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Caglianone

Caglianone was held out of Kansas City’s lineup for the third consecutive contest on Friday, but was feeling well enough to come off the bench as a pinch-hitter. The power-hitting 23-year-old is back in right field and hitting third for Saturday’s early-afternoon matinee in Detroit. He’s hit .242 (16-for-66) with two homers and seven RBI in 17 games since the start of July.

He didn’t start, but it doesn’t look like he’ll be sidelined too much longer given the pinch-hit appearance. Caglianone missed the last two games and didn’t start this one. Perhaps he’ll be fully available on Saturday or Sunday.

It’s his third-straight day missed with the injury. Last night he did take swings pre-game per MLB.com’s Anne Rogers, but it sounds like the Royals will let him get healthy rather than risking anything. Starling Marte is hitting cleanup against LHP Tarik Skubal.

It’s the second game in a row he’s missed since leaving Tuesday’s game with shoulder soreness. Nick Loftin is getting some run in right field for the Royals on Thursday after Starling Marte played there yesterday.

Caglianone had to be removed from Monday’s game with right shoulder soreness. The good news is that the Royals placed Bobby Witt Jr. (back) on the injured list before this game, but not Caglianone, so he may not need to go on the IL after all. We will find out in another day or two. For now, Starling Marte will start in right field and bat seventh while Isaac Collins will start in left field and hit sixth.

Not ideal. Caglianone will undergo further evaluation, and likely imaging, to determine the severity of the injury after exiting Tuesday’s contest in Kansas City. The 21-year-old slugger appeared to injure himself on a diving catch attempt in the fifth inning. He finished 1-for-2 with a strikeout before departing. The Royals should have a more definitive update on his status prior to Wednesday’s series finale.

The Padres had 15 of the 17 hardest-hit balls in the game, but Caglianone was responsible for No. 1, a 113.5-mph homer, and No. 6, a 104.9-mph double. Both came off Germán Márquez in the first three innings, when it was still a contest. Caglianone has 16 homers in 365 plate appearances on the season. He collected zero in his first 19 games, eight in his next 51 games and now eight in his last 24.

Caglianone smacked his 15th homer of the season in the top of the fourth inning, leading off the frame with a 389-foot shot off Orioles starter Brandon Young. Friday’s homer marked the first of the month for Caglianone, who has now hit safely in five straight games and is slashing .256/.250/.410 in July with four extra-base hits.

Caglianone laced a 113 mph double here as he prepares for next week’s Home Run Derby and sent another ball to the warning track in his next at-bat. It’s been nice to watch him break out over his last 30 games with eight home runs and an .887 OPS. Overall, he has 13 home runs and a .257/.321/.455 slash line with a few games left in the first half.

Another exciting addition to the contest, which already features Ben Rice and Junior Caminero. In his first full MLB season, Caglianone is hitting .258/.322/.455 with a 14 home runs and 33 RBIs in 85 games. However, his 14 home runs have averaged 418 feet in length, which is tied for the best average in the majors this season. He will be the fifth Royals player to complete in the Home Run Derby, and the first since Bobby Witt Jr. was the runner-up back in 2024.