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Sox Populi - A Chicago White Sox podcast

Kansas City Royals

·40 min·3 clips
Kevin O'Brien covers the Royals across Royals Keep, Pitcher List, and a new podcast, offering a comprehensive view of the team.
Crystal O'Keefe introduces the episode and guest Kevin O'Brien, a Royals correspondent for Royals Keep, Pitcher List, and Just Baseball. Kevin provides an overview of the Royals' 4-5 start to the 2026 season, noting similarities to previous years. He discusses manager Matt Quatraro and president JJ Piccolo entering their fourth years, with higher expectations after the Royals won 82 games in 2025. Kevin highlights key players like Bobby Witt Jr., Michael Garcia, Vinny Pasquantino, and Salvador Perez, mentioning Garcia's breakout 2025 season with a Gold Glove and World Baseball Classic MVP. He covers offseason moves, including trades for Matt Stram and acquisitions of Isaac Collins and Nick Mears. The conversation shifts to the World Baseball Classic, where Pasquantino's performance for Team Italy gained attention. Kevin expresses cautious optimism for the 2026 season, citing PECOTA projections of 83-84 wins and improvements in hitting philosophy under coach Connor Dawson. They preview the Royals' upcoming series against the White Sox, with Kevin outlining probable starters Seth Lugo, Chris Bubich, Michael Wacha, and Noah Cameron. He identifies bullpen issues as a concern, noting Carlos Estevez's injury and struggles with strikeouts. Kevin names Isaac Collins and Jack Caglione as threats to the White Sox. The discussion broadens to MLB divisions, with Kevin calling the AL Central underrated and the AL West weak. He shares a hot take on Giants manager Tony Batello, predicting he will be one-and-done due to poor clubhouse connection and press conference mishaps. Kevin compares Batello to former White Sox manager Pedro Grifol, noting Grifol's failure to connect with players and manage press conferences effectively. He contrasts this with successful managers like Matt Quatraro and Grady Sizemore, who maintain player respect through diplomatic approaches. The episode concludes with Kevin sharing where to find his work and reminiscing about visiting Guaranteed Rate Field.

As heard by us

A grounded Royals check-in that turns bullpen concern and early-season numbers into a useful AL Central scouting read.

Crystal O'Keefe's Royals check-in with Kevin O'Brien turns Kansas City's 4-5 start into a useful American League Central read. O'Brien keeps the early record in scale, giving the rotation a measured vote of confidence while pointing to its eighth-place strikeout rate, 12th-place…

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Want the Royals-White Sox pressure points sorted before the late innings arrive?

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