Welcome, all, to the 13th annual Royals Review NCAA March Madness bracket challenge. Normally, as I have done for the last dozen years, I would start this off by listing the winners of the previous year’s bracket.
The Kansas City Royals have found themselves in the national spotlight early this spring because of how their top stars have taken over the World Baseball Classic.
Italy’s fairytale run, when it ended, left quite a mark. And right at the center of it all was Vinnie Pasquantino, who turned a semifinal exit into something way bigger than a final score. Monday night in Miami was the stuff of dreams.
As Spring Training opens for 2026, all 30 teams have high hopes and big questions. These are the storylines to follow for each team heading into Opening Day.
Vinnie Pasquantino incorrectly noted which teams were in the WBC final four and apologized. Oops. It’s ok – he’s highly caffeinated and we all make mistakes when we’re W I R E D.
The World Baseball Classic delivered another defining moment as Vinnie Pasquantino’s leadership stood out following Italy’s semifinal loss. After the matchup against Venezuela, Pasquantino addressed Team Italy’s fans with a message that reflected pride and progress.
The 2026 World Baseball Classic delivered another defining moment as Venezuela advanced past Italy in a high-energy semifinal. The matchup showcased not only timely hitting but also an atmosphere that felt anything but neutral.
The last week of spring training is the rare time of year in Major League Baseball when the attention is shifts away from the stars and onto the players at the fringes of the roster.
As Opening Day nears, the Kansas City Royals have a few roster decisions to make. For the most part, the roster appears set, but a handful of questions remain in the pitching department.
The 2026 MLB season is right around the corner, and it is never too early to start thinking about how it might unfold. Seemingly, every year, we have a decent handle on who should contend and who is likely to struggle, which makes looking ahead to the trade deadline inevitable.
The margin was razor-thin, but the message from Bobby Witt Jr. was pretty clear. Team USA survived a tense 2-1 battle against the Dominican Republic in the 2026 World Baseball Classic semifinal on March 15.
Spring training storylines are heating up while the World Baseball Classic continues to showcase baseball’s global reach — and the Royals Rundown Podcast is here to break it all down.
The Kansas City Royals have a very strong roster, and they’ll look to return to the postseason for the first time since 2024 after missing the postseason last year.
The Kansas City Royals have a lot to be excited about this spring. Their best players, like Maikel Garcia, Vinnie Pasquantino, and Bobby Witt Jr. have dominated the World Baseball Classic, representing the Royals on the biggest stage in baseball.
Someone on the Royals’ bench needs the ability to play third, in case All-Star Maikel Garcia goes down or needs a rest. The two most likely candidates to fill that role would be either Josh Rojas or Nick Loftin.
Vinnie Pasquantino, Jac Caglianone and Team Italy defeated Seth Lugo and Puerto Rico on Saturday. On Saturday, Lugo — representing Puerto Rico — took the mound against Italy in the World Baseball Classic quarterfinals at Daikin Park in Houston.
Kansas City Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. helped Team USA survive a tense battle with the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic. Under the bright stadium lights, the Americans edged Team DR 2–1 to reach their third straight Classic final.
The Kansas City Royals have leaned on their starting pitching for success over the past two seasons. In 2024, the Royals’ rotation ranked second in ERA at 3.55.
With MLB stars such as captain Vinnie Pasquantino in their ranks, Team Italy continues to send shockwaves through the 2026 World Baseball Classic. They secured a spot in the quarterfinals after stunning Team USA, then took the top spot in Pool B with a win over Mexico.
Many Kansas City Royals fans have most likely been devoting a lot of their time recently to watching the highlight reel plays coming from Bobby Witt Jr.
The Rays announced that they have acquired right-hander Matthew Hoskins from the Royals as the player to be named later in the Kameron Misner trade. Tampa flipped Misner to Kansas City for cash or a PTBNL in November.