KC Royals - An OOTP 25 Narrated Playthrough - Day 1

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We signed 17-year-old CF Braylon Payne to a minor league contract with a $1,070,000 signing bonus. Defensively, he has shown significant improvement, so we need to focus on developing his hitting and plate discipline to become a potential #1 or #2 in the lineup.



So, with Braylon Payne's signing finalized, the only holdout is 17-year-old RHP Jackson Barberi. He is requesting a $650,000 signing bonus, which is $220,000 more than we initially offered him at the draft. He was our 10th round pick – 290th overall, and we were already over budget with our previous round 7 pick of Ethan Bagwell at a $650,000 signing bonus.

With all but Braylon signed, we have spent a total of $8,612,500 on draft picks, which exceeds the original budget of $8.0 million. Therefore, I think we should pass on the young stud Barberi. We won’t receive a replacement pick since he was taken so late in the rounds, but I believe we've done as well as we could have expected.

Double-A - Northwest Arkansas Naturals News

The Tulsa Drillers narrowly defeated the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, 6-5, despite the batting heroics of Northwest Arkansas left fielder Tyler Gentry. In a losing effort, Gentry had an outstanding game, hitting for the cycle. He went 4-for-5 at the plate with 5 RBIs. After the game, Gentry said he was "unfazed" by the outcome.

"Look, it's baseball," he said. "Best case scenario, you're still going to lose 40 percent of the time. You can't let it get to you."

Tyler Gentry doubled in the first inning, hit an RBI single in the third, an RBI triple in the fifth, struck out in the seventh, and crushed a three-run home run off Edgardo Henriquez in the ninth. This year, Gentry has collected 11 hits in 24 at-bats for a .458 batting average with three home runs. He reaches base at a .552 rate, and his stats also include 10 RBIs and eight runs scored.

Game Summary – July 23rd – Diamondbacks Suffer 5-2 Road Loss



Kansas City picked up a win at Kauffman Stadium, bumping off the Arizona Diamondbacks, 5-2. Pitcher Daniel Lynch IV was a primary reason the Royals emerged victorious. The Royals, at 43-60, sit in last place in the American League Central Division. Kansas City took a 5-1 lead on Salvador Perez's 17th double of the season. The bases-clearing double, which Perez hit in the bottom of the seventh, left Arizona pitcher Bryce Jarvis visibly frustrated. Lynch IV attributed the win to "everyone pulling their weight."

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Daniel Lynch IV
Ballpark: Kauffman Stadium
Weather: Clear skies (83 degrees), wind blowing in from left at 11 mph
Start Time: 7:10 PM CT
Time: 3:10
Attendance: 13479

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Overnight, I made some calls to several GMs and owners across the league to see who might be interested in a trade for Wacha while he “recovers” on the IL. Miami Marlins GM Peter Bendix and I managed to work out a trade deal, much to the dismay of Picollo, though I don’t understand why, since I’m shedding what most consider an overpaid veteran and nearly $22.0 million in salary and player options through the next 2 years. We will gain about $6.0 million in our projected budget and three players, one for our struggling bullpen and two for our minor league system.



In a move that has fans in both cities buzzing, the Kansas City Royals and the Miami Marlins have agreed to a deal that will have 33-year old RHP Michael Wacha and 23-year old minor league LF Javier Vaz heading to Miami in exchange for 34-year old RHP Huascar Brazoban, 23-year old minor league 2B Osiris Johnson, and 22-year old minor league 2B Jordan McCants. Provided they pass a physical, the players should be with their respective teams in time for tomorrow's games. This year, Vaz is batting .357 with 15 hits and no home runs. He has scored 9 times and has batted in 8 runs.

Including Vaz in this trade wasn't a difficult choice, especially if it meant we could move Wacha and his $16.0 million player option off our books. He was worth the $16.0 million to Bendix, so I was happy to do that and receive three players who can at least fill roles on our minor league teams and possibly develop into a placeholder on the 40-man roster. Brazoban will be a solid bullpen addition to help us through the rest of the season, and then we’ll decide if he stays or we move on from him.





Regarding Jordan McCants and Osiris Johnson in our minor league system, I decided to play both at the shortstop position on our Carolina League A and Texas League AA teams, respectively. That’s where we need the most depth across the organization, but whether they perform well there or not is less important right now. They fill a roster need, so I’ll keep them there until we decide it’s time to move them.

Additional minor league moves were made to balance the rosters and remove more underdeveloped players from the demote/release shortlist. In total, this involved two players moving between our Double and Triple A teams, changing levels, and learning new positions. I reviewed the upcoming free agent contracts and offered minor league extensions to three players who are excelling at their current level and position, thereby reducing the potential for arbitration issues.

Overall, I believe we are now in a much better position than when we started the season. We've significantly reduced our salary debt and allocated a limited draft budget, enabling us to acquire several prospects to strengthen our minor league system. As we near the trade deadline, I’ll evaluate our specific needs for a reliable top rotation starter, a highly rated catcher, and one or two additional power hitters. This is the trade I was hoping for.

I’m hoping for a series sweep with a win tonight, then we get a day off to really focus on our trade needs before starting another three-game home series against the Cubs, followed by a three-game road series in the same city against the White Sox. That will finish a 10-game series against the CWS, with six games on the road. Of the seven games already played, we've only won two. If we can sweep them on the road, it would tie the series at 5-5 and make me ecstatic to beat them away as retribution.

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Brawl in Omaha

José Miranda of St. Paul and Walter Pennington of Omaha were the main participants in a recent bench-clearing brawl and today the league handed out its punishment. Miranda will have to miss 4 games for his part in the brawl, while Pennington was given an 8-game suspension. League officials announced their suspensions today. This season, Miranda is batting .357 with 18 home runs. He has scored 58 runs and driven in 54. This year, Pennington is 2-and-0 with no saves and a 7.65 ERA. He has given up 44 hits in 37.2 innings with 40 strikeouts.

Game Summary – July 24th – Melendez Powers Royals Offense



MJ Melendez had a standout game during Kansas City's 8-4 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks. Melendez contributed two singles and a home run. Anthony Veneziano earned the win, improving to 1-0, allowing three runs on six hits over six innings with eight strikeouts. The Diamondbacks, now 40-63, have lost four straight. Vinnie Pasquantino hit a big bases-clearing triple for the Royals in the bottom of the fourth. With Kansas City leading 4-3 and the bases loaded, he saw a cutter from Merrill Kelly, who is on pace for 203 strikeouts this season, and hit a triple to left-center. It was his fourth triple of the season and, more importantly, it put the Royals ahead 7-3.

"We've got guys willing to do what it takes to win," Melendez told the Kansas City Today.



KANSAS CITY PITCHING LINESCORE

Player 	   Rslt (W-L) IP  H R ER BB K HR PI ERA    
A. Veneziano W  (1-0) 6.0 6 3 3  2  8 0 101 4.50    
J. McMillon           1.2 1 1 1  1  3 0  39 4.30    
J. Lyles              1.1 0 0 0  0  1 0  17 3.73

Batters Faced: A. Veneziano 25, J. McMillon 7, J. Lyles 4
Ground Outs - Fly Outs: A. Veneziano 6-3, J. McMillon 1-1, J. Lyles 2-1
Pitches - Strikes: A. Veneziano 101-62, J. McMillon 39-23, J. Lyles 17-11
Inherited Runners - Scored: J. Lyles 1-0
WP: A. Veneziano

It’s great to have Veneziano join the rotation and throw a game like this on his first start. I believe I made a solid decision calling him up. This one feels good. I can sleep well tonight and may even sleep in tomorrow.

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: MJ Melendez
Ballpark: Kauffman Stadium
Weather: Clear skies (80 degrees), wind blowing out to the right at 11 mph
Start Time: 7:10 PM CT
Time: 3:21
Attendance: 15635

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Kansas City and Tampa Bay have reached a preliminary agreement on a trade. The Royals will send 35-year-old LHP Will Smith, 23-year-old minor league RF Gavin Cross, and 25-year-old minor league 3B Shervyen Newton to the Rays for 30-year-old RHP Zach Eflin and 28-year-old SS Amed Rosario. The deal is expected to close soon, and both teams will introduce their new players to the press once the paperwork is done.

Eflin has pitched 135.2 innings over 20 starts this season, striking out 125 batters, walking 29, and posting a 4.25 ERA with 4 wins and 8 losses.



When I heard that SP Zac Eflin of the Tampa Bay Rays was on the trading block, I decided to take a chance and see what drew him. It was encouraging when I could once again shed upcoming free agent Will Smith’s remaining contract and the expected $6.5 million in demand for a season next year, along with a disgruntled AA player, 3B Shervyen Newton. Their GM Erik Neander probably would have accepted without including Newton, but I had to sweeten the deal by giving up RF Gavin Cross, so I got SS Amed Rosario included in the deal. We will have to accept Eflin’s $18.0 million contract next year, but I’m hopeful that by then it will be a deal that pays off this time next year.




To make room on the active roster for Eflin and Rosario, we’ve optioned Zerpa to Triple-A and placed RHP Eflin into the #1 rotation spot ahead of RHP Lugo. Then come LHP Veneziano, RHP Hernandez, and LHP Lynch IV at the back of the rotation. With Will Smith being the main trade piece that left an opening in the bullpen, we can bring up RP Huascar Brazoban for a primary role as an eighth-inning setup man, with a secondary role as a stopper. We will keep Bernardino as the primary closer, and Stratton will continue as the seventh-inning setup man and a secondary closer.

1B Nick Pratto was optioned to Omaha to make space for SS Amed Rosario on the bench. Nick hasn’t played much for us this year, and his bat is mediocre at best, so I might be moving on from him soon if he doesn’t develop his contact skills and lower his strikeout rate.

Final Draft Signing

Since we have been able to get back in the black with ready cash, we now have enough to go ahead and offer SP Jackson Barberi his signing demand of $650,000 to join our minor league system. That will be the final drafted player we sign, and we can start working towards building a competitive team over the next few years.

Finally, I assigned scout Jason McLeod to focus exclusively on major league catchers with strong defensive skills and power hitters we can pursue in trades. I’ll also monitor the waiver wire to see if anyone emerges that fits the bill.

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We have a three-game series at home against the Chicago Cubs that was originally scheduled to start last night, but the weather has postponed the game to a doubleheader today. The Cubs are posting a .452 winning percentage this season, with a record of 47 wins and 57 losses. They sit in fifth place in the Central Division, 8.5 games behind the leader. Their total runs scored are 410, ranking 15th in the National League, and their .236 batting average is 14th. On the defensive side, they have allowed 470 runs (eighth), with their starters posting an ERA of 4.50, which is eighth. Their bullpen has an ERA of 3.97, also ranking eighth.

Here are the projected pitching matchups:
RHP S. Lugo (3-8, 5.38 ERA) vs LHP S. Imanaga (8-12, 4.09 ERA)
RHP C. Hernandez (4-4, 4.69 ERA) vs RHP C. Horton (3-6, 6.27 ERA)
RHP Z. Eflin (4-8, 4.25 ERA) vs RHP H. Wesneski (1-4, 4.56 ERA)

The top 5 players on their team are:
1. SP Shota Imanaga (Age: 30, Overall: 65, Potential: 65)
2. SS Dansby Swanson (30, 60, 60)
3. CF Cody Bellinger (29, 55, 55)
4. 1B Michael Busch (26, 55, 60)
5. RF Seiya Suzuki (29, 55, 55)

Game #1 Summary – July 27th – Chicago Hands Kansas City 7-2 Defeat



Chicago beat Kansas City in a rain-soaked game. Chicago pitcher Justin Steele played a big part in his team’s 7-2 win over the Kansas City Royals. The left-hander kept opposing batters in check throughout the game. Steele, the winning pitcher, improves to 11-8. He pitched 7 innings, allowing 4 hits, striking out 9, and issuing 2 walks. Chicago third baseman Christopher Morel provided a key at-bat in the top of the seventh. With two outs, he hit a fastball to left field for a 2-run single. It was his 88th hit of the season and put the Cubs ahead, 5-1.

Justin was exceptional, and he pitched with a purpose," said Chicago manager Craig Counsell. The Cubs, at 48-57, sit in last place in the National League Central Division.

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Justin Steele
Ballpark: Kauffman Stadium
Weather: Rain (85 degrees), wind blowing out to the center at 12 mph
Start Time: 2:40 PM CT
Time: 4:05
Attendance: 29189
Special Notes: 2B Nico Hoerner was injured while running the bases. Rain delay of 26 minutes in the 8th inning.

Game #2 Summary – July 27th – Shota Imanaga Blanks Kansas City, 5-0



Shota Imanaga of the Chicago Cubs was impressive in shutting out the Kansas City Royals, 5-0, at Kauffman Stadium. He pitched a 3-hit shutout, striking out 6 batters while walking 2 in the game. This year, Imanaga has posted 9 wins and 12 losses in 22 starts with a 3.88 ERA, striking out 169 batters and issuing 49 walks over 171.2 innings.

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Shota Imanaga
Ballpark: Kauffman Stadium
Weather: Partly Cloudy (77 degrees), wind blowing left to right at 12 mph
Start Time: 6:10 PM CT
Time: 3:12
Attendance: 25986

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Game Summary – July 28th – Royals Win at Home, 11-7



The home crowd enjoyed watching the Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Royals compete. Chicago third baseman Patrick Wisdom had a great game, but it wasn't enough to secure a win for his team. Wisdom went 3-4 with a home run and two singles. He scored two runs and drove in two, even though Kansas City defeated the Cubs, 11-7. Kansas City, now 45-62, remains in last place in the American League Central Division. Though it wasn't a perfect game -- few are -- the fans filling the stands at Kauffman Stadium appeared to enjoy watching the American League action.

Zac Eflin made his first start as a Royal tonight, and he did alright. He pitched 7.2 innings and threw 109 pitches but allowed 7 earned runs on 9 hits, resulting in an 8.22 ERA. That’s not great, but he has good stamina, so the bullpen doesn't get overtaxed.

KANSAS CITY PITCHING LINESCORE

Player 	Rslt (W-L) IP  H R ER BB K HR PI ERA    
Z. Eflin W   (1-0) 7.2 9 7 7  0  4 1 109 8.22    
J. Lyles           0.1 2 0 0  0  0 0   7 3.71    
B. Bernardino      1.0 2 0 0  0  1 0  17 4.50

Batters Faced: Z. Eflin 33, J. Lyles 3, B. Bernardino 5
Ground Outs - Fly Outs: Z. Eflin 8-11, J. Lyles 1-0, B. Bernardino 0-2
Pitches - Strikes: Z. Eflin 109-78, J. Lyles 7-5, B. Bernardino 17-10
Inherited Runners - Scored: J. Lyles 1-1
Hit Batsmen: Z. Eflin

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Patrick Wisdom
Ballpark: Kauffman Stadium
Weather: Partly Cloudy (80 degrees), wind blowing out to left at 12 mph
Start Time: 1:10 PM CT
Time: 3:09
Attendance: 22941

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Texas League News

Tyler Gentry showcased his potential as a star last week, and today he received the Texas League Player of the Week Award. The Northwest Arkansas left fielder caused chaos for opposing pitchers last week, hitting .458 (11-for-24) with 3 home runs and 10 RBIs, earning the honor. Gentry is currently batting .410 with 3 home runs, 11 runs scored, and 12 RBIs. His OBP is .521.

3 Game Road Series @ CWS

We have a three-game series on the road against the Chicago White Sox kicking off today. We will meet at Guaranteed Rate Field, which seats 40615 and plays like a neutral park. Going 53-55 so far this year, the White Sox have a .491 winning percentage. They are in second place in the Central Division, 5.5 games behind the leader. Their total runs scored of 425 rank 15th in the American League, and their .238 batting average ranks 12th. On the other side of the diamond, they have allowed 471 runs (eighth), with their starters posting an ERA of 4.37, which ranks seventh. Their bullpen has an ERA of 3.46, ranking second. When playing against our Royals this season, they have a record of 7 wins and 3 losses.

Here are the projected pitching matchups:
LHP D. Lynch IV (2-3, 6.55 ERA) vs LHP G. Crochet (7-10, 4.55 ERA)
LHP A. Veneziano (1-0, 4.50 ERA) vs RHP D. Thorpe (7-8, 4.24 ERA)
RHP C. Hernandez (4-5, 4.63 ERA) vs RHP E. Fedde (7-6, 4.27 ERA)

The top 5 players on their team are:
1. SP Garrett Crochet (Age: 25, Overall: 75, Potential: 80)
2. 1B Colson Montgomery (22, 65, 80)
3. CF Luis Robert Jr. (26, 60, 60)
4. CL Tanner Banks (32, 55, 55)
5. SP Drew Thorpe (23, 50, 60)

Game Summary – July 29th – White Sox Lose at Home, 5-3



The Chicago White Sox received a stellar performance from pitcher Garrett Crochet, but the Kansas City Royals still won, 5-3. Crochet pitched 6.1 innings of four-hit ball. This loss drops Chicago to 53-56. Kansas City capitalized on the timely hitting of Salvador Perez to secure the victory. The catcher hit a run-scoring single in the top of the seventh inning to give the Royals a 4-3 lead. It was his only hit in five at-bats, but it proved to be a game-changer. Kansas City manager Todd "BigP" Pollard said his team played a "no-nonsense" game. MJ Melendez has been performing well over the last month. It’s great to see players succeed when we get close to crunch time.

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Garrett Crochet
Ballpark: Guaranteed Rate Field
Weather: Partly Cloudy (67 degrees), wind blowing out to right at 11 mph
Start Time: 7:10 PM CT
Time: 3:25
Attendance: 22799
Special Notes: MJ Melendez ties the KC regular season game record for triples with 2.

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Thad Levine of the Minnesota Twins proposed the following trade, which I rejected after discussing it with him briefly.

The Minnesota Twins would send 37-year-old LHP Caleb Thielbar, 17-year-old minor league 1B Dermott Thompson, and 22-year-old minor league LF Misael Urbina to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for 27-year-old minor league 3B Devin Mann.

J.J. Picollo thought it was a good deal, but after weighing what we were giving up and what we were getting, I didn’t see any benefit, especially for a team within our division. Yes, it was a 1-for-3 player trade, but Thielbar is 37 years old, has had two arm injuries this year, and the two minor leaguers were just garbage that they wanted to discard, so I wasn’t going to accept it. I think we can still find a fit for Mann, and there are other older players I’d rather shed than him. I offered a couple of other players at Mann’s level that I thought were similar and that I had on the trade block, but Thad didn’t want to move from his original offer. So I ended the negotiations late last night and flat-out rejected the deal because I don’t even want it to come up during trade deadline talks. Additionally, I’ve already made a few trades that I believe will improve our position. If I haven’t initiated the trade, then it’s probably not one I would have made anyway.

Game Summary – July 30th – Royals Deal White Sox 5-1 Loss



Kansas City turned a solid outing from starter Anthony Veneziano into a victory over the Chicago White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field. The final score was 5-1. Kansas City has now won three in a row. They took a 5-1 lead on Drew Waters's fifth home run of the season. The two-run homer, which Waters hit in the top of the seventh, visibly frustrated Chicago pitcher Yusei Kikuchi.
Anthony mixed and matched," said Kansas City manager Todd "BigP" Pollard.

KANSAS CITY PITCHING LINESCORE

Player 	  Rslt (W-L) IP  H R ER BB K HR PI ERA    
A. Veneziano W (2-0) 6.0 3 1 1  5  5 1 107 3.00    
J. McMillon          2.0 1 0 0  1  1 0  28 4.02
B. Bernardino        1.0 1 0 0  1  2 0  19 4.26

Batters Faced: A. Veneziano 25, J. McMillon 7, B. Bernardino 5
Ground Outs - Fly Outs: A. Veneziano 6-6, J. McMillon 2-2, B. Bernardino 1-0
Pitches - Strikes: A. Veneziano 107-59, J. McMillon 28-18, B. Bernardino 19-11

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Anthony Veneziano
Ballpark: Guaranteed Rate Field
Weather: Clear skies (69 degrees), wind blowing right to left at 10 mph
Start Time: 7:10 PM CT
Time: 3:03
Attendance: 20833

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First Trade

Reflecting the saying that one person's trash is another's treasure, the Royals announced today that they acquired 17-year-old minor league first baseman Dermott Thompson and 33-year-old minor league right-handed pitcher Justin Topa from the Minnesota Twins. In exchange, they sent 25-year-old minor league right fielder Tyler Gentry, 31-year-old minor league left fielder Dairon Blanco, and 29-year-old minor league left-handed pitcher Jake Brentz.

The inclusion of both young prospects and seasoned veterans in the trade highlights a strategic focus on balancing future potential with experienced players. "This isn't the deal of the century," the Royals admitted, "but we believe it will positively influence the future direction of both teams," emphasizing the importance of age diversity and development in their long-term planning. We were also able to save a bit of cash in the trade deal. Blanco is currently batting .206 with 2 home runs, 11 RBIs, and 20 runs scored.




We’ve assigned Topa to the Triple-A team, and Thompson will start on the ACL team. We aim to develop Thompson’s potential as a power hitter and corner outfielder. He is still young and has several years to refine his skills and become a starter with some focused effort.

Second Trade

A trade between the Cincinnati Reds and Kansas City Royals was finalized this morning, reflecting the difficult decisions both teams faced, but ultimately believing it will pay off in the long run. The Reds sent 27-year-old second baseman Jonathan India and 20-year-old minor league right fielder Ariel Almonte to the Royals in exchange for 34-year-old right-handed pitcher Seth Lugo. India, who is hitting .225 in 2024 with 11 RBIs and 6 home runs, and Lugo, who has posted a 3-9 record with a 5.34 ERA in 16 starts this year, are part of strategic moves aimed at strengthening their respective rosters for future success.



Jonathan India will be added to the active roster since he is a major leaguer, so we will option Can Devanney to Omaha to free up a spot on the roster for India. Ariel Almonte will get a starting spot on the Carolina League A team to finish this season, and we’ll see where he is placed next year.



This trade surprised even me once we completed it, but I suppose it's a done deal as of tonight. I now need to revise the pitching staff after Lugo packed his bags and left for Cincinnati just a few hours ago. I have been somewhat hesitant to trade him, and honestly, I still feel a bit unsure. I realize, though, that the best time to sell players is when they have value to other teams, especially since we don’t really have much of a chance at making the postseason. By trading him, we also managed to shed about $30.0 million in salary over the next two years, and we still have Ragans, Singer, and Wright due to come back to us by the offseason.

If these last-minute trades were a poor choice on my part, so be it. I may have sacrificed too much to finish the season with fewer than 100 losses, and it’s uncertain if I’ll be around to compete next season. If I am, I’ll gladly take credit for their success; if not, I’ve enjoyed my time running the show here.

[Biggp07]

We had to adjust the starter role for tonight since Lugo left due to his trade being completed before the game started, so we made Lyles an opener and purchased the contract of Alec Marsh to be the follower for his first start this year in the major leagues. Alec pitched for us in 17 games last year with 8 quality starts and 9 relief appearances.



The opener/follower strategy worked tonight to get us the win and series sweep of the White Sox. It’s nice to see it come together for once.

Game Summary – July 31st – Royals Deal White Sox 6-1 Loss



The Kansas City Royals defeated the Chicago White Sox, 6-1, at Guaranteed Rate Field. The Royals received a strong performance from right fielder Drew Waters, who went 2 for 4 with a double, scored 2 runs, and drove in 2. The Royals, in last place, have won four straight games. Early in the game, Waters hit a 2-run double for Kansas City. It was his 14th double of the season and gave the Royals a 2-0 lead.
We're playing like we're capable of," said Kansas City manager Todd "BigP" Pollard.

KANSAS CITY PITCHING LINESCORE

Player 	Rslt (W-L) IP  H R ER BB K HR PI ERA    
J. Lyles           3.0 2 0 0  0  1 0  39 3.43    
A. Marsh W   (1-0) 4.0 3 0 0  4  3 0  98 0.00    
W. Klein           2.0 2 1 1  0  2 1  29 4.02

Batters Faced: J. Lyles 11, A. Marsh 22, W. Klein 8
Ground Outs - Fly Outs: J. Lyles 3-5, A. Marsh 0-9, W. Klein 0-4
Pitches - Strikes: J. Lyles 39-25, A. Marsh 98-58, W. Klein 29-19
Inherited Runners - Scored: W. Klein 2-0
Hit Batsmen: A. Marsh 2

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Drew Waters
Ballpark: Guaranteed Rate Field
Weather: Clear skies (78 degrees), wind blowing right to left at 9 mph
Start Time: 1:10 PM CT
Time: 3:30
Attendance: 18843

[Biggp07]

Our July performances have been mixed, but in the last 10 games, we’ve achieved a .700 winning percentage with a 7-3 record. This positive momentum could carry us into August and improve our chances for a wildcard spot. It also brings us closer to our owner’s goal of reaching .500 for the season. That would be a significant step forward, especially since I haven’t made much progress on other objectives.



We still have offensive weaknesses in certain areas. Our road games lack energy, and in extra-inning matches, we struggle to secure wins. We are one game behind our Pythagorean projection, but our recent winning streak is helping to narrow the RDiff runs gap. Our on-base percentage and walks remain unchanged, ranking 15th in both. Despite efforts to improve this area, I have yet to see any positive results.
Defensively, we've slipped a bit since the start of the season, finding it harder to strike out many batters and allowing opponents a batting average of .262, which has dropped us to 15th place. This decline reflects the pitcher injuries and slow starts we’ve faced throughout the year.
There are probably quite a few folks out there who might say that letting Lugo go in exchange for two mediocre players wasn't really the best decision. I guess we'll soon find out how that impacts us as we finish out the season and try to work through the offseason to strengthen Ragans, Singer, and Wright for rotation starts next spring.



Aside from the Twins likely securing the division lead, currently on a 5-game winning streak, it’s a very competitive race in the AL Central for a wild-card spot. We have managed to get ourselves within 5 games of a wildcard, although seven teams are ahead of us vying for that spot. Currently, the Blue Jays hold the coveted position after our recent series sweep of the White Sox caused them to fall half a game behind.



Our first series in August is an away game against Detroit, with whom we are currently tied at 3-3 for the season and having won only one game against them on the road so far. Then we have a three-game series against the Red Sox, whom we are also chasing for a wild-card spot. It’s hard to believe I’m actually talking about a wild card, and perhaps I’m influenced a bit by our recent winning streak, but pulling off a run for a wild card spot from our current position in the standings would be a remarkable achievement for us, and also for me in my first year as GM and manager.



So, our August starts with a bang and will directly affect our wildcard hopes. We will face several teams we've already played this year, such as the Twins, Guardians, Angels, and Astros.
I would say our season so far has been the same old, as I haven’t made any significant impact yet this year to improve us at the moment. Whether we will aim for a wildcard spot remains uncertain, and the post-season will clearly reveal all our flaws. This is the time of the season when all we’ve worked for impacts us the most and either we show our grit or drop the baton.

Let’s get on with the rest of the season and see where we are at roster expansion.

[Biggp07]

The first thing we did while preparing for this series was make a roster change to get Bobby Witt Jr. back into the lineup, so we optioned Garcia to Omaha and put Witt into the starting lineup.

McLeod compiled the scouting report on notable player development changes since Monday, July 1st, 2024, and sent me the list earlier today. It’s no surprise to see Garcia at the top, as he has had a fantastic month filling in for Bobby at shortstop. But he started to struggle in these last few games, so I told him to spend some time in Omaha and figure out how to regain what he had a few weeks ago. We'll get him back up to the clubhouse for roster expansion, if not sooner.

Double-A demonstrated the most significant player development in the past month, and the roster adjustments made for the draft and before the trade deadline appear to have positively influenced the entire system. Additionally, I believe we have identified a few more changes we can make before the off-season in some waivers and releases.

Notable Development Changes

SS Maikel Garcia, Age 24, Kansas City Royals:
+ Current contact rating improves from 60 to 65.
+ Current and potential power ratings improve from 30 to 35.
+ Potential eye rating improves from 50 to 55.
+ Current and potential gap ratings improve from 45 to 50.
+ Overall rating improves from 45 to 50 / 80. (As 3B)

CF Sam Haggerty, Age 30, Kansas City Royals:
- Current and potential power ratings drop from 45 to 40.
- Current and potential gap ratings drop from 55 to 50.

RP Danny Wilkinson, Age 23, Omaha Storm Chasers (Triple A):
+ Current stuff rating improves from 60 to 65.
+ Potential movement rating improves from 50 to 55.
+ Potential control rating improves from 35 to 40.

CL John Schreiber, Age 30, Omaha Storm Chasers (Triple A):
- Current and potential stuff ratings drop from 65 to 55.
- Current stamina rating drops from 35 to 30.
- Overall and potential ratings drop to 50. (As RP)

RP Walter Pennington, Age 26, Omaha Storm Chasers (Triple A):
+ Current movement rating improves from 50 to 55.
+ Overall and potential ratings improve to 45. (As RP)

RP Jimmy Nelson, Age 35, Omaha Storm Chasers (Triple A):
- Current and potential stuff ratings drop from 70 to 60.
- Current and potential movement ratings drop from 55 to 50.
- Current and potential control ratings drop from 35 to 30.
- Overall and potential ratings drop to 35. (As RP)

1B Dillan Shrum, Age 26, Omaha Storm Chasers (Triple A):
- Potential contact rating drops from 45 to 40.
+ Potential power rating improves from 50 to 55.
- Current defensive rating at First Base drops from 45 to 40.
+ Potential gap rating improves from 45 to 50.

3B Nate Eaton, Age 27, Omaha Storm Chasers (Triple A):
- Current speed rating drops from 60 to 55.
+ Overall and potential ratings improve to 45. (As RF)

The Detroit Tigers are our next opponents in a four-game series starting tonight, August 1st. They play at Comerica Park, a ballpark that favors pitchers and can hold 41681 fans. The Tigers are batting .459 this season, with a record of 50 wins and 59 losses. They sit in 4th place in the Central Division, 10.5 games behind the leader. The Tigers are currently on a losing streak, having lost their last four games. Their total runs scored of 440 place them 14th in the American League, and their .231 batting average ranks 15th. On defense, they have given up 458 runs (3rd in AL), with starters posting an ERA of 4.17, which ranks 5th. Their bullpen boasts an ERA of 3.24, the best in the league. Against our Royals this season, they have a record of 3 wins and 3 losses.

Here are the projected pitching matchups:
RHP C. Hernandez (4-5, 4.63 ERA) vs LHP T. Holton (5-8, 3.93 ERA)
RHP Z. Eflin (5-8, 4.46 ERA) vs RHP J. Jobe (4-1, 3.32 ERA)
LHP D. Lynch IV (3-3, 6.25 ERA) vs LHP T. Skubal (9-9, 3.43 ERA)
LHP A. Veneziano (2-0, 3.00 ERA) vs RHP R. Olson (5-9, 5.07 ERA)

The top 5 players on their team are:
1. SP Tarik Skubal (Age: 27, Overall: 75, Potential: 80)
2. RF Riley Greene (23, 55, 80)
3. CF Parker Meadows (24, 55, 55)
4. 2B Colt Keith (22, 55, 80)
5. CL Alex Lange (28, 55, 55)

Game Summary – August 1st – Tigers Squelch Royals Offense in Shutout Win



The exploits of right fielder Riley Greene, who is tied for third in the AL in triples with seven, helped the Detroit Tigers defeat the Kansas City Royals, 5-0. Greene went 2-for-3 with a home run and a walk. He scored two runs. The win lifts Detroit's record to 51-59. One pivotal at-bat came with no one out in the top of the fourth. With runners on first and second and Kansas City trailing 3-0, Luis Cessa needed to excel against Jonathan India. Cessa won the battle, as India hit into a double play, and the Tigers went on to win.

GAME NOTES
Player of the Game: Riley Greene
Ballpark: Comerica Park
Weather: Partly Cloudy (78 degrees), wind blowing in from right at 10 mph
Start Time: 6:40 PM ET
Time: 2:51
Attendance: 21493
Special Notes: SP Tyler Holton was injured while pitching.