KANSAS CITY ROYALS NEWS

Mike Minor - Yields four runs in loss Minor (8-10) allowed four runs on seven hits and two walks over five innings Friday, striking out seven and taking a loss against St. Louis.

Impact Minor got off to a rough start, coughing up a solo shot to Paul Goldschmidt in the first inning and an RBI single to Paul DeJong in the second. He gave up two more runs in the outing, including another solo homer by Tyler O'Neill. Minor has now allowed eight runs through 12 innings while taking a pair of losses in his last two starts. The 33-year-old southpaw will carry a 5.39 ERA into next week's projected home start against the Yankees.

AUGUST 7, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Minor out-dueled as Kansas City Royals lose opener to Cardinals and Wainwright Royals lineup went without Sal Perez in St. Louis.

AUGUST 7, 2021 • KANSASCITY.COM

O'Neill and Goldschmidt homer, Cardinals beat Royals 4-2 ST. LOUIS (AP) — Tyler O’Neill had a career-high four hits, including a solo home run, and Adam Wainwright threw seven effective innings and...

AUGUST 7, 2021 • WINNIPEGFREEPRESS.COM

O'Neill and Goldschmidt homer, Cardinals beat Royals 4-2

Tyler O’Neill had a career-high four hits, including a solo home run, and Adam Wainwright threw seven effective innings and the St. Louis Cardinals beat the Kansas City Royals 4-2...

AUGUST 7, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Andrew Benintendi - Could be available off bench Friday Manager Mike Matheny said there's a chance Benintendi (shoulder) will be available off the bench Friday against the Cardinals, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Impact Benintendi is out of the lineup for the third straight contest Friday after straining his left shoulder in Tuesday's game against the White Sox. Matheny noted that the outfielder is still sore but feeling much better. Given that he could appear off the bench Friday, the 27-year-old figures to have a chance of returning to the starting nine Saturday.

AUGUST 7, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Salvador Perez - Battling illness Perez's absence from the lineup for Friday's game against the Cardinals is due to illness, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Impact Perez was initially in Friday's lineup before being scratched in favor of Cam Gallagher. He's tested negative for COVID-19 but will nonetheless be stuck at the team hotel Friday due to health and safety protocols.

AUGUST 6, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Salvador Perez - Scratched from lineup Perez was scratched from the lineup for Friday's game against the Cardinals for undisclosed reasons.

Impact Perez has been one of the most durable backstops in the league this season, with his 84 starts behind the plate ranking third at the position. It's not yet clear whether he's in line for an extended absence. Cam Gallagher will start in his place.

AUGUST 6, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Michael A. Taylor - Day off Friday Taylor will sit Friday against the Cardinals.

Impact Taylor hits the bench for the first time in two weeks. He owns a modest .674 OPS in the 12 games since his last absence, though that was enough to raise his season OPS to .662. Jarrod Dyson starts in center field Friday.

AUGUST 6, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Edward Olivares - Heads to bench Olivares will sit Friday against the Cardinals.

Impact Olivares' reward for homering in back-to-back games and in four of his last six major-league appearances is a trip to the bench. Ryan O'Hearn will move out to right field with the designated hitter unavailable under National League rules.

AUGUST 6, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Fantasy Baseball adds & drops: Edward Olivares, Daniel Lynch are two to grab from Kansas City Fantasy Sports Hall of Famer Scott Engel gives his waiver wire targets with some young players and rebound candidates highlighted.

AUGUST 6, 2021 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Andrew Benintendi - Remains sidelined Benintendi (shoulder) will sit for the third straight game Friday against the Cardinals.

Impact Benintendi hasn't played since leaving Tuesday's game against the White Sox with a strained left shoulder, though he's yet to be placed on the injured list. Hunter Dozier will be the left fielder Friday, with Emmanuel Rivera making a third straight start at third base.

AUGUST 6, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

KC Royals rookie reliever Jake Brentz talks about his first MLB save, going to play in St. Louis Kansas City Royals left-hander relief pitcher Jake Brentz discussed earning his first save in the majors against the Chicago White Sox at Gu...

AUGUST 6, 2021 • KANSASCITY.COM

Bobby Witt Jr. - Unfazed by Triple-A promotion Witt has homered five times and stolen three bases in 15 games since his promotion to Triple-A Omaha, posting a .290/.338/.565 line in the process.

Impact The mega-prospect's full minor-league line for the season is now .294/.363/.569 with 21 homers, 17 steals, 60 RBI and 60 runs. He's even trimmed his strikeout rate from 24 percent Double-A to 21.6 percent in Triple-A. Just 21 years old, Witt looks ready for the big leagues, but the date of his eventual promotion remains an open question. At one point this spring, it seemed likely that he'd spend the majority of the campaign with the Royals, but as things stand now, it seems like he may not get called up until rosters expand in September. Whenever he does get the call, he could make an instant impact.

AUGUST 6, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Take a look inside Kansas City Royals second baseman Whit Merrifield's house Here is how a Major League Baseball player lives.

AUGUST 6, 2021 • KANSASCITY.COM

Whit Merrifield - Adds another steal Merrifield went 0-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in Thursday's 3-2 win over the White Sox.

Impact While the second baseman went hitless for the second time in three games, he attempted to make an impact in his lone trip on base. Merrifield continues to be one of baseball's best speedsters with 29 stolen bases in 30 attempts this year. He's added a .272/.317/.394 slash line with eight home runs, 54 RBI, 58 runs scored and a pair of triples in 467 plate appearances as Kansas City's leadoff hitter.

AUGUST 6, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Michael A. Taylor - Registers steal in win Taylor went 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in Thursday's 3-2 win over the White Sox.

Impact Taylor is now 3-for-7 over his last two games after enduring an 0-for-12 skid in the four contests prior. The outfielder hasn't stood out in any one way with a .239/.299/.363 slash line, 10 home runs, eight stolen bases, 38 RBI and 43 runs scored through 98 games. He's seen consistent playing time as a near-everyday option in center field.

AUGUST 6, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

KC Royals' pitcher Daniel Lynch sets tone in rubber-match win over White Sox Kansas City Royals win final game to take series against the Chicago White Sox on Thursday, August 5, 2021. Daniel Lynch struck out seven. E...

AUGUST 6, 2021 • KANSASCITY.COM

Royals vs Cardinals Prediction and Pick for MLB Game Tonight From FanDuel Sportsbook Kansas City Royals vs St. Louis Cardinals prediction and MLB pick straight up for tonight's game between KC vs STL.

AUGUST 6, 2021 • FANDUEL.COM

LEADING OFF: Local rivalries, Phils vs Mets for NL East lead

In-state interleague matchups take center stage in several locales Friday as the Chicago White Sox play the Cubs in a Wrigley Field matinee, the Los Angeles Dodgers host the Angels...

AUGUST 6, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Emmanuel Rivera - Doubles, plates two in win Rivera went 1-for-4 with a double and two RBI in Thursday's win over the White Sox.

Impact Rivera hit a two-run double in the first inning off Dallas Keuchel to put the Royals on the board. He was the only player in the game with multiple RBI. The 25-year-old recently returned from the IL with a wrist injury and has appeared in just four games this season, going 3-for-13. This was his first extra-base hit and RBI of the season.

AUGUST 6, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Edward Olivares - Homers in back-to-back games Olivares went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Thursday's win over the White Sox.

Impact Olivares slammed a solo shot off Reynaldo Lopez in the seventh inning to give the Royals a two-run lead. All four of his long balls this season came in his last six games. The 25-year-old has taken advantage of his increase in playing time after the Royals traded Jorge Soler to Atlanta. Olivares is slashing .271/.300/.521 with five RBI, seven runs and a pair of steals in 50 plate appearances.

AUGUST 6, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Kim expected to start as St. Louis hosts Kansas City

The Cardinals will roll out Kwang Hyun Kim to the mound Friday and the Royals plan to give Mike Minor the start

AUGUST 6, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Jake Brentz - Earns first career save Brentz fired a perfect ninth inning while striking out one, earning the save in the win over the White Sox on Thursday.

Impact Brentz received the call to close out the game with a one-run lead for the first time this season. He retired the side in order for his first career save. The 26-year-old has a 3.21 ERA and a 1.22 WHIP with 54 strikeouts in 47.2 innings. Greg Holland and Scott Barlow are the regular ninth-inning guys, but they pitched the seventh and the eighth innings to preserve the lead. Brentz could receive more occasional save opportunities, but the Royals remain a closer-by-committee.

AUGUST 6, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Daniel Lynch - Fans seven in win Lynch (2-3) allowed one earned run on four hits and two walks while striking out seven across five innings, earning the win over the White Sox on Thursday.

Impact Lynch's only damage came in the first inning on a solo home run by Jose Abreu. He shut out the White Sox over the next four innings. His seven-strikeout performance is a career high and it's just the second time he's allowed less than three runs in a start this year. The rookie has a 6.00 ERA and a 1.59 WHIP with 20 punchouts in 27 innings.

AUGUST 6, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

LEADING OFF: Local rivalries, Phils vs Mets for NL East lead

In-state interleague matchups take center stage in several locales Friday as the Chicago White Sox play the Cubs in a Wrigley Field matinee, the Los Angeles Dodgers host the Angels...

AUGUST 6, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS