Weekend Rumblings - News for May 13, 2023

The Royals are talkin’ trades.

Salvador Perez was scratched from Friday’s game with blurry vision.

“Salvy got a little bit of blurry vision. He saw a specialist and they already treated it,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “It’s just a matter of time until it resolves. It’s nothing long term or serious.”

Anne Rogers writes about the new shirts the Royals are sporting.

Players and coaches wore blue and gray shirts that Melissa Lambert, associate director of behavior science, helped design with the Royals’ creative team. A diagonal blue arrow is overlaid by a white, curvy line signifying peaks and valleys.

Underneath the graphic is the phrase: Progress > Perfection.

“As athletes, we’re seen as idols to people … seen as superheroes in some ways,” first baseman Nick Pratto said. “But we’re all human beings going through experiences. We all have our pasts, presents and futures. [We all have] worries and doubts. It’s bringing the human element into the game. And letting the world know that we’re all in it together.”

Anne also has a Nicky Lopez update.

Ken Rosenthal writes the Royals are already talking trades.

Rival clubs report the Royals already are active in trade discussions, but mostly on minor deals such as the one they made Monday, acquiring right-hander James McArthur from the Phillies for 19-year-old outfielder Junior Marin. The Phillies had designated McArthur for assignment. The Royals want to be aggressive on certain pitchers at the bottom of other teams’ 40-man rosters if such players become available.

The more intriguing development is that the Royals already are receiving calls on Aroldis Chapman, according to major-league sources who were granted anonymity so they could speak candidly.

David Lesky writes that the Royals will have some roster decisions to make soon.

And then finally Lopez returning from his appendectomy is the one everyone is waiting for. I am pretty well convinced that it will mark the end of Hunter Dozier’s time with the team. But Garcia has a lot to say about that. He hasn’t put up great numbers since he was called up, but he has played excellent defense and looks like he belongs with some great plate appearances in his time. I think as long as he continues to look like he belongs that he will stay and Dozier will go. But there is always a chance that he goes into a deep slump or something like that. I think we all hope that doesn’t happen. And, of course, this is baseball. Every time you think it’s all set up for one thing, something else happens that makes every previous discussion moot, so there’s always that to worry about.

Craig Brown praises Matt Quatraro for his bold squeeze bunt to win Thursday’s games.

I thought it was interesting Quatraro would mention getting the ball off the ground, thinking about a sacrifice fly in that situation. Lopez has a 32 percent flyball rate this year, which is a bit above his career rate of 26 percent. I don’t think it’s necessarily difficult to get the ball off the ground against Lopez (his ground ball rate this year is 39.5 percent, 36 percent for his career), but I can understand the process behind the call.

I also love the fact that Quatraro is thinking about putting his players in positions where they can succeed. I’m not sure that’s always been a consideration in the Royals dugout in the past. Good things should come from that thought process.

The Royals signed pitcher Brett de Geus to a minor league contract.

Former Royals pitcher Brandon Finnegan and the independent Kansas City Monarchs began their season last night in Iowa.

Kevin O’Brien at Royals Reporter considers if Nick Pratto’s hot start is legit.

Vahe Gregorian wrote about the 40th anniversary of the Pine Tar Game.

Longtime umpire Don Denkinger, known for his call in the 1985 World Series, dies at the age of 86.

Orioles outfielder Cedric Mullins hits for the cycle.

Twenty-year old Marlins pitcher Eury Perez strikes out seven in his MLB debut.

Twins starter Tyler Mahle will get Tommy John surgery.

Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen is out for two months.

Justin Verlander becomes the 21st pitcher to defeat all 30 MLB teams.

Who are the most surprising hitters this year?

A look back at the Randy Arozarena trade to the Rays.

The decision to move Jazz Chisholm Jr. to center is looking good now.

A junior college baseball manager resigns after his team is caught with illegal communications devices in their helmets.

What are the best revenge games in the 2023 NFL schedule?

Luis Perez has become the king of spring pro football leagues.

Beans are really good for you and good for the environment, so why don’t we eat them more?

Loneliness is declared a public health threat by the Surgeon General.

Disney Princesses, ranked by how well they’d survive the real world.

Your song of the day is Talking Heads with Wild Wild Life.