Welcome to this edition of the Royals Beat newsletter. My name is Anne Rogers, and I’ll be delivering news and insight to your inbox all season long. Thanks for following along! MIAMI -- When he found out he was going to be an All-Star, Royals reliever Carlos Estévez did not have much time to prepare. The closer was named an All-Star replacement just three days before he was due in Atlanta, so there was a mad scramble to make sure the travel plans were set, his bags were packed and he was ready to go for his second All-Star appearance. Players often spruce up their wardrobe for All-Star Week, from their red-carpet outfit to their accessories on the field. But in Estévez’s rush, he didn’t have time to think about anything he’d do with his uniform. That’s where Steven Cruz comes in. |
Cruz, the 26-year-old fireball reliever who is turning into a high-leverage weapon, stole a pair of Estévez’s cleats, which were sitting in his locker at Kauffman Stadium during the final series before the break. The next day, Cruz returned the cleats -- now painted with gold accents and “2x All-Star” on the side. Painting cleats has become a hobby for Cruz, who picked it up in 2023 when he began the year in Double-A. There, he watched Jorge Bonifacio paint his cleats, and Cruz soon started to help. “He told me that I could do it by myself, too,” Cruz said. “I bought everything to do it this year, and I have a couple of cleats in my locker that I painted. “I think it helps me stay calm, stay relaxed. It helps me mentally.” Estévez was touched by the gesture, and Cruz simply wanted to do something small for the veteran reliever who has turned into a mentor and leader in the Royals’ clubhouse. The Royals felt like Estévez was snubbed when he wasn’t named as an All-Star originally, as he leads the American League with 26 saves after being called upon to halt the Marlins' ninth-inning rally on Sunday afternoon. |
When Estévez learned he would be going to Atlanta after all, the team was pumped for him -- and Cruz’s gift showed the appreciation.
“It means a lot,” Estévez said. “When I didn’t get named, at first, they were like, ‘That’s messed up.’ And when I made it, they were happy and like, ‘You really deserve it.’ And that’s a great feeling, when those guys see me that way and understand my job. I was pumped when I saw that Cruz did that. It’s really cool.”
Cruz didn’t watch the full All-Star Game, but he saw video of Estévez’s three strikeouts during his inning of work. He did it wearing the cleats painted by Cruz, and after the game, Estévez’s phone pinged with a text.
“I said that he got three strikeouts because I got his cleats ready,” Cruz said. “He said, ‘Oh yeah, that’s right.’” |
Estévez plans to keep the cleats and store them -- along with his All-Star jersey, cap and the glove he used -- in a plexiglass display box at his house. “It means a lot,” Cruz said. “He’s a really good guy. He’s got a lot of time in the big leagues, and he helps me all the time. Like if you have a bad day out there, he tells me, ‘Come on, you can do better. Scratch that and move on to the next.’”
With Cruz’s custom cleats reaching the All-Star Game, who knows where he can take the hobby from here.
“He’s an artist,” Estévez said. “I told him he’s going to get a raise.”
|
MLB MORNING LINEUP PODCAST |
With Michael Lorenzen out at least one more week with a left oblique strain, the Royals must figure out what to do with his spot in the rotation when it comes up first on Tuesday at Wrigley Field. Manager Matt Quatraro said Sunday that the team was still working through its options, and a lot will depend on the bullpen usage leading up to Tuesday. If the Royals think they have enough coverage, they could throw a bullpen game. They could also dip into their depth at Triple-A Omaha, including veteran Rich Hill. Hill threw two scoreless innings on Saturday, likely in case he’s needed on Tuesday. The 45-year-old could join Kansas City for a start against the team he was originally drafted by, when the Cubs took him in the fourth round of the 2002 Draft out of Michigan. |
|
|
John Rave’s first career homer on Friday night was a milestone for him and the family that caught it. Visiting Miami from Italy, the family -- which was apparently a big one, with more than 20 members -- decided to attend their very first ballgame. Soon, they were holding a ball that meant a lot to Rave. Luckily, officials found the family and brought them to the visitors' clubhouse area postgame. They were happy to exchange the ball for a signed bat, four signed balls and four signed caps, along with meeting Rave, who thanked them profusely for making the swap. “Glad we were able to work it out,” Rave said. “I could spare a bat and sign a few things for that ball.” |
Over the month-plus he’s been on the IL, Michael Massey has battled a left ankle sprain, a right wrist injury and an illness. He made great progress over the All-Star break and is back on a rehab assignment. While he’s pushing to get back as soon as he can, the reality is, the Royals need him to get right -- both health-wise and hitting-wise. Massey was hitting just .202 with a .479 OPS for the Royals this year. He was making swing adjustments before he went on the IL and has continued to do so as he works his way back from his injuries. Seeing the version of Massey the Royals thought they would have in 2025 -- a year they believe he would take a big step forward -- would do wonders for an offense struggling to click. He needs to use the rehab assignment to try to get there. |
FORWARDED FROM A FRIEND? SUBSCRIBE NOW | To subscribe to Royals Beat, visit this page and mark "Royals Beat" from our newsletter list. Make sure you're following the Royals or that they're checked as your favorite team. |
|
|
|