The Royals have selected Millar with the 97th overall pick in the 2025 First-Year Player Draft.
Millar saw a big uptick in velocity this year after sitting 92 mph with his fastball as a junior in high school in California. This spring he's been up to 97 mph with above-average induced vertical break. At 6-foot-2, 200 pounds, he has a good starter's build.
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Royals' Carlos Estevez: Blows save, earns win
Rotowire
Estevez (4-2) allowed two runs on two hits over one inning Sunday. He earned a win against the Mets but was also charged with a blown save.
Estevez blew a 2-0 lead in the ninth inning but earned his fourth win of the season after Nick Loftin's walk-off single. Estevez had converted eight straight save chances before the weekend series against the Mets, where he was charged with a blown save in each of his two appearances. Despite that, he owns an impressive 2.36 ERA and a 35:15 K:BB across 42 innings while securing 25 saves in 30 chances.
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Royals' Noah Cameron: Punches out eight
Rotowire
Cameron did not factor in the decision during Sunday's win over the Mets. He allowed seven hits and two walks over 6.2 shutout frames while striking out eight.
Cameron worked around a few jams with the help of two double plays and matched his career high of eight punchouts. He generated 16 whiffs after producing 17 in his last outing; Cameron totaled just 19 swinging strikes over his previous three starts. He coughed up six runs against the Yankees on June 10 and five runs against the Dodgers on June 27. He's given up two or fewer runs in each of his 10 outings aside from those two hiccups. Cameron owns a terrific 2.31 ERA with a 58:22 K:BB over 70 innings.
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Royals' Michael Lombardi: Taken in second round
Rotowire
The Royals have selected Lombardi with the 61st overall pick in the 2025 First-Year Player Draft.
A reliever in college at Tulane, Lombardi figures to be stretched out in pro ball thanks to his quality four-seamer. The 6-foot-3, 201-pound righty could stand to improve his breaking ball.
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Royals' Josh Hammond: Goes 28th overall
Rotowire
The Royals have selected Hammond with the 28th overall pick in the 2025 First-Year Player Draft.
While Hammond's future is likely as a power-hitting third baseman, he is a rare prep two-way player who could actually maintain his two-way play in pro ball for a year or two before having to leave one aspect behind. A shortstop/right-handed pitcher from North Carolina, Hammond's bat took a jump late in his high school career as he got into better shape and showed off easy plus raw power. At 6-foot-1, 205 pounds, Hammond will still need to stay on top of his conditioning, but he has 25-plus homer upside and may end up developing an average or better hit tool. He is likely done pitching, but at his best he showed a plus mid-90s fastball and plus slider on the mound.
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Royals' Sean Gamble: Selected by Royals
Rotowire
The Royals have selected Gamble with the 23rd overall pick in the 2025 First-Year Player Draft.
An athletic lefty hitter from Iowa who played all four years of high school at IMG Academy in Florida, Gamble has five-tool potential although his eventual defensive home is unclear. He's hit-over-power now, but he could continue to fill out his 6-foot-1 frame while adding pop, so there's a chance he's eventually a 20-homer hitter with plus speed. Gamble can play a decent center field and a good second base, with corner outfield and shortstop also long-shot possibilities. He turned 19 a week before the draft, which combined with his experience playing premium competition at IMG, should lead to high expectations in the lower levels of the minors. Gamble's lack of weaknesses gives him a sneaky high fantasy ceiling.
Rave will start in left field and bat seventh in Sunday's game against the Mets.
The Royals will include Rave in the lineup for a fifth straight matchup with a right-handed starting pitcher, in this case Clay Holmes. Despite the recent uptick in playing time, Rave has been unable to capitalize on the opportunity, slashing just .136/.269/.136 with no extra-base hits and one stolen base so far in July.
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Royals' Nick Loftin: Resting for series finale
Rotowire
Loftin is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mets.
Though Loftin will take a seat for the Royals' final game of the first half, he appears to have gained some stability in the lineup. He started each of the prior seven games -- three in left field, three at second base and one at third base -- while going 6-for-25 with two home runs, a double, five RBI and three runs.
Bowlan (1-2) allowed two runs on four hits and struck out four without walking a batter over three innings to take the loss versus the Mets on Saturday.
Michael Lorenzen (illness) was scratched from Saturday's start, leading to an impromptu bullpen game for the Royals. Bowlan followed opener Angel Zerpa, and it was a Juan Soto two-run home run that did Bowlan in during this low-scoring, 3-1 loss. Bowlan has allowed three runs over four innings during his current stint in the majors. He's at a 3.79 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 14:8 K:BB over 19 innings across 14 relief appearances this season.
Fermin isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game versus the Mets.
Fermin will sit down for the fourth time in five games after making five consecutive starts earlier in the month. Salvador Perez will serve as Kansas City's catcher while Jonathan India gets a turn as the DH.
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Royals' Angel Zerpa: Starting Saturday's contest
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Zerpa will start Saturday's game against the Mets.
Zerpa will take the mound in the first inning on short notice, as original starter Michael Lorenzen was scratched due to an illness. Zerpa owns a 3.89 ERA and 1.32 WHIP through 39.1 innings this season, though he likely won't remain in the game for more than an inning or two before turning the game over to Kansas City's bullpen.
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Royals' Michael Lorenzen: Scratched from start
Rotowire
Lorenzen was scratched from his scheduled start Saturday against the Mets due to an illness.
Lorenzen's illness will put an early end to his first half, and he'll carry a 4.61 ERA with a 1.30 WHIP through 99.2 innings into the All-Star break. While he recovers, Angel Zerpa will start on the mound Saturday in what is likely to be a bullpen game for the Royals.
Witt went 2-for-5 with a double and a two-run home run during Friday's 8-3 loss to the Mets.
Witt is up to 14 straight games with a hit after notching a multi-hit performance Friday, the sixth time he's had multiple hits during his streak. The hot stretch has covered the entirety of July, so it makes sense that this has been Witt's best month from a hitting standpoint. The All-Star shortstop is slashing .400/.436/.629 this month with two doubles, two homers and seven RBI.
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Royals' Michael Wacha: Strikes out five in five frames
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Wacha earned a no-decision after throwing five innings, alllowing one run on two hits and three walks while striking out five, during Friday's 8-3 loss to the Mets.
After allowing 21 hits combined over his last three starts spanning 15 innings, Wacha surrendered just two hits and one run in his five innings against the Mets. It's the seventh time the 34-year-old has surrendered one run or fewer in his 19 starts, and he'll enter the All-Star break on a high note. He ends the first half with a 3.74 ERA,1.27 WHIP and a 84:33 K:BB in 106.0 innings
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