Royals Rumblings - News for February 12, 2025

What do Scott Pelley and the Royals have in common? They are reporting.

The wait is finally over. Today marks the beginning of spring training for the Kansas City Royals, with pitchers and catchers reporting to Surprise, Arizona, for the first official workout.

Former Royals manager Ned Yost is back in Kansas City, now serving as senior advisor to the general manager.

“My deep love for the Royals, for Kansas City and for the people there never left,” Yost said in a statement. “So I just want to help, because I know I can help. I know what it takes to build a world championship club, and I think we’re getting close. I think we’re getting really close.”

The Royals teased their “Fountains Up” social media look for the 2025 season. What do you think of it?

The Royals announced another group of players they have come to terms with ahead of 2025.

The Royals announced their spring training broadcast schedule, with only a handful of games appearing on FanGeul Sports Network KC.

MLB.com’s Anne Rogers predicted the Royals Opening Day lineup, with the newcomer Jonathan India leading the batting order and winning the second base job.

Lineup
1. Jonathan India, 2B
2. Bobby Witt Jr., SS
3. Vinnie Pasquantino, 1B
4. Salvador Perez, C
5. MJ Melendez, LF
6. Hunter Renfroe, RF
7. Michael Massey, DH
8. Maikel Garcia, 3B
9. Kyle Isbel, CF

Royals Data Dugout examines pitcher Daniel Lynch IV and what his role could, or should, be in 2025.

We’ve seen enough of Lynch to this point that I have a hard time believing No. 3 is really in the cards. Can he provide spot starts in the event of injuries? Sure. Should he be called upon 25+ times to take his turn every fifth day? Almost certainly not, especially with capable starters/swingmen (Lorenzen, Bubic, Marsh) already occupying roster spots. If his production from August and September was even remotely real, he just might be a weapon KC can call upon in middle relief ahead of a lockdown back end comprised of Erceg, Estevez and Harvey. Perhaps he can (or should) lean even more on his slider, which always showed promise and produced that elite 50.6% whiff in 2024, good for 10th across MLB for its pitch type, per Baseball Savant.

The Quad Cities River Bandits, Kansas City’s High-A affiliate, announced Julia McNeil as the team’s new general manager on Tuesday. She is one of 13 female general managers in minor league baseball.

Farm to Fountains’ Matt Chatbot looks at how the Royals changed their pitching development fortunes.

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal notes that Kansas City is one of the league’s top payroll risers this offseason. [$]

The Athletic’s Stephen J. Nesbitt hears glowing feedback from Chicago Cubs players after MLB uniforms return to the old normal in spring training. [$]

Call to the Pen’s Bill Felber’s front office rating has the Royals ranking fourth in MLB.

Royals broadcaster Joel Goldberg announced his appointment to the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum Board of Directors.

Pitcher Scott Barlow lands with the Cincinnati Reds on a one-year deal worth $2.5 million, according to ESPN’s Jess Rogers.

Former Royals reliever Josh Staumont signed a minor-league deal with the Cincinnati Reds.

Former All-Star infielder Ty France is heading to the Minnesota Twins on a one-year deal, according to Phil Miller of the Minneapolis Star-Tribune.

MLBTR calls former Kansas City pitching prospect Mason Barnett “one of the system’s top arms” for the Athletics.

Will Carroll at Under the Knife runs down the major baseball stars injury updates heading into 2025.

Lewie Pollis reintroduced the Simple WAR Calculator for fans, including a full breakdown of how it works.

Top remaining free agent Alex Bregman has his choices down to three teams and is “likely” to sign soon, according to ESPN’s Buster Olney,

Closer Kenley Jansen heads to sunny California, reportedly on a one-year deal with the Los Angeles Angels.

The Los Angeles Dodgers and pitcher Clayton Kershaw are reportedly reuniting.

Egg eaters finally can sleep at night. Here is how to cook the perfect boiled egg.

A judge granted the release of former San Francisco 49er Dana Stubblefield after a California appeals court vacated his 2020 rape conviction.

Thousands of Australians flock to smell a blooming corpse flower, whose smell is as awful as it sounds.

Police are still scrambling to crack the Pennsylvania egg heist, as more thieves hatch plans around the country.

Listen to one of singer George Birge’s recent singles, “It Won’t Be Long.” Birge is set to tour this year with Luke Bryan around the country.