Royals Rumblings - News for September 30, 2024
We’re in the big dance!
The Royals clinched a playoff spot and Anne Rogers got the reactions from the team.
That ended up being a favorite moment from Friday night because of the fact they were surrounded only by their teammates, coaches and staff.
“Being able to hug everybody in that room and say we made it into the playoffs, especially after how tough last year was, it was just amazing,” Alec Marsh said. “This whole team, how close we are, just the excitement that everyone had, it was powerful. It was just love.”
“This is my family,” Angel Zerpa added. “I’ll remember every moment of this night.”...
“This is what I dreamed of as a kid,” Witt told me. “I saw the pictures. I bought the shirts. Now I’m in the pictures. And I have the shirt.”
She also has a Vinnie Pasquantino update.
Pasquantino broke his right thumb while reaching for a wild throw at first base on Aug. 29 in Houston and had a six- to eight-week return timeline, but he’s likely to return far sooner than that — he and the Royals are eyeing the AL Wild Card Series beginning on Oct. 1. Pasquantino is scheduled for another live batting practice session on Sept. 30 wherever the Royals’ workout is (either Houston or Baltimore, depending on how seeding shakes out the final day of the regular season.) Rosters don’t have to be set until the morning of Oct. 1, so if the medical team determines Pasquantino is good to go — expect to see him on it.
Cole Ragans will start Game 1 of the Wild Card series.
“For him to get the ball this year in his first full season as a major-league starter and get the ball in Game 1 of the playoffs is incredible,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “It’s an accomplishment for him and it’s a credit to the pitching department, medical staff and everybody that’s been able to help him through the course of this year.”
Bobby Witt Jr. won the fifth batting title in franchise history, and first since George Brett in 1990.
“I’ve said this many times this year, he is scratching the surface of what he can actually do in this game,” Royals hitting coach Alec Zumwalt said. “His numbers are great, but I know he can do more.
“He knows he can do more and he is motivated to do more. What he has gone through this year will only help him get to those numbers and just continue to be the player we always believed he was going to be.”
The Omaha Storm Chasers fell to the Sugar Land Space Cowboys for the Triple-A Championship.
The Mets and Braves will play a doubleheader today as the Diamondbacks watch to determine which two teams get the final Wild Card spots.
Luis Arraez holds on to win the National League batting title, depriving Shohei Ohtani of a Triple Crown.
Detroit’s Tarik Skubal wins the American League pitching Triple Crown.
The Twins say manager Rocco Baldelli will return next year.
Marlins manager Skip Schumaker won’t return with the team.
The Angels set a franchise record for losses in a season with 99.
The Pirates say Isiah Kiner-Falefa chose to forgo playing time despite being close to performance bonus.
The Tigers release reliever Shelby Miller.
The Cardinals are expected to part ways with first baseman Paul Goldschmidt.
St. Louis also may be looking to trade pitcher Sonny Gray.
White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf calls this season a “failure.”
Dominican pioneer Ozzie Virgil Sr. dies at the age of 92.
The Americans win the Presidents Cup for a tenth consecutive time.
What causes false positives in drug testing?
Francis Ford Coppola’s $140 million passion project Megalopolis is playing to empty theaters.
Your song of the day is Panic! At the Disco with Hey Look Ma, I Made It.