Path from 2026 to 2027 Royals Roster Starts Now (Part 2) + Jensen Rises!

With 12 games left in the season, Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco are counting down the games until the Kansas City Royals' season ends amid a much-needed offseason overhaul. Carter Jensen is the centerpiece of the on-field conversation after tying the Royals rookie home run record and climbing historic rookie leaderboards in extra-base hits, doubles, RBI, walks, and caught stealing rate. He may not win AL Rookie of the Year, but Jacob and Jeremy make a real case for him as a catcher Silver Slugger contender. Bobby Witt Jr.'s pursuit of a 20-40 season keeps the MVP conversation alive, and a quick thought experiment considers whether a Padres roster crunch could open the door to a Freddie Fermin reunion. The bullpen evaluation dominates the back half of the episode, with the hosts sorting the current arms into keep, depth, or move-on buckets. Steven Cruz and Nate Pearson both earn real support as 2027 pieces based on improved strikeout-minus-walk profiles, while Craig Kimbrel, Alex Lange, Anthony Gose, Jose Cuas, and Easton McGee are all scrutinized as possible non-tender or depth-only candidates. Connor Thomas and Nolan Hoffman emerge as pleasant surprises, drawing praise for strike-throwing and ground-ball rates. The rotation discussion turns urgent quickly. Noah Cameron looks like the likely Opening Day starter, while Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Randy Dobnak, and Daniel Lynch IV are sorted into very different tiers of trust. Jacob and Jeremy stress that the Royals need multiple starting pitchers before a likely December lockout compresses the free-agent market, and the front office may have no choice but to move fast and overpay this winter. On the farm, Quad Cities and standout left-hander Kendricho draw praise, LP Longavin's strikeout totals are turning heads as a future Northwest Arkansas arm, and Carson Roccaforte is putting together a 30-30 season in Omaha. Need your Royals fix? Head to royalsreview.com for news, analysis, and to engage with Royals fans around the world! Follow us online: BlueSky– Jeremy Greco: @hokius.fromthehawkseye.com– Jacob Milham: @jacobmilhkc.bsky.social Twitter / X– Podcast: @RoyalRundownPod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Kansas City Royals are suffering through a brutal, heat-soaked homestand, and Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco give it a quick reality check before shifting the conversation to what actually matters heading into 2027. The focus has moved from wild card math to a genuine evaluation of which current roster pieces fit a competitive Royals team next season. The duo starts with the current position player side of the 28-man roster, wondering who the lynchpins are holding next year's hopes together and who are just filling a short-term need in the lost season. The farm system offers real encouragement. David Shields is having a historic teenage pitching season and helped clinch a postseason berth for Quad Cities. Zion Rose and Drew Beam continue to impress, and Northwest Arkansas just set a franchise record with a 24-run outburst. Jacob and Jeremy frame these performances as trend lines worth tracking rather than isolated box scores. Beyond Kansas City, umpire Doug Eddings' bizarre and widely criticized confrontation with Cardinals reliever Hancel Rincon becomes a broader conversation about umpires inserting themselves into the story. Pablo Torre's reporting on Dodgers owner Mark Walter and MLB's financial self-dealing closes the episode with a serious look at franchise valuations, TV rights, and what it could mean for the next lockout. Need your Royals fix? Head to royalsreview.com for news, analysis, and to engage with Royals fans around the world! Follow us online: BlueSky– Jeremy Greco: @hokius.fromthehawkseye.com– Jacob Milham: @jacobmilhkc.bsky.social Twitter / X– Podcast: @RoyalRundownPod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Jac Caglianone and Noah Cameron just became the first pair of Royals teammates to win AL monthly awards in the same month since 1985, and Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco give the milestone its full due even as the season around it has slipped back into disappointment. Cameron's August was more than enough to earn Pitcher of the Month honors despite modest strikeout totals, while Caglianone led the AL in batting average, slugging, OPS, and RBI in a breakout that now feels like genuine league-wide recognition rather than a stats-driven argument. The September call-ups told a different story. Nolan Hoffman, Easton McGee, and Drew Waters headline a group that left both hosts underwhelmed, and the conversation turns to whether the front office should have used this stretch to evaluate younger players like Gavin Cross or Carson Roccaforte instead. The Royals' fading playoff odds add an edge to the discussion, particularly as broadcast optimism around the team's chances has started to feel out of step with reality. Cameron's rougher outing against Miami still showed signs of progress rather than regression, even as the Marlins series brought its share of chaos, including a balk reversal and Matt Quatraro's animated ejection that left the broadcast crew disagreeing about what actually happened. Seth Lugo's future and the uncomfortable reality of needing multiple new starters heading into 2026 round out the pitching conversation. The broader baseball landscape gets attention too. MLB's proposed free agency changes and the meaningful difference between a delay and a full transaction freeze draw real concern, while Arte Moreno's sale of the Angels reopens the conversation about team value, spending, and Royals ownership specifically. Joe Sheehan's sharp criticism of John Sherman gets a direct read, and Jacob and Jeremy float their own creative fix for position players pitching, proposing an emergency pitcher spot filled by an undrafted college player or a retired arm. Need your Royals fix? Head to royalsreview.com for news, analysis, and to engage with Royals fans around the world! Follow us online: BlueSky– Jeremy Greco: @hokius.fromthehawkseye.com– Jacob Milham: @jacobmilhkc.bsky.social Twitter / X– Podcast: @RoyalRundownPod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Kansas City Royals took two of three from Cleveland, but Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco spend most of this episode on the bigger organizational questions the series raised. John Schreiber was placed on waivers and claimed by the Yankees, and the hosts unpack the money saved along with what the move signals about the front office's real view of where this roster stands. Seth Lugo's downturn gets a hard look as well, including his recent ERA spike and declining strikeouts, with the conversation turning toward why the extension for him is a genuine issue rather than an earned formality. August belonged to two Royals in particular. Outfielder Jac Caglianone put together a monstrous month that makes a real case for AL Player of the Month, backed by elite numbers across batting average, slugging, OPS, and RBI. His opposite-field power and bat control are what separate him from a typical hot streak, and Jacob and Jeremy make the case that his breakout has been the least surprising storyline of the season. Starter Noah Cameron's rise continues right alongside him, with a dominant August that puts him squarely in the AL Pitcher of the Month conversation. His improved run prevention and hit suppression trace directly back to taking over more control of his own pitch calling. The conversation shifts to what the Royals actually have heading into 2026 and beyond, with Bobby Witt Jr., Caglianone, Carter Jensen, and Cameron setting themselves as the dudes Kansas City can trust. September roster expansion brings a handful of names into focus, including Carson Roccaforte's strong week in Omaha and his center field upside, Lucas Braun as a possible rotation depth look, Hunter Owen's strikeout streak and Rule 5 protection case, and Gavin Cross getting a look after returning healthy. Need your Royals fix? Head to royalsreview.com for news, analysis, and to engage with Royals fans around the world! Follow us online: BlueSky– Jeremy Greco: @hokius.fromthehawkseye.com– Jacob Milham: @jacobmilhkc.bsky.social Twitter / X– Podcast: @RoyalRundownPod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Kansas City Royals' nine-game winning streak came to an end with a 3-0 loss to Toronto, but Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco frame it as a strong stretch rather than any kind of collapse. Bobby Witt Jr. stays in the AL MVP conversation, though the offensive edge right now still points toward Yordan Alvarez. Jac Caglianone's struggles since returning from injury spark a broader conversation about rhythm and confidence, and how much weight a rough game or two should actually carry. The roster continues to churn. Michael Massey has gone on the seven-day concussion list after a scary-looking play, and Mason Black has been optioned to Triple-A Omaha. Josh Rojas is back for his third stint with Kansas City, and Anthony Gose has been selected after a strong stretch in Omaha and a long MLB career as both an outfielder and a pitcher. Beck Way's returned rehab assignment reignites a heated critique of how the organization has handled player health this year, and Nick Mears' thoracic outlet syndrome diagnosis becomes another example of injuries taking far too long to sort out. The conversation turns pointed when Craig Kimbrel and the broader old-versus-young roster philosophy come up, with Jacob and Jeremy questioning whether Kansas City is leaning too hard on veterans who have no real bearing on the team's future. The back half of the episode is dedicated to MLB's newly floated CBA proposal, and it is a thorough breakdown. A proposed $265 million cap on free-agent contracts, changes to Rule 5 draft eligibility, and earlier arbitration and free agency timing are all covered in detail. Jacob and Jeremy are particularly critical of the calendar-based offseason plan, arguing that manufactured transaction windows and a winter meetings quiet period would depress salaries and make the sport less interesting rather than more efficient. The very real possibility of a lockout when the current CBA expires in December 2026 closes out the discussion, along with a personal note on how a work stoppage would affect the people who depend on baseball's offseason calendar to network and find jobs in the industry. Need your Royals fix? Head to royalsreview.com for news, analysis, and to engage with Royals fans around the world! Follow us online: BlueSky– Jeremy Greco: @hokius.fromthehawkseye.com– Jacob Milham: @jacobmilhkc.bsky.social Twitter / X– Podcast: @RoyalRundownPod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Kansas City Royals just completed a perfect homestand, the fourth in franchise history, by sweeping the Detroit Tigers and extending their winning streak to eight games, the longest active streak in the AL. Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco break down why this stretch felt different and whether it means anything for the faintest of postseason hopes. The offense was the story all weekend. Kansas City posted a .915 team OPS, a .312 batting average, and 6.7 runs per game across the Athletics and Tigers series, with contributions coming from nearly every spot in the order. Kyle Isbel, Vinnie Pasquantino, Salvador Perez, Nick Loftin, Carter Jensen, and John Rave all factored in, and Rave's weekend in particular stands out with a homer, two stolen bases, and five RBI. Salvador Perez even stole a base for the first time in five years, giving the clubhouse and fanbase one of the more memorable moments of the season. Pasquantino's swing quality has looked significantly better since returning from injury, and Jacob and Jeremy dig into the bat speed, attack angle, and max exit velocity trends behind the improvement. Jac Caglianone was scratched with ankle soreness, a move both hosts view as precautionary given the timing of an off day and the stretch ahead. The bullpen remains a real concern, particularly after Sunday's game unraveled once Daniel Lynch IV exited, and the closer carousel involving Nate Pearson, Steven Cruz, and Craig Kimbrel adds another layer of uncertainty heading into the final stretch. The minor league system continues to build momentum, with strong outings from Hunter Owen, production from Ben North, and Carson Roccaforte's promotion all worth watching. The episode closes with a stadium financing update after Mayor Quinton Lucas suggested the Royals' plan may still head to a public vote. Need your Royals fix? Head to royalsreview.com for news, analysis, and to engage with Royals fans around the world! Follow us online: BlueSky– Jeremy Greco: @hokius.fromthehawkseye.com– Jacob Milham: @jacobmilhkc.bsky.social Twitter / X– Podcast: @RoyalRundownPod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Kansas City officially approved a $600 million funding commitment for a downtown Royals stadium by an 11-to-2 vote, and Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco break down everything that led to it. Jeremy's interview with Councilman Duncan, who voted no, adds real texture to the conversation, particularly his concerns about the lack of a completed financial analysis before the vote went through. The deal structure gets a thorough examination, including the Royals' private contribution, possible state funding, and whether the city actually used its negotiating leverage effectively. Jacob and Jeremy are not shy about their criticism, both of the rushed timeline and of the stadium renderings themselves, which they find generic and underwhelming given the scale of the project. For fans still opposed to the deal, the hosts lay out what options remain, including contacting city leaders directly. On the field, the Royals are playing some of their best baseball of the season. A four-game sweep of the Athletics extended their winning streak to five games, and the team has been piling up comeback wins since the All-Star break. Vinnie Pasquantino's return has been a major factor, with extra-base hits and better at-bats signaling that his power is fully back after hamate surgery. Bobby Witt Jr. is putting together a huge August that has a legitimate MVP case building, and Salvador Perez continues to climb the franchise RBI leaderboard. The injury report remains crowded. Maikel Garcia is likely headed back to the IL, Jac Caglianone is dealing with ankle soreness even amid a huge August of his own, and Beck Way has begun a rehab assignment. Noah Cameron's growing role gets spotlighted as the Royals look toward 2027, while Lucas Erceg's demotion and Carlos Duran's debut signal that the organization remains firmly in evaluation mode. Need your Royals fix? Head to royalsreview.com for news, analysis, and to engage with Royals fans around the world! Follow us online: BlueSky– Jeremy Greco: @hokius.fromthehawkseye.com– Jacob Milham: @jacobmilhkc.bsky.social Twitter / X– Podcast: @RoyalRundownPod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Kansas City Royals finally won a road series, and Noah Cameron made sure the finale was memorable with a one-hit complete-game shutout in Anaheim that Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco treat as the centerpiece of this episode. The Royals had not won a road series in more than two months, making the victory over the Los Angeles Angels feel like a moment for this aimless team to relish in. Cameron's recent run of starts allowing one hit or fewer over seven-plus innings belongs in historical context, and the hosts dig into why his slider, changeup, and overall pitch-calling approach suggest something sustainable rather than a hot streak. It is the kind of performance that changes how a sophomore pitcher is evaluated. The roster continues to shift. Maikel Garcia and Vinnie Pasquantino are both back from rehab, triggering a series of corresponding moves involving Josh Rojas, José Cuas, Starling Marte, and Connor Thomas. The bullpen and rotation picture gets a thorough look as well, with Beck Way's rehab assignment, Carlos Estévez, Nick Mears, Lucas Erceg, and Daniel Lynch IV all factoring into a conversation about why the organization keeps leaning on veteran depth. Tony Gonsolin's major league signing adds a high-upside but genuinely uncertain wrinkle to the pitching picture, and Jacob and Jeremy temper their expectations given his extensive injury history. Beyond the current roster, MLB Pipeline's updated farm system rankings have the Royals sitting 19th, prompting a discussion of whether the system trends up or down as the organization pushes toward 2027. The reported sale of the San Diego Padres becomes a broader conversation about franchise value and why the Royals should not be treated as a small-market afterthought, while the Kansas City ballpark situation remains messy, with the city's reported six hundred million dollar offer and its financing structure drawing real criticism over the proposed lease terms. The episode also remembers Tommy John and his lasting impact on the sport, and looks ahead to the Royals' appearance in next year's Field of Dreams game. Need your Royals fix? Head to royalsreview.com for news, analysis, and to engage with Royals fans around the world! Follow us online: BlueSky– Jeremy Greco: @hokius.fromthehawkseye.com– Jacob Milham: @jacobmilhkc.bsky.social Twitter / X– Podcast: @RoyalRundownPod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Kansas City Royals dropped a series to the Los Angeles Dodgers, but Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco find plenty worth discussing in both the struggles and the small victories along the way. Jac Caglianone remains the most compelling storyline on the roster right now. He is hitting for average and looking increasingly comfortable at the player while playing first base, and Jacob and Jeremy dig into the ongoing debate about which position actually maximizes his value to this team. It is a conversation about more than just defense but where he plays affects the entire lineup construction moving forward. Carson Roccaforte is making waves with legitimate home run power, and Sean Gamble continues to impress in his second-half turnaround. The headline name, though, is Angeibel Gomez at just 17 years old and already drawing comparisons to Juan Soto. Jacob and Jeremy place his early performance in the context of the Royals' historically uneven track record developing outfielders, while acknowledging that the depth and quality of this farm system feel different than in years past. Injury updates round out the roster conversation, with Vinnie Pasquantino back from injury and Maikel Garcia's status also addressed. Statistical trends across the roster get a look as well, including the team's surprising leader in OPS. Need your Royals fix? Head to royalsreview.com for news, analysis, and to engage with Royals fans around the world! Follow us online: BlueSky– Jeremy Greco: @hokius.fromthehawkseye.com– Jacob Milham: @jacobmilhkc.bsky.social Twitter / X– Podcast: @RoyalRundownPod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Owner John Sherman gave an interview with Josh Vernier about what it will take to make the Kansas City Royals competitive by 2027, and Jacob Milham and Jeremy Greco spend the bulk of this episode working through what he actually said. An entirely new bullpen is one of the clearest needs, and Sherman's acknowledgment of the work ahead sets the tone for a broader roster evaluation that follows, including where potential investment in starting pitching should be prioritized. Sherman's framing of the organization as a results-based business runs through the conversation, and Jacob and Jeremy weigh his comments against real skepticism about the team's current spending and management strategy. Sherman deserves credit for candor, but candor alone does not close the gaps that have defined this roster all season. On the field, Jac Caglianone's home run distance is leading all of MLB right now, and it powered the Royals on win in the Chicago Cubs series that also saw Bobby Witt Jr. make his return from injury. Daniel Lynch IV's return to the rotation gets a more critical look, with the lack of swing and miss in his outing raising familiar questions about whether he fits into the team's long-term pitching plans. The prospect pipeline closes the episode on an encouraging note. Zion Rose is showing promise in his early games, Angeibel Gomez is lighting up the DSL, and Jacob Berry has performed well since coming over in a trade. Jacob and Jeremy connect these developments to the team's improving prospect rankings and what it could mean for future call-ups. Listen to the full John Sherman interview here: https://www.audacy.com/stations/965thefan/shows/fescoe-and-dusty-1ada6/episodes/9299a4b630c4/chapters/c51c4a22bfc0 Check out I Like Numbers on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@ILikeNumbers1 Need your Royals fix? Head to royalsreview.com for news, analysis, and to engage with Royals fans around the world! Follow us online: BlueSky– Jeremy Greco: @hokius.fromthehawkseye.com– Jacob Milham: @jacobmilhkc.bsky.social Twitter / X– Podcast: @RoyalRundownPod Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.