Kris Bubic overcame some obstacles to get to the All-Star Game, writes Anne Rogers.
“Kris had that demeanor that resembled the good starting pitchers I’ve been around,” general manager J.J. Picollo said. “The way he talked about pitching, the way he worked — he could explain it all in a very clear way. You just gain belief when you’re around those players.
“Nobody thinks they’re going to fail when they get up here. This game kicks you in the teeth. And it kicked him in the teeth pretty good. But he just kept pushing along.”
Maikel Garcia: “I’m proud to represent the Royals and Kansas City. They gave me an opportunity to be a professional. The fans were happy when they saw the news of me being an All-Star. I appreciate them because they brought me here. I’m here for them.” #Royals pic.twitter.com/NKYxoefAra
— Anne Rogers (@anne__rogers) July 14, 2025
First-round pick Sean Gamble was thrilled to get picked by the Royals.
Those little things are what the Royals picked up on when they invited him to a pre-Draft workout at Kauffman Stadium in June. It was there Gamble met with the front office and built a connection to those inside Kansas City’s organization.
“Them and I really see eye to eye, they really care about you as a person and not just a player,” Gamble said. “It’s a great group of individuals who really care about my success on and off the field, and I just thought it would be a great relationship from the start.
“ … When they called me and told me I was going No. 23, I was thrilled.”
Jaylon Thompson writes about what the Royals see in Gamble.
Gamble fits the Royals’ offensive vision. He has projectable hitting tools that consist of a smooth swing from the left-handed side of the plate. He can also hit the baseball to all fields, as evidenced by his .413 batting average, four home runs and 30 RBIs as a senior.
“You know we look at him to be a top-of-the-order leadoff guy that can really run,” Bridges said. “He’s a 70-run (grade), so real excited. Former hockey player and he played hockey all the way up to the eighth grade and decided he wanted to play baseball.”
David Lesky offers his thoughts on the first day of the draft.
A couple of people I talked to before the draft figured there was no way Hammond made it to the Royals first pick, but they got him with their second pick. He’s technically a pitcher too, but he’s a shortstop (and probably a third baseman very quickly). He prefers hitting, though, plus the Royals have taken two two-way players recently (Jac Caglianone and Austin Charles) with the promise they could still do both and neither has thrown a pitch. Hammond has very real raw power and some excellent bat speed. Getting the chance to develop as a hitter only is going to be huge for him because the actual hit tool is lagging just a bit. Nobody seems to think it won’t come along, but it’s just not there yet. I think he’s a better prospect than Gamble.
Carter Jensen wowed observers in batting practice at the Futures Game, writes Pete Grathoff.
JJ Cooper, the editor-in-chief of Baseball America, said Jensen hit the most home runs of any player during batting practice.
“Royals catcher Carter Jensen was the star of BP,” Cooper wrote on X. “Consistent easy power.”
Jackson County Executive Frank White sends a letter to Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe on stipulations for his support for a new Chiefs stadium.
White says the county is “ready to support the city’s efforts and is willing to step back in should the team present a proposal for us to consider or express interest in reengaging. To date, the Royals have not done so.”
Former Royals pitcher Foster Griffin is drawing attention in Japan.
Here are the starting lineups for tonight’s All-Star Game.
Robot umpires will make their All-Star Game debut tonight.
Cal Raleigh will play for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Rangers outfielder Adolis Garcia is drawing trade interest.
The Blue Jays sign former All-Star reliever Joe Mantiply to a minor league deal.
The Diamondbacks are listening to offers for their outfield depth.
Florida developer Patrick Zalupski will reportedly buy the Rays for $1.7 billion.
The most intriguing picks from day two of the draft.
Trade candidates to watch as the deadline approaches.
Curveballs are disappearing around baseball.
The Cardinals have an attendance problem.
Former MLB pitcher Jim Clancy dies at age 69.
2026 World Cup tickets for matches in Kansas City are now on sale.
Garrett Wilson lands a $130 million extension with the Jets.
The world’s most accurate clock requires a two-mile laser beam.
Tickets for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey are selling out a year in advance.
Your song of the day is Hum with Stars.