the seventh as part of a 1-for-2 day. He also walked and struck out once.

Singer moved to 6-2 on the season, striking out three, scattering three hits, and walking just one as part of his statline. Amir Garrett came into the game with one out in the ninth in relief of Josh Staumont, and picked up the save despite allowing a hit and a walk.

The win keeps the Royals on the very periphery of the playoff race, as they sit 7.5 games out of first place in the division, and 6.5 games out of the third and final wildcard series. An important home series begins tonight, as they'll face off against the Rangers, a team that resides just a game back of them in the wildcard race.

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