Royals turn to Kris Bubic in effort to avert sweep vs. Marlins
The Royals, who will try to avoid a three-game series sweep on Sunday at the Miami Marlins, went 7-3 in their final 10 contests prior to the All-Star break.
"We have to be more consistent on the little things -- moving runners, backing up bases," Quatraro said. "These are things that don't show up on the box score.
"We have to play harder. We have to be more accountable to our teammates."
The Royals will start left-hander Kris Bubic, who became a first-time All-Star this year, on Sunday.
Bubic (7-6, 2.48 ERA) is greatly improved. Last year, he had a three-pitch mix while working exclusively in relief.
This year, Bubic has two types of fastballs, two sliders and a changeup. His fastball velocity is not overpowering -- 92 to 93 mph -- but he has improved command.
That explains why Bubic has taken such great strides from a pitcher who prior to this year was 9-27 with a 4.99 ERA as a starter.
Bubic, who has yet to face the Marlins in his career, also has improved versus lefty hitters. Last year, they had a .701 OPS against him. This year, that number is down to .615.
Offensively, the Royals are led by All-Star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who is hitting .321 in July.
Another Royals player to watch is rookie outfielder John Rave, who belted his first two major-league homers on Friday.
Although Rave has struggled overall this season, batting .189, Quatraro has been encouraged.
"We consider him an all-around player," Quatraro said of Rave. "The results haven't been there, but that's part of the maturation (process of) a big-leaguer."
Meanwhile, the Marlins -- who are 21-10 in their past 31 games --- are set to start right-hander Janson Junk (4-1, 2.68).
Junk has faced the Royals just once, going 1-0 with eight strikeouts over five scoreless innings in a 4-0 win in 2022 when he played for the Los Angeles Angels.
He is on his fourth MLB franchise. He had a 1-3 record coming into this season. The Marlins are 5-1 in Junk's past six appearances.
Offensively, the Marlins are looking for big things from 27-year-old right fielder Jesus Sanchez, who is in his sixth season with the Marlins.
"I think Sanchez is going to have a big second half," Marlins rookie manager Clayton McCullough said.
There's some historic evidence on the side of McCullough's statement. For example, in 328 career first-half games, Sanchez has a .717 OPS. But in 184 second-half games, he has a .793 OPS.
Miami's other corner outfielder is All-Star Kyle Stowers, who has been perhaps the hottest hitter in baseball lately.
In his two games prior to Saturday, Stowers had eight hits, five homers and 11 RBIs. He is the first player in exactly 100 years -- since Ty Cobb -- to produce at least those numbers in a two-game stretch. Stowers also leads the majors this year with three walk-off hits.
--Field Level Media
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
12 minutes ago
- Daily Mail
NFL coach Jim Harbaugh goes viral in bizarre clip of him peeking through a curtain to watch his team practice
The Los Angeles Chargers were back in practice on Monday and nobody seemed to be happier about it than their eccentric head coach, Jim Harbaugh. As preparations for the 2025 campaign stepped up and the players got back out onto the practice field, a Chargers admin caught Harbaugh bizarrely staring through a curtain at his players. To make things seem even more suspicious, Harbaugh was wearing a cap and sunglasses, almost as if he was trying to disguise his appearance. The team itself clearly saw the funny side given they posted it out onto social media, simply writing as the caption: 'Wait for it'. Fans immediately leapt onto the image of Harbaugh, with some comparing it to Jack Nicholson 's 'Here's Johnny' scene from the 1980 horror film The Shining. Another fan described Harbaugh as 'a national treasure' while a different Chargers supporter replied saying: 'I love it - definitely my new meme template.' wait for it — Los Angeles Chargers (@chargers) July 21, 2025 Harbaugh has never made any secret of how much he enjoys the first day of training camp ahead of a new campaign. Speaking in July 2024 ahead of his first season leading the team he said: 'It's like New Year's Day. It feels like being born. It feels like coming out of the womb. 'You're in there. It's comfortable and safe, and now you're out. You're born. Lights are on, it's bright, chaos, people looking at you, people talking at you, and it just feels good to have it happen.' But perhaps Harbaugh is especially excited this time around after having a difficult offseason. The 61-year-old underwent a successful heart procedure and hip replacement surgery earlier this year. He told reporters in June: 'The doctors can't find anything wrong with me. It would take my heart stopping for me not to be out there on the sideline.' The Chargers start the season with a bang, heading to Brazil to face last season's Super Bowl runners-up, the Kansas City Chiefs, in Sao Paulo on Friday, September 5. They follow that game with a trip to Vegas to play the Raiders before hosting the Denver Broncos in Week 3.
Reuters
12 minutes ago
- Reuters
Fresh off comeback, Mets vie for series win vs. Angels
July 22 - Going to the bullpen earlier than anticipated worked out well Monday night for the New York Mets. The Los Angeles Angels weren't nearly as fortunate trying to get only a handful of outs from their relievers. The Mets will look to build on a stirring comeback win on Tuesday night when New York hosts Los Angeles in the middle contest of a three-game series. Frankie Montas (2-1, 5.03 ERA) is slated to start for the Mets against fellow right-hander Kyle Hendricks (5-6, 4.88). Brett Baty started the Mets' comeback with a two-run homer in the fourth inning before he scored the tie-breaking run with the benefit of an error in the eighth of a 7-5 win on Monday. Such dramatics seemed unlikely when Mets ace Kodai Senga, who entered Monday with a 1.39 ERA, allowed a season-high four earned runs while lasting just three innings. But five Mets relievers -- beginning with Kevin Herget, who was making just his third big league appearance of the season, and ending with All-Star closer Edwin Diaz -- combined for six innings of one-run ball to help New York tie a season high by overcoming the four-run deficit. The Mets trailed the Baltimore Orioles by four runs before recording a 7-6 win in 10 innings on July 8. "Unbelievable job, especially when the starter goes down after three innings and you've got a couple of (relievers) down," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Monday night. "It was a really good team win there." The win Monday was the second straight following a four-game skid for the Mets, who remained a half-game behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League East. The defeat may have doubly damaging for the Angels, who were nine outs away from improving to 50-50. Tyler Anderson, trying to get an out beyond the sixth inning for the first time since May 6, didn't record one in the seventh. The Mets tied the score against Reid Detmers and went ahead versus Jose Fermin. "It just (stinks)," Anderson said. "Being right up there and with the lead going to the seventh -- we want to hold on to it and be celebrating that instead of in a bad mood." Los Angeles missed a chance to gain ground on the Boston Red Sox and Seattle Mariners in the race for the last two American League wild-card spots. Both the Red Sox and Mariners lost Monday night and remain four games ahead of the Angels. Montas earned the win in his most recent start July 12, when he allowed one run over five innings as the Mets edged the Kansas City Royals, 3-1. Hendricks hasn't pitched since July 9, when he didn't factor into the decision after giving up five runs (four earned) over 3 2/3 innings in the Angels' 11-8 victory over the Texas Rangers. Montas is 4-3 with a 2.57 ERA in 17 career games (14 starts) against the Angels. Hendricks is 4-1 with a 2.75 ERA in seven regular-season starts versus the Mets. --Field Level Media
Reuters
12 minutes ago
- Reuters
Streaking White Sox take stab at Rays, chase five straight wins
July 22 - The Chicago White Sox have set a season high for consecutive wins since the All-Star break. They take a stab at a fifth straight victory Tuesday night when they face the host Tampa Bay Rays. Hapless through the first half of the season with the worst record in the American League, the White Sox bolted out of the break by winning each of their last four games by at least five runs. In sweeping the Pittsburgh Pirates and winning the opener against the Rays, the White Sox outscored their opposition 35-10 and slugged six homers, 24 extra-base hits and a .302 batting average. Most impressively in that four-game stretch, the AL Central's last-place team is hitting .353 with runners in scoring position. "I think the focus has been really good, the intensity has been really good and we've been doing a great job of picking each other up, getting big hits with guys on base. That's what it's about," right fielder Mike Tauchman said. "Keep moving the line. It's been really good, and we want to keep it going." Luis Robert Jr. went 2-for4 with two RBIs and pushed his hitting streak to eight games in Monday's 8-3 victory. Six of the team's 11 hits went for extra bases. "I'm proud of how our group responds to tough times," Chicago manager Will Venable said. "Our ability to overcome adversity is just going to pay dividends down the road." The White Sox did not announce a starter for Tuesday's game. The Rays will be looking to rebound after an awful series opener in which starter Shane Baz allowed a career-high eight runs. The loss also continued a disappointing trend: Tampa Bay fell to 22-22 against teams possessing records under .500 and is 2-6 in their past eight contests with the White Sox. "It's the big leagues. Anything can happen on any given night," Baz said after dropping the matchup with Chicago, a 65-loss club with a .356 winning percentage. They also will be hoping to see All-Star Drew Rasmussen excel as the team eases off of physical restrictions. In an effort to limit innings due to his history of arm problems, Tampa Bay held Rasmussen to three-, two- and two-inning starts in his final three outings before the All-Star Break. A healthy, effective Rasmussen (7-5, 2.86) will be crucial to stabilizing a staff that has been inconsistent at times. As he meandered through the three short starts, the Rays faltered. Tampa stumbled into a midseason slumber, dropping 11 of 14 and slipping to fourth place in the division. Over three starts against the White Sox, Rasmussen is 0-1 with a 3.18 ERA. A series of other ailments are hindering Tampa Bay. In Monday's loss, starting shortstop Ha-Seong Kim left in the fourth inning with lower-back tightness after walking and stealing his fourth base. Tampa Bay also is minus All-Star second baseman Brandon Lowe, Kim's double-play partner who is hampered by plantar fasciitis. "Felt OK, nothing great," Tampa Bay manager Kevin Cash said after rehabbing left-hander Shane McClanahan's 10-pitch bullpen on Monday. "So we'll see how he comes in tomorrow." --Field Level Media
