Manny Randhawa
MLB.com
DENVER -- It was miserably hot in the Mile High City on Sunday. And the oppressive weather could have served as a metaphor for the way things are going for the Royals.
At the start of Kansas City’s series finale against the Rockies at Coors Field, it was 99 degrees -- the second-highest temperature at the start of a game in the ballpark’s history. And by the final pitch of an 8-1 loss to Colorado, it was well into the triple digits.
The defeat was the Royals’ fourth straight and fifth in six games, dropping the club to 21 games below .500 on the eve of Monday’s 5 p.m. CT Trade Deadline.
“It’s exceptionally frustrating,” manager Matt Quatraro said after his team was swept. “[But] nothing changes regardless of what time of year it is, or who's playing in the games, any of that kind of stuff. This series didn't go the way you want. … But we'll get back after it on Tuesday.”
Before that, however, is a Deadline that could change how this Royals club looks on Tuesday. Kansas City has an off-day before then, giving the club a reset after being outscored 23-8 over the weekend. And they need one after a brutal walk-off loss in Minnesota gave way to a lackluster performance in Denver.
For a team that entered 2026 envisioning additions rather than subtractions at the Deadline ahead of a postseason push with a talented young position player core and a solid veteran-led rotation, Monday will be somewhat surreal.
The face of the franchise, Bobby Witt Jr., will be preparing to come off the injured list, a place he had never been before low back tightness sidelined him toward the end of July.
Left-handers Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic -- All-Stars in 2024 and ’25, respectively -- will still be on the IL, with Ragans expected to miss a big chunk of next season while recovering from UCL surgery and Bubic scheduled to be a free agent at the end of this year.
Those are just some of the many injuries Kansas City has endured in what has become, at least in terms of the standings, a lost season.
With the Deadline less than 24 hours away, where do the Royals go from here, both in terms of more potential trades after Saturday’s deal that sent Lane Thomas and Bailey Falter to the Braves for a pair of pitching prospects, as well as the final two months of the campaign?
Are more moves coming?
Judging by the stance that the Royals have taken so far -- holding onto controllable pieces (particularly veteran starters Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo) that they see as key for competing in 2027, while looking to potentially trade players who are on expiring contracts -- the answer might be: “Sort of.”
After Thomas and Falter were dealt, players who are scheduled to be free agents at season’s end include outfielder Starling Marte and reliever John Schreiber. Depending on what the Royals might receive in return -- Marte has a .608 OPS over 150 plate appearances and Schreiber has a 3.76 ERA over 45 appearances -- they could be moved.
If so, it appears the Royals are seeking players who can contribute in the Majors sooner rather than later, such as Lucas Braun, Kansas City’s new No. 11 prospect acquired in the Thomas/Falter deal
Key everyday position players, such Vinnie Pasquantino (right wrist soreness) and Maikel Garcia (left hand muscle strain), remain sidelined. That opens opportunities for others to prove they belong in the Royals’ plans moving forward.
That includes the club’s Player of the Month for July, infielder/outfielder Tyler Tolbert. The versatile 28-year-old produced a .425/.452/.700 slash line with three home runs and seven steals in 18 games last month while making history along the way.
Another player who is getting more playing time is Nick Loftin. Since the beginning of June, he owns an OPS just under .800 in almost 200 plate appearances.
Meanwhile, Michael Massey got off to a slow start at the plate, but since May 5, he’s posted a .763 OPS. Isaac Collins turned things around in mid-June -- since June 17, his OPS is .854.
The youthful power duo of Jac Caglianone and Carter Jensen had been struggling, but their bats have come alive recently. After going hitless in six straight games from July 20-28, Caglianone is 6-for-22 with a double and two homers. And though he went 0-for-4 on Sunday, Jensen tripled and homered over the first two games in Colorado.