- 2 days ago
Royals Insider Jaylon Thompson checks in to talk Royals/White Sox and the injuries all over MLB.
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00:00KFH.
00:04And now, digging deeper with the teams you follow,
00:08it's another Sports Daily Insider interview on KFH.
00:13And we welcome in Jalen Thompson, our Kansas City Royals insider.
00:18Jalen, we won't ask you about Brendan Sorsby and your thoughts.
00:23But we will ask you about the Kansas City Royals.
00:26That's a bummer to not take that series against the Rangers, I'll be honest.
00:31You had the Lugo situation in the middle,
00:33kind of messed up your chances to take it on the first try.
00:37And then you get yesterday's game where they just can't get a lot going on offense.
00:42And Kumar Rocker's been pretty good lately.
00:44He kind of shut him down.
00:46But then they had some opportunities that felt like they didn't take advantage of either.
00:50Do you think that kills any of this momentum and buzz?
00:54Because it's kind of felt like it has been building a little bit to not take that series at home?
01:01I think it puts a dent in it, but I don't think it does.
01:05I think we just know who the Royals are.
01:09They're 28-41.
01:11So it's just a matter of them having to just play to their best capabilities each night.
01:18And sometimes you're just going to come up short.
01:21But you got to remember, too, everyone says, oh, it was early.
01:26That's what we said in April and May.
01:28Now we're in June.
01:29They've been playing better in June.
01:31Just got to keep winning these series.
01:34That's the only way the road's going to climb out of this.
01:37I don't think you can look at the standings right now.
01:39It's not time for that.
01:41You just got to win one day at a time.
01:43And truthfully, this team is banged up.
01:46Almost every one of the top guys is dealing with something.
01:50Just how Kyle Isbell go down with a left foot injury.
01:56So you got the pictures that I heard.
01:58It's a wounded team.
02:00So it's kind of hard to get upset when they lose these games because they don't have their full capabilities
02:04right now.
02:06I made the point, Jalen, that looking at the standings is, you know, they're still, you know, because the American
02:13League is just so bad that we've talked about at length.
02:15You can't look at how many games back they are of the wildcard spot.
02:20It's almost like right now you need to look at how far away they are from going the other way.
02:24Like, you can't, stacking wins is less important than stacking, than not stacking losses right now is what I'm trying
02:31to say.
02:32Yeah, that's a good point.
02:34That's a good way to look at it.
02:36And for everyone that is worried about losses, you got to remember, too, that even the best teams are going
02:44to lose 60-something games.
02:46Because if you go 162, that's a great season, really great season.
02:52And most teams aren't going to do that.
02:55And in this American League, you might have a team that is 82-80, 80-82 that makes the playoffs
03:02this year.
03:03Because that's just how bad the league is.
03:06These teams are going to keep beating up on each other.
03:09The Royals, even how bad they are right now, you can't say that they're out of it.
03:15Because in reality, realistically, they're not out of it.
03:18But you better hope they keep on each other.
03:22You think there's a better chance we go sub-500 for American League wildcard team?
03:27I think there's a better chance a couple teams get hot and pull away.
03:33I don't know who it's going to be.
03:36But we'll have trades that impact that.
03:40Like, I...
03:41Well, I say this right here.
03:43I don't know if for certain that you'll see a lot of big trades go down.
03:50You'll see the aspiring contracts get moved.
03:53But I don't know if you'll see the major, major trades that everyone is pronosticating to go down.
04:01Because if you have a guy that has a couple years left on his contract,
04:07I'm not trading for that if I don't know if we're going to play a full season next year.
04:13Oh, that's true, too.
04:14Yeah.
04:15I don't know if you're...
04:17You'll probably see a school will get moved because he's had an aspiring contract, right?
04:21But in the terms of if you're a team like, let's say, the Tampa Bay Rays,
04:27do you actually want to go buy this trade deadline and add more years of a contract to you
04:36when you might not even play but half the year next year if there's a lockout, right?
04:40So it's a lot to look at and wait.
04:44And so that's why I think in the American League, Aaron Judge is hurt right now.
04:48The Yankees are dealing out their captain.
04:50I mean, and no one's really running away with it.
04:53It could just...
04:54Everyone could just be a 500 team, maybe a little bit over 500.
04:58Yes, you'll get a team or two that will break out.
05:00But right now you've got the White Sox leading the American League Central.
05:04And who would have thought that?
05:06It's crazy.
05:07Crazy times in the American League right now.
05:09Also crazy is that Jack Haglione is maybe the best hitter on the Royals right now.
05:13I saw...
05:14I believe you saw...
05:14I did a piece on him the other day.
05:15I saw Jalen batted cleanup yesterday,
05:19playing basically every day.
05:20It's everything we wished for and more.
05:23He's playing well.
05:24He's playing well.
05:25And honestly, he deserves it.
05:27I mean, I talked to him and...
05:30The biggest key of what makes Jack Haglione different than what he was when he first came up last year
05:36is Tuesday night when he took that 11th pitch at bat.
05:42He saw everything in Nathan Involve, his arsenal.
05:46Then the next two bats that he had, he had two home runs.
05:50If that doesn't tell you the difference in Jack Haglione from 2025 to 2026,
05:56I don't know what to tell you.
05:58This guy, he's playing without thinking, which means he's playing free.
06:04He's just up there playing the game of baseball.
06:07And that is where you want to be if you are an athlete in any sport.
06:11When you get to a point where you don't have to think too much,
06:14you just go and react and you play.
06:17Because that's when your talent shines the most.
06:20And I think for Jack Haglione, he's getting to that point.
06:23He's understanding that I am...
06:26I have all this talent.
06:28I have all this ability.
06:29I'm one of the best players in this organization
06:32and can be one of the best power hitters in this league.
06:35Let me show that.
06:36You're seeing it everywhere.
06:39The hits that he's getting right now,
06:41if we're being just honest,
06:43Jack Haglione is the best player in Major League Baseball right now in June.
06:47The numbers bear it out.
06:50It's incredible.
06:52He's hitting...
06:53In this Rangers series, he hit 750.
06:56He was 9 for 12 in that series.
07:00In June, he's hitting 533.
07:03He has a 611 on-base percentage.
07:05That's insane numbers.
07:06Jack Haglione is...
07:07He's on the heater right now.
07:09He's on a heater.
07:10Should have been on a heater to start the year, I'll say now.
07:13Revisionist.
07:14But, you know, the second home run he hit the other night
07:17in his two-home run game,
07:18that was off a lefty reliever.
07:21Jalen, so let's just...
07:23Look, they've got a chance to win a bunch of the next six games.
07:26So, it's too early to have the conversation.
07:29But I don't think it's too early to start thinking about it.
07:32And certainly the Royals have been.
07:34Who are the biggest trade candidates here?
07:36Like, who would be the most likely to be moved?
07:40I don't think there's much chance the Royals are adding anybody.
07:42So, if they trade pieces away,
07:45what are the most likely pieces we could see?
07:48Probably all the aspiring contracts.
07:50So, I'm saying Chris Bubich, Matt Strong.
07:54I'm thinking you probably will see
07:57a Lane Thomas maybe get moved,
08:00a Starling Marte,
08:01only because teams that are in it
08:03will want a bat or so that can fit a particular role.
08:07Honestly, you might see...
08:10Someone might call about John Shriver.
08:12Someone might want to add him to their bullpen.
08:15I think he's an aspiring contract, too.
08:17Do you get a call on Daniel Lynch?
08:19I mean, do you sell high on Daniel Lynch?
08:21He's been your best high-letters reliever.
08:23But, as we all know,
08:24if you're a losing team,
08:26you want to get rid of all your bullpen
08:29and your relief help.
08:30And really, the Royals' bullpen's already been terrible.
08:33It's the worst bullpen in the league anyway.
08:35So, if you can get something for any of those relievers,
08:39I would think that's great.
08:39Who's the most valuable of all those pieces
08:41you just mentioned?
08:42Bubich?
08:43Bubich is the most valuable.
08:44He's the one that probably is going to bring you back the most.
08:47But, like I said, it's an inspiring contract.
08:49I think the Royals got to move him anyway.
08:52They might not move any of those other guys I just mentioned.
08:57But I think whether they're good or they're bad,
09:00they're moving Chris and Bubich at the deadline.
09:02You just have to because you're not going to be able to re-sign him.
09:07And you've got to get something for him.
09:09You can't just let him walk out the door.
09:12I'd agree.
09:12I would agree with that.
09:14Speaking of pitchers, Seth Lugo, is he okay?
09:18Yes, he's fine.
09:20Seth Lugo.
09:20That is an insane play.
09:22Yeah, yeah.
09:23We talked to him yesterday.
09:25Was he at the stadium?
09:27Yeah.
09:27He was coherent.
09:29He was alert.
09:30He was making jokes.
09:32He said, he told Nemo, he said,
09:35why don't you just head into the fountains next time?
09:37You know, they're good friends.
09:38So, you know, he was joking with Nemo saying,
09:41hit a home run.
09:42Don't hit me in the face.
09:44But, no, he's good.
09:45He said that he has, of course, some minor symptoms.
09:48But he was really happy that he could bounce back like he did.
09:54And I thought that was a good thing.
09:56He was in good spirits.
09:58Jalen, what do we have coming up this week for you?
10:01So, we're looking at a Avila-Cameron-Kolick starts against Houston.
10:10Houston's not very good either.
10:12I mean, at some point here, like, they've been playing better.
10:17Is this a 4-2 situation?
10:21Houston-Washington coming up?
10:22Is it 5-1?
10:24Like, what needs to happen?
10:28Washington is not a – that's not an easy out in Washington.
10:32So, I mean, but you'll have your guys.
10:35Hopefully, we'll be back pitching that series.
10:37But I think you got to win series here.
10:41So, I would say go 4-2.
10:43I think that's what you have to do.
10:454-2.
10:47And what would that put you at?
10:49You're 13-under now.
10:50If you're 4-2, you'll be 11 back, right?
10:53Or something of that nature.
10:5510 back.
10:55Yeah, the schedule after that is nasty.
10:593 against St. Louis, 7 against Tampa, 3 against the White Sox.
11:05Most of those games are on the road.
11:08Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly.
11:10You know, by – what would that put them at?
11:12After that second Tampa series, it'll be July 3rd.
11:15Yeah.
11:16Yeah, that Tampa-Chicago White Sox series looks really daunting
11:20because of what the White Sox are doing.
11:22Yeah.
11:23I still can't believe it, by the way.
11:25Well, I mean, they're playing above their means,
11:28and they have confidence.
11:29I mean, you got to give it to the White Sox.
11:32How many people that watch baseball, Jalen, a lot,
11:36do you think could give us five White Sox players right now?
11:42Not very many people.
11:4310% of baseball fans, not the general public.
11:47Actually, could I off the top of my head?
11:50I don't think I can.
11:51I don't think I can.
11:52I know more.
11:53I can tell you.
11:54But try it.
11:54Let's try it.
11:55Y'all try it real quick.
11:56Me and Jacob combined here.
11:58More Kami.
12:00He's hurt, but we're going to count him.
12:01He's been the story for them.
12:05God, they traded everybody.
12:07I don't even – Colson Montgomery.
12:09We just saw him.
12:11I mean, we just saw him here.
12:12I know.
12:13They're all young now.
12:14They're all young.
12:15They're all up-and-comers.
12:16We just don't know.
12:19Exactly, right?
12:21I couldn't name any pitchers.
12:23My Droth has been there for a minute.
12:24Yeah.
12:25Yeah.
12:25He's been there a minute.
12:27I'm trying to think of their pitchers is who I'm trying to think of now.
12:29I can't give you a single pitcher.
12:32That's the thing.
12:33Oh, I do know one.
12:34I do know one because I've used him in fantasy baseball.
12:38Sean Burke.
12:39Yep, yep, yep.
12:40What did we get to?
12:41Four?
12:42That's four.
12:42And they got that 6'7 kid or that 6'10 kid.
12:46Oh, yeah.
12:47Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah.
12:48He deals.
12:49He pitched you before.
12:50I mean, you got –
12:51They have guys that you just don't know.
12:53But like I said, you know what's really good about the White Sauce, which is very underrated.
12:59No one's talking about.
13:00They went and they got Zach Bowe from the Royals.
13:03He's turned around that pitching staff.
13:05Yeah.
13:07Well, the Royals are going to have to beat them.
13:09I still don't know if I believe like that when we sit here in three months, the White Sox are
13:13going to win the Central or be in the playoffs.
13:16I – that just seems crazy to me.
13:20The White Sox in the playoffs this year?
13:22That's possible.
13:23It'll be the most forgettable playoff team of all time.
13:26Now, maybe those – maybe these all become household names, I suppose.
13:32Yeah.
13:32Crazy.
13:33Jalen, you got a World Cup team, Jalen?
13:36We got to get all of our insider's takes on this.
13:39I'm going to go with Team USA.
13:41Okay.
13:41Well, that's the obvious one.
13:42You got to have a second team after USA.
13:45I'm not the biggest soccer guy, but if I had to choose, I mean, Argentina, I guess, won last time.
13:52Don't we all just have to get behind Team Mexico?
13:54I know they're a rival apparently, but I feel like that's the team we all got to kind of generally
13:59get behind.
14:00Everybody's got a second team.
14:01But Canada has no shot.
14:02Canada has no shot.
14:03Well, USA probably doesn't have no shot.
14:06No, they never do, but you got to root for them because you're from here.
14:08Then you got to pick one that's after USA that you can actually root for.
14:11So, like, who's good?
14:13Argentina.
14:13Argentina is good.
14:15Isn't Mexico – Argentina, France, Portugal?
14:17Mexico is probably in, like, the top ten, yeah.
14:21We're going to compile a list.
14:23We're going to make a pool of all of our insiders.
14:25We're going to see who wins the World Cup pool.
14:27The favorite is – I forget who the favorite is.
14:31Spain.
14:31Spain is the favorite.
14:32You're right.
14:33I'll go with England's up there.
14:34Let's go with Spain.
14:35They're good, right?
14:36They play soccer.
14:38All right.
14:39Vamos.
14:40This is a 50-1 bet.
14:42USA is 60-1.
14:43Let's go, North America.
14:44Gracias, Jalen.
14:46They're good.
14:46They're good.
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