Daily Clips
March 25, 2018
LOCAL
Tight shoulder won't deter Duffy from opener
Royals starter leaves final spring outing as precautionary measure
March 24, 2018By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
Moose focused on looking ahead, not back
Royals veteran happy to be 'home' after enduring chilly free-agent market
March 24, 2018By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
Royals release Saunders, Nolasco
March 24, 2018By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
Royals starter Danny Duffy exits final Cactus League start because of tight shoulder
March 24, 2018By Maria Torres/KC Star
Royals release pitcher Ricky Nolasco, outfielder Michael Saunders
March 24, 2018By Maria Torres/KC Star
Alex Gordon Classic baseball tournament helps fight childhood cancer
March 24, 2018KC Star
NATIONAL
Red Sox sign Vazquez to three-year extension
March 24, 2018By Maureen Mullen/MLB.com
MLB TRANSACTIONS
March 25, 2018 •.CBSSports.com
LOCAL
Tight shoulder won't deter Duffy from opener
Royals starter leaves final spring outing as precautionary measure
March 24, 2018By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
Royals left-hander Danny Duffy, the Opening Day starter, left his final start of the spring Saturday in the third inning because of left shoulder tightness.
But Duffy said afterward he didn't think there was any chance his Opening Day start was in jeopardy.
"No, it's not," Duffy said. "We've talked about it. I don't think that -- I know that [it isn't]. I still need to talk to the skipper but I don't think there will be any [need] for convincing."
Royals manager Ned Yost also had little concern.
"I wouldn't even call it an injury," Yost said. "Just some tightness. We don't have much concern over it, either."
Duffy left the game in the third after throwing two fastballs, both at 92 mph. He threw 32 pitches altogether. He was scheduled to throw 95.
Yost and ahtletic trainer Nick Kenney first visited Duffy at the mound in the second inning, but Duffy stayed in the game and got three straight outs.
"The pain is gone as I'm talking to you," Duffy said. "I'll pick up a ball tomorrow and we'll quote-unquote test it out, but I already know it's fine."
Duffy said he first felt some tightness two weeks ago while doing some pickoff drills.
"I felt a pop but [the tightness] went away right away," Duffy said. "I was in the mid-90s next outing. Same thing happened today, and all the tests afterward were negative. It's just precautionary. I'm fine."
McCarthy optioned
The Royals' bullpen situation got a little clearer as they optioned right-hander Kevin McCarthy to Triple-A Omaha after Saturday's game, which ended in a 4-4 tie with the split-squad D-backs.
McCarthy was an early-camp favorite to make the Opening Day roster but posted a 6.30 ERA in eight appearances.
Yost has indicated he will carry eight bullpen pitchers. Kelvin Herrera, Brandon Maurer and Justin Grimm are locks. Rule 5 acquisition Brad Keller, Blaine Boyer and Wily Peralta seem almost sure bets as well, though Peralta's shaky spring has created some doubt. The last two spots could come from this group: Eric Skoglund, Tim Hill, Brian Flynn (out of options) and Rule 5 acquisition Burch Smith.
Camp battle
Keller, trying to land a bullpen spot, continued his strong spring with two scoreless innings Saturday, lowering his ERA to 2.70. Hill, still with an outside chance, lowered his ERA to 2.57 with a scoreless ninth.
Injury updates
• Infielder Adalberto Mondesi, who has been battling right shoulder impingement, made his first start in the field at second base since early March.
• Outfielder Bubba Starling is still out with a strained oblique but began throwing Thursday.
Up next
Right-hander Ian Kennedy will start for the Royals in their final Cactus League game Sunday at 3:05 p.m. CT against the Cubs. Kennedy is expected to start the second game of the regular season next Saturday against the White Sox.
Moose focused on looking ahead, not back
Royals veteran happy to be 'home' after enduring chilly free-agent market
March 24, 2018By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
When the offseason began, no one believed third baseman Mike Moustakas would wind up back with the Royals on a one-year deal worth $6.5 million.
Moustakas had just come off a season in which he set a Royals franchise record with 38 home runs. A multi-year megadeal seemed well within reach.
But the ice-cold free-agent market never produced such an offer.
Moustakas, though, isn't looking back. And he isn't wallowing in self-pity regarding the deal that never came to fruition.
"People keep asking me about that," Moustakas said. "That's all done. The offseason is over and now I can go out and play baseball. It's all in the past.
"I'm here to play baseball. Obviously, things didn't work out the way people thought it would, but that happens. It's over. For me, I get to come home and be around guys I know, people I know, trainers I know. It's a fortunate spot."
And the first thing the Royals' coaching staff noticed when Moustakas arrived is that he hasn't missed a beat. Manager Ned Yost has raved repeatedly about Moustakas' offense and defense.
"He's in great shape and he has picked up right where he left off last season," Yost said. "His timing is there. It's all there."
Moustakas, 29, looks noticeably thinner than he was at the end of last season. He credits an offseason devoted to eating healthier and doing plenty of cardiovascular exercises. He is a year and a half removed from surgery for a torn ACL in his right knee.
"The knee feels 100 percent," Moustakas said. "I was able to do a lot more running this offseason because of that."
Moustakas also is finally recovered from a nasty bruise he endured on his right hip after being nailed by a 98-mph fastball from Detroit's Bruce Rondon in August.
"I didn't think it would ever heal," Moustakas said. "It didn't start feeling better until the last week of the season."
A healthy Moustakas has enjoyed a solid spring, even with his late start (he signed on March 8). He entered Saturday hitting .381 before smacking his fourth homer of the spring in the first inning of the Royals' penultimate Cactus League game vs. the split-squad D-backs.
"I think I have my timing down because I took a lot of BP in the offseason," Moustakas said. "I focused on getting in shape. It all feels good right now. And that's the main thing about camp -- just get out of here healthy."
Royals release Saunders, Nolasco
March 24, 2018By Jeffrey Flanagan/MLB.com
The Royals on Saturday released outfielder Michael Saunders and right-hander Ricky Nolasco.
Both players were non-roster invites and were long shots to make the 25-man roster.
Saunders, who was signed after the Pirates released him earlier this month, was an All-Star with Toronto in 2016. He hit .275 in 16 Cactus League games with zero home runs and three doubles.
Saunders, 31, rejected an assignment to Triple-A Omaha, thus prompting his release.
Nolasco, 35, gave up eight runs on Friday in 2 2/3 innings against the Dodgers, and had a 19.64 ERA in two games this spring.
Royals starter Danny Duffy exits final Cactus League start because of tight shoulder
March 24, 2018By Maria Torres/KC Star
After a pair of mound visits at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick, Royals opening day starter Danny Duffy was removed from his outing against the Diamondbacks on Saturday because of shoulder tightness. It was his final tune-up of spring training.
As his arm was tested for injury, his shoulder had already begun to feel better. He should not miss the season opener on Thursday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium.
"You don’t want to try to push for six, seven innings while you’re here when you could potentially miss a couple starts if you power through it and it is actually something," Duffy said. "Lo and behold, we come out of the game and it’s nothing. It’s better to not gamble."
Duffy was visited on the mound by Royals staff members in the second inning, after he allowed a double and back-to-back walks to start the frame. He told manager Ned Yost and trainer Nick Kenney that his left shoulder felt tight, as though it needed to pop, but he wanted to work through it.
Duffy was allowed to remain in the game. With help from catcher Drew Butera, who started a rundown to catch the Diamondbacks' Jeff Mathis attempting to steal third base, Duffy worked out of the bases-loaded jam. One run scored on a sacrifice fly.
The Royals sent only three batters up in the top of the third inning, limiting Duffy's' recovery time.
He left the game after throwing two pitches to leadoff batter Ben DeLuzio in the bottom half of the inning. Duffy was replaced immediately with Rule 5 pitcher Brad Keller, who threw two no-hit innings in what ended in a 4-4 tie.
"We don’t have much concern over it," Yost said. "We’ll see how he feels tomorrow. But his shoulder was just tight and it didn’t make any sense to push through it right now."
Duffy threw 32 pitches, 16 for strikes, and was charged with one run in his two-plus innings of work. He reached 92 mph with his four-seam fastball against the last batter he faced.
"I was throwing through a swimming pool today," Duffy said. "It was like I had parachutes on every pitch. But it was fine. I’ll be fine, rest assured."
Royals release pitcher Ricky Nolasco, outfielder Michael Saunders
March 24, 2018By Maria Torres/KC Star
The Royals on Saturday released pitcher Ricky Nolasco and outfielder Michael Saunders, each of whom was on a minor-league contract with opt-out clauses. Later, Royals reliever Kevin McCarthy was optioned to Class AAA Omaha.
Just days from Thursday's season opener, the Royals have 36 players remaining on their roster.
Saunders, signed by the Royals one day before they began Cactus League competition in February, declined an assignment to Class AAA Omaha. Had the Royals offered to keep Nolasco, a veteran starter, in the minor leagues, they would have owed him a retention bonus
Saunders appeared in sixteen games this spring. He hit .275 with three doubles and seven RBIs and drew five walks. He entered Royals camp in the middle of a crowded outfield competition, not too unlike his previous situation with the Pirates. But when the Pirates acquired Rays outfielder Corey Dickerson within two days of signing Saunders, Saunders' chance to crack their major-league roster lessened dramatically. Per a previous agreement, the Pirates released Saunders so he could find a better opportunity.
The Royals provided that through the first week of Cactus League competition. Saunders might have fit into a fifth-outfielder role with Alex Gordon, Jorge Bonifacio, Jorge Soler and Paulo Orlando splitting most of the time in the field.
But when the Royals signed free-agent outfielder Jon Jay to a major-league contract a few days prior to announcing Bonifacio's 80 game suspension for taking a performance-enhancing drug, the landscape of the Royals outfield changed immediately.
Nolasco joined Royals camp in early March and didn't make his Cactus League debut until this week. He walked one batter in an inning of relief against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday night. In a start Friday against the Dodgers, he cruised through two innings after allowing a solo homer in the first. But he faltered in the third inning and was charged with eight runs on five hits and two walks over 2 2/3 innings.
Alex Gordon Classic baseball tournament helps fight childhood cancer
March 24, 2018KC Star
Kansas City Royals outfielder Alex Gordon invites local youth boys’ baseball teams to a competitive tournament that raises money to combat childhood cancer.
The fourth annual Alex Gordon Classic will take place April 27-29 at the Mid-America Sports Complex in the 20000 block of Johnson Drive in Shawnee. Besides competing on the field, the teams will raise money for the cause off the field.
The tournament, presented by Price Chopper and organized by Midwest Sports Productions, raises money for the Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation with support from Royals Charities. Gordon will address the teams on April 28.
As an incentive, the team that raises the most money will be able to meet and take a team photo with Gordon, attend a Royals game and batting practice, and participate in a check presentation before the game. All teams will receive other incentives for smaller amounts of money raised.
The foundation honors the memory of cancer patient Alexandra “Alex” Scott, who set up her first lemonade stand at age 4 and raised more than $2,000 to fight the disease. Many more lemonade stands have followed, and the foundation has raised about more than $150 million thus far.
For more information and to register, visit alexslemonade.org, click on Special Events and find the Alex Gordon Classic.
NATIONAL
Red Sox sign Vazquez to three-year extension
March 24, 2018By Maureen Mullen/MLB.com
Before Saturday's 6-0 win over the Astros, the Red Sox and catcher Christian Vazquez agreed to a three-year contract extension through the 2021 season with a club option for '22. Boston selected Vazquez, 27, in the ninth round of the 2008 MLB Draft.
"I feel awesome here in Boston," Vazquez said. "It's a great team, a great staff. I came [up through] the Minor Leagues here, and it feels like a family here, so it feels good."
In 211 Major League games, Vazquez has thrown out 42 percent of attempted basestealers (42-of-100), the highest rate for any catcher since at least 1987 (minimum of 200 games caught), ahead of Hall of Famer Ivan Rodriguez (41.7 percent). He missed the entire 2015 season recovering from Tommy John surgery,
"This is a kid that, he's worked hard at it," manager Alex Cora said. "I know him from back home [in Puerto Rico], and all sentiments apart, I think this is great. This is a guy that, he can catch. … I think he's a good hitter."
Vazquez, a right-handed hitter, will split time behind the plate with Sandy Leon, a switch-hitter. But Cora is not ready to say what the split will be.
"I still feel that on a daily basis, we're going to make decisions based on matchups and how they fit in the lineup," Cora said. "Offensively, Sandy brings -- right-handed he's pretty solid, and left-handed -- you can do a lot of things with him, actually, offensively. Get guys moving. Same deal with Christian. We're very comfortable, comfortable with the way they prepare and call games."
MLB TRANSACTIONS
March 25, 2018 •.CBSSports.com
ATL / Blair, Aaron / Sent to Minors
BOS / Christian Vazquez / Signed ( 2019-2021; Opt 2022)(three-year extension)
ATL / Matt Wisler / Sent to Minors
NYY / Domingo German / Sent to Minors
PHI / Francisco Rodriguez / Released
WAS / Andrew Stevenson / Sent to Minors
KC / Kevin McCarthy / Sent to Minors
BOS / Tzu-Wei Lin / Sent to Minors
BOS / Roenis Elias / Sent to Minors
PIT / Jacob Stallings / Sent to Minors
MIL / Junior Guerra / Sent to Minors
COL / Dahl, David / Sent to Minors
WAS / Pedro Severino / Sent to Minors
WAS / Austin Adams / Sent to Minors
SEA / Chasen Bradford / Sent to Minors
HOU / Tony Kemp / Sent to Minors
ATL / Sims, Lucas / Sent to Minors
MIL / Keon Broxton / Sent to Minors
ARI / Alberto Suarez / Designated for Assignment
ARI / Deven Marrero / Traded From Boston (for future considerations)
PIT / Jordan Luplow / Sent to Minors
BOS / Mike Ohlman / Traded From Texas (for cash considerations)
ARI / Fernando Salas / Purchased From Minors
BAL / Austin Hays / Sent to Minors
TEX / Bartolo Colon / Released
WAS / Reid Brignac / Released
KC / Michael Saunders / Released
MIL / Brett Phillips / Sent to Minors
MIN / Kennys Vargas / Acquired Off Waivers From Cincinnati
WAS / Alejandro De Aza / Released
TOR / Matt Dermody / Outrighted to Minors
CLE / Carlos Torres / Released