Rival Roundup, Vol. 21: The Kansas City Royals Recap
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Six years ago, the Royals brought a World Series banner back into the American League Central for the first time since 2005. Since then, it’s been a steep slide to the bottom, as that core group changed locales, retired, or were phased out of the league. But even though it’s been six years, it feels like Kansas City is starting to come back sooner than anticipated.
But are they for real? Or will their series of surprising transactions still leave them down at the bottom?
Boston Red Sox notebook: Bobby Dalbec homers twice in blowout, Kiké Hernández stays hot; Franchy Cordero arrives in camp
Updated Mar 03, 2021;
Posted Mar 03, 2021
FT. MYERS, FL - MARCH 2: Enrique Hernandez #5 of the Boston Red Sox hits a home run during the third inning of a Grapefruit League game against the Tampa Bay Rays on March 2, 2021 at jetBlue Park at Fenway South in Fort Myers, Florida. (Photo by Billie Weiss/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) Local Caption Enrique HernandezGetty Images
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Bobby Dalbec sure likes hitting at Hammond Stadium. Three days after hitting his first spring home run against the Twins, Dalbec added two more as the Red Sox won, 14-6, on the other side of Fort Myers.
MLB Trade Rumors
Jake Odorizzi is the clear top free agent left on the board. Oftentimes, when a player’s market drags to this extent, there’s continued speculation about a return to his prior team. There’s been some of that with regard to Odorizzi and the Twins, but president of baseball operations Derek Falvey all but ruled out the possibility in an appearance on MLB Now with Brian Kenney yesterday (video link).
“We look at our team as primarily put together here,” Falvey candidly replied when asked about a reunion with Odorizzi. “We know Jake contributed exceptionally well for us over the last few seasons, and certainly we wish him well. For us, our focus is on the players who are internally in camp at this point. We feel really good about the pitching we have already.”
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FORT MYERS, FLA. – Alex Colome recorded 42 saves in 2019 and 2020, second-most in the American League, and his 91.3% conversion rate also ranks second-best in the entire league.
Now the former White Sox closer walks onto a pitching staff run by a manager who has said he doesn t believe in having a ninth-inning saves specialist. Can Colome learn to love Rocco Baldelli?
Good news for the Twins: He already does. I feel comfortable and grateful that I m here with him, said the 32-year-old righthander, who spent four seasons with Tampa Bay while Baldelli was a Rays coach. He s always been someone open and welcoming. … Someone who listens to you, that s open to listening to you.
The future of the Twins' starting rotation will go through Kenta Maeda with top prospects Jordan Balazovic and Jhoan Duran likely to factor in, too. Could José Berríos be part of those teams, too?
The Twins' two-time Opening Day starter said Friday that his representatives have engaged with the