Royals Rumblings - News for July 29, 2024

MJ returns!

Seth Lugo didn’t appreciate some calls against him in a loss Saturday.

The Cubs put two on with nobody out in the seventh for Dansby Swanson, who walked on six pitches. Balls three and four looked like strikes, and Lugo was clearly frustrated with both calls.

“The idea is not giving any free passes and fill up the zone,” Lugo said. “I did my best doing that. Didn’t get some calls. It’s just one of [those] things. Bad-luck night.”

Lugo said the walk changed “the whole game.”

“With two guys on and nobody out, you can’t issue a free pass there,” Lugo said. “I’m conscious of that. Making pitches, I feel like that’s all I can do.”

Brady Singer’s sinker was working on Friday.

“Just trusting it,” Singer said. “Trusting it on the inner half. Not trying to yank it in there. This year, I’ve been trying to get in there, the thought process is there, but I haven’t been able to hit on it correctly. We worked on it a lot this week, and I was able to use it today.”

When the sinker is moving the way it did Friday, it’s hard for hitters to not only pick up but also square up. And now with his two new pitches, hitters have to respect Singer’s entire arsenal instead of waiting for the sinker to catch the middle of the plate.

MJ Melendez was activated after a short rehab stint.

“Just needed to play in general,” Melendez said. “The at-bats were good, too, to see pitches. But more so it was about getting on that foot, being out there for all nine innings.”

Buster Olney at ESPN Insider writes about the teams most desperate to make a deal, including the Royals.

Their win Friday was their 57th — one more than they had in all of 2023. They’ve already added bullpen help, with their swap for Hunter Harvey, but they could use a boost of offense among their outfielders. Rival execs expect K.C. to add at least one masher to a group that has struggled this year.

Anne Rogers on why the Royals can’t wear Monarchs jerseys on Salute to the Negro Leagues Day:

Vahe Gregorian writes how Patrick Mahomes has embraced Bobby Witt Jr.

Jaylon Thompson tries the new Pasqwich.

Former Royals manager Mike Ferraro died at the age of 79 last week.

The Cubs acquire All-Star third baseman Isaac Paredes from the Rays.

The Padres get reliever Jason Adam from Tampa Bay for three prospects.

The Yankees, Padres, and Cubs have interest in Blake Snell.

The trade deadline could be dictated by the awful, awful White Sox.

Analyzing the Yankees trade to acquire Jazz Chisholm.

The Marlins place first baseman Josh Bell on release waivers.

The Cardinals designate reliever Giovanny Gallegos for assignment.

CJ Abrams is running into too many outs.

Prague Baseball Week is a celebration of the game.

The time the Cleveland Blues tried to cheat their way to victory by cutting across the diamond.

The South Sudan men’s basketball team wins their opener, but get the wrong national anthem played for them.

Rafael Nadal wins his Olympic opener and will face Novak Djokovic.

A Swiss town bans billboards - could others follow?

The benefits of public pools.

Robert Downey Jr. rejoins Marvel as Dr. Doom.

Your song of the day is Ben Folds with You Don’t Know Me.