Gone are the days when the calendar flipping to September meant the entire 40-man roster could suit up. Royals fans used to circle that date as the lone bright spot after a summer of last-place baseball.
Now, with Kansas City still fighting for its postseason life, roster expansion from 26 to 28 isn’t about mass debuts—it’s simply an opening for one new face, one new spark to get behind in limited work. And in 2025, that extra position player spot already feels spoken for thanks to the timing of Jac Caglianone’s rehab assignment.
The sixth overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft suffered a left hamstring strain on July 26, and the Royals placed him on the 10-day IL the following day.