KANSAS CITY ROYALS NEWS

Emmanuel Rivera - Absent with illness Rivera was scratched from Tuesday's lineup against the Diamondbacks due to an illness, Joel Goldberg of Bally Sports Kansas City reports.

Impact Kyle Isbel was also scratched Tuesday due to illness symptoms, though neither player is in the COVID-19 protocols as of yet. The Royals have a scheduled day off Wednesday, and Rivera should be considered day-to-day heading into Thursday's series opener at Minnesota.

MAY 25, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Kyle Isbel - Late scratch Tuesday Isbel was scratched from Tuesday's lineup against the Diamondbacks for precautionary reasons due to mild illness symptoms, Joel Goldberg of Bally Sports Kansas City reports.

Impact Isbel was penciled in to start in center field Tuesday, but he was removed from the lineup an hour before first pitch. The 25-year-old should be considered day-to-day until the team updates his status. Dairon Blanco will start in center field in his place.

MAY 25, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Heasley, Royals Looking To Split Series Against Diamondbacks The Royals aim to secure a game two win on Tuesday night.

MAY 25, 2022 • STAR-TELEGRAM.COM

Emmanuel Rivera - Scratched from Tuesday's lineup Rivera (undisclosed) was scratched from Tuesday's lineup against the Diamondbacks.

Impact The reason for the late lineup change is unclear, so Rivera should be considered day-to-day until his status is updated. If the 25-year-old is dealing with an injury, Kansas City has a scheduled day off Wednesday to aid in his recovery before missing additional time. Ryan O'Hearn has entered the lineup in his place.

MAY 24, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Making Sense of Hunter Dozier's Wild Start to the Season Dozier is thriving for the Royals, but in an unorthodox way.

MAY 24, 2022 • STAR-TELEGRAM.COM

Kansas City Royals lag the field one quarter into season. Is there hope for a change? Join our discussion of the Royals’ problems starting at 10 a.m. Tuesday

MAY 24, 2022 • KANSASCITY.COM

Royals' Zack Greinke talks about his start against the Arizona Diamondbacks Kansas City Royals pitcher Zack Greinke talks to reporters after his start against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on May 24, 2022....

MAY 24, 2022 • KANSASCITY.COM

Joel Payamps - Extends scoreless streak Payamps tossed 2.1 scoreless innings Monday versus the Diamondbacks. He allowed a hit and a walk while logging two strikeouts.

Impact Payamps was needed in a multi-inning capacity after starter Zack Greinke allowed seven runs in 3.2 innings. In his last four outings, Payamps has tossed 10.2 scoreless innings, allowing just five hits and two walks in that span. It's an improvement for him to cut down on the baserunners he's allowed -- the right-hander now sports a 1.31 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and 17:5 K:BB across 20.2 innings overall in 12 appearances.

MAY 24, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Carlos Santana - Slaps three hits Santana went 3-for-5 in Monday's 9-5 loss to the Diamondbacks.

Impact All three of Santana's hits were singles. He's now hit safely in four straight games, going 6-for-16 (.375) with a home run, a pair of doubles, four RBI and two runs scored in that span. It's an encouraging burst of offense from the 36-year-old, who has been slumping at the plate for much of the year. He owns a .163/.305/.276 slash line with two homers, 10 RBI, nine runs scored and five doubles through 118 plate appearances.

MAY 24, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Hunter Dozier - Blasts solo shot Dozier went 1-for-4 with a solo home run and a walk in Monday's 9-5 loss to the Diamondbacks.

Impact Three of the Royals' first four batters homered in the first inning off Arizona starter Zach Davies. This was Dozier's second homer in his last five games and his fifth of the year. The slugger is up to a .270/.318/.461 slash line with 13 RBI, 18 runs scored and a stolen base in three attempts while adding eight doubles and two triples. He's hit well enough to maintain a place in the lineup nearly everyday, though he's seen time at first base and right field most often when he's not the designated hitter.

MAY 24, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Royals head into matchup against the Diamondbacks on losing streak

The Kansas City Royals come into the matchup with the Arizona Diamondbacks as losers of five games in a row

MAY 24, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Bobby Witt Jr. - Hits fifth homer Witt went 2-for-5 with a solo home run in a loss to Arizona on Monday.

Impact After Whit Merrifield led off the game with a home run, Witt followed two batters later with a solo blast of his own. The long ball was his fourth over his past 10 games. Over that span, Witt is batting .257 with five RBI, seven runs and a stolen base.

MAY 24, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Whit Merrifield - Homers, swipes bag in loss Merrifield went 2-for-5 with a solo home run, an additional run and a stolen base in Monday's loss to the Diamondbacks.

Impact Merrifield kicked things off for the Kansas City offense with a leadoff homer in the first inning, one of three long balls the team hit in the frame. He scored another run in the second inning after singling, stealing second and coming around on an error. After a brutal start to the campaign, Merrifield is batting .350 (21-for-60) over his past 14 games, adding three homers, 11 RBI, four stolen bases and 15 runs over that span.

MAY 24, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Zack Greinke - Blown up by former club Greinke (0-3) took the loss against Arizona on Monday, pitching 3.2 innings and allowing seven runs on five hits and four walks while striking out five.

Impact In stark contract to most of his outings this season, Greinke received plenty of run support in the contest, as Kansas City exploded out of the gate with four first-inning runs. However, the veteran gave three runs back in the bottom of the frame and ended up being charged with a season-high seven earned runs while failing to escape the fourth inning. Greinke struggled with both his control and command in the outing, doubling his season total with four walks and serving up a pair of long balls. Curiously, he also registered a season-high five strikeouts and induced 11 swinging strikes. Greinke's ERA rose from 3.48 to 4.53 as a result of the poor outing. He'll look to get back on track in his next start, which is scheduled to come in Minnesota this weekend.

MAY 24, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Smith, Walker homers spoil Greinke's return to Arizona, 9-5

Christian Walker and Pavin Smith homered and Ketel Marte’s two-run double broke a fourth-inning tie when Arizona beat Kansas City 9-5 in Zack Greinke’s return to Chase Field

MAY 24, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Five former Diamondbacks pitchers make return trip to Arizona with Kansas City Royals Zack Greinke isn’t the only Royals pitcher with ties to the Royals’ interleague opponent Monday and Tuesday, the Arizona Diamondbacks.

MAY 24, 2022 • KANSASCITY.COM

Changeup has been key to Brady Singer's success since rejoining Kansas City Royals “If anyone was wondering whether or not he could pitch as well as he did last time, he comes out and he’s better.”

MAY 23, 2022 • KANSASCITY.COM

Kansas City Royals vs. Arizona Diamondbacks picks, predictions: Who wins MLB game Monday? The Arizona Diamondbacks host the Kansas City Royals on Monday at Chase Field in Phoenix. Who will win the MLB game?

MAY 23, 2022 • AZCENTRAL.COM

Twins rally to sweep series, beat Royals after trailing 6-0 in eighth inning The Twins rallied with five runs off the Royals' bullpen in the eighth inning and two more in the ninth to finish off a three-game sweep and...

MAY 23, 2022 • STARTRIBUNE.COM

Royals look to break 4-game losing streak, take on the Diamondbacks

The Kansas City Royals aim to stop their four-game losing streak with a win against the Arizona Diamondbacks

MAY 23, 2022 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Kyle Isbel - Adds steal Sunday Isbel went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a stolen base in Sunday's 7-6 loss to the Twins.

Impact Isbel has hit safely in the last five games, going 8-for-17 (.471) with two doubles, two RBI, two steals and a run scored in that span. The outfielder has benefited from more playing time with Michael Taylor (illness) on the COVID-19 injured list, though it's unclear if Isbel has forced his way into more than just a fourth-outfielder role once the Royals' outfield is fully healthy. The 25-year-old owns a .278/.286/.352 slash line with no homers, four RBI, six runs scored and two steals across 56 plate appearances this year.

MAY 23, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Andrew Benintendi - Hitting streak at six games Benintendi went 3-for-4 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored in Sunday's 7-6 loss to the Twins.

Impact Benintendi has gone 11-for-25 (.440) during his current six-game hitting streak, which includes a pair of three-hit efforts in the last two contests. He's up to a .329/.390/.425 slash line with two home runs, 17 RBI, 12 runs scored and four doubles in 40 contests. One notable absence from his game this year is stolen bases -- he's posted no fewer than eight steals in any full season of action in his career, and no less than 13 attempts, but he's yet to test his luck on the basepaths this year. The Royals are usually a team that's aggressive with steals -- Whit Merrifield and Bobby Witt each have six, while Adalberto Mondesi (knee) logged five before his season-ending injury, so it's curious to see Benintendi take a more passive approach.

MAY 23, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Taylor Clarke - Lit up Sunday Clarke allowed four runs on four hits without recording an out in Sunday's 7-6 loss to the Twins.

Impact Clarke got the ball for the eighth inning after Brady Singer tossed seven shutout frames. The Royals led 6-0 when Clarke entered, but he allowed four straight singles before Scott Barlow took over and struggled in his own right. It's been ugly of late for Clarke, who has allowed nine runs (seven earned) in his last four appearances after a solid start to the year. The right-hander has a 4.91 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and 11:0 K:BB in 14.2 innings after Sunday's messy outing. He's added a save, three holds and a blown save in 16 appearances.

MAY 23, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Josh Staumont - Handed loss Sunday Staumont (1-1) took the loss Sunday versus the Twins. He allowed two runs on two hits and two walks with two strikeouts in one inning.

Impact Staumont got the last out of the eighth inning after Taylor Clarke and Scott Barlow worked into a jam. He returned for the ninth, but Staumont got into trouble himself, allowing a sacrifice fly to Gary Sanchez and the go-ahead run on a two-out Gio Urshela single. Sunday's outing ended Staumont's 3.2-inning scoreless streak. The 28-year-old owns a 4.32 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 24:9 K:BB across 16.2 innings. He's logged three saves, two holds and three blown saves in 18 appearances.

MAY 23, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

The Royals' first 40 games are complete, and they raise four major questions This is a club in a frustrated state, one captured brutally by Sunday's scene.

MAY 23, 2022 • THEATHLETIC.COM