Ex-Braves World Series Champion Named Royals Biggest 2nd Half Breakout Candidate

The Kansas City Royals suffered a gut-punch loss on Friday night at the hands of the Miami Marlins. They were walked off by Kyle Stowers and dropped to 47-51 to start the second half of the 2025 season.

What Kansas City will do at the deadline is not clear yet. They could end up being sellers as opposed to buying and trying to improve the club. If they add though, they'll need help offensively.

As far as strengths, the pitching staff has been just that for this Royals team, and it could potentially get even stronger.

Bleacher Report's Joel Reuter predicts that former World Series champion Kyle Wright will break out for the Royals in the second half.

"Wright has not pitched in a big league game since Sept. 28, 2023, and he is currently sidelined with an oblique strain, but he is expected to return to action soon, and he could end up being the in-house replacement for Seth Lugo if he is moved at the deadline. The 29-year-old is still not that far removed from going 21-5 with a 3.19 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and 174 strikeouts in 180.1 innings during the 2022 campaign," Reuter wrote.

Wright won a World Series title with the Atlanta Braves back in 2021 and followed up that season with a breakout in 2022. He has not quite been the same ever since.

But if Lugo is traded, an opportunity might present itself to him down the stretch. We'll see where the Royals stand in the coming weeks.

More MLB: Dodgers-Royals Trade Idea Sees KC Cut Ties With $45 Million All-Star