Kansas City Royals News

Kyle Manzardo was 3-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs Thursday for the Cleveland Guardians, who overcame a blown save by All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase to beat the host Kansas City Royals, 7-4, in 10 innings in an Opening Day clash.Steven Kwan led off the 10th inning with the tie-breaking RBI double for the defending American League Central champion Guardians, who have won both their season openers under second-year manager Stephen Vogt.Manzardo began the Guardians' comeback from a 3-0 deficit in the fourth, when he tripled and scored on a sacrifice fly by Jhonkensy Noel. Jose Ramirez lofted another sacrifice fly in the fifth before Manzardo greeted Angel Zerpa by hitting a two-run homer on the first pitch he saw in the sixth.The 24-year-old, who made his first Opening Day roster this season, added insurance with a two-out, two-run double off Sam Long (0-1) in the 10th.Paul Sewald earned the save with a perfect 10th.Kwan had two hits.Vinnie Pasquantino, who was questionable entering the game due to a right hamstring injury he suffered last Saturday, hit a three-run homer in the third before he began the Royals' comeback by lacing a leadoff double against Clase (1-0) in the ninth.Salvador Perez followed with a single to send pinch-runner Freddy Fermin to third before Fermin trotted home on Michael Massey's sacrifice fly to the track in right.

The Kansas City Royals acquired outfielder/first baseman Mark Canha from the Milwaukee Brewers for a player to be named later or cash considerations, MLB.com reported.Canha, 36, signed a minor league deal with the Brewers. He is just 2-for-23 with one homer, four strikeouts and four walks in Cactus League action.Canha reportedly let the Brewers know he planned to exercise a clause in his contract that required the team to put him on the 40-man roster or allow him to become a free agent. As a result, the Brewers traded him to the Royals.Per MLB.com, Canha could earn $1.4 million with performance bonuses in 2025 once he is elevated to the majors.

Kansas City Royals2024 record: 86-76 (2nd place, AL Central)He gone: RHP Brady Singer.New faces: RHP Carlos Estevez, INF Jonathan India, OF Joey Wiemer.Biggest question entering Opening Day: Bobby Witt Jr. is going to be OK, right? X-rays came back negative after the Royals' shortstop was hit in the left forearm by a fastball during a March 12 spring training game. He suffered a contusion and will continue to be evaluated. Witt told reporters, "If it was October or April or March 27, I'd be good." Royals fans and brass hope his body was listening.

Coming off his first All-Star campaign, Kansas City left-hander Cole Ragans agreed to a three-year extension with the Royals, the team announced Friday.The Royals did not confirm financial terms, but multiple sources reported the deal is worth $13.25 million.Ragans, 27, who will be a free agent following the 2028 season, will earn $1.25 million in 2025, $4.5 million in 2026 and $7.5 million in 2027, according to ESPN.In his second season in Kansas City in 2024, Ragans emerged as the staff's ace and helped the club reach the postseason, posting an 11-9 record and a 3.14 ERA in 32 starts.He led the American League with 10.8 strikeouts per nine innings, finishing with 223 whiffs along with 67 walks in 186 1/3 innings. In two postseason starts, he went 1-1 with a 0.90 ERA, allowing one run in 10 innings.

The Kansas City Royals have reached an agreement with free agent right-handed closer Carlos Estevez on a two-year contract, according to multiple media reports Wednesday evening.Estevez, an All-Star in 2023 with the Los Angeles Angels, split last season between the Angels and the Philadelphia Phillies, who acquired him on July 27 ahead of the trade deadline last summer.The contract is worth a reported $22 million, though the Royals are yet to confirm the deal.Estevez, who turned 32 on Dec. 28, was a combined 4-5 with a 2.45 ERA, 26 saves, 12 walks and 50 strikeouts in 55 innings over 54 relief appearances last season.

Veteran right-hander Michael Lorenzen, who helped the Kansas City Royals earn a wild-card spot in the 2024 postseason, is re-signing with the club on a one-year contract, multiple media outlets reported Monday.Per ESPN, Lorenzen agreed to a one-year, $7 million deal with a mutual $12 million option for 2026. MLB.com reported that the mutual option includes a $1.5 million buyout.Acquired from the Texas Rangers in a trade deadline deal, the 33-year-old Lorenzen went 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA in 28 2/3 innings over seven games (six starts) with Kansas City. Overall in 2024, he was 7-6 with a 3.31 ERA in 130 1/3 innings over 26 games (24 starts).