SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — Former All-Star outfielder Michael Saunders has ended his two-day stay with Pittsburgh, instead seeking a better chance to play with the Kansas City Royals.Saunders arrived at the Royals' camp on Saturday after signing a minor league contract. He will receive $1.5 million if he is put on the big league roster and could earn another $500,000 in performance bonuses.The Pirates had signed Saunders to a minor league contract Wednesday and he reported to their spring training complex in Bradenton, Florida. When Pittsburgh acquired outfielder Corey Dickerson in a trade with Tampa Bay on Thursday, Saunders was given his release to pursue other opportunities. The Royals promptly picked up the 31-year-old.Saunders hit a combined .202 last season with the Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies, and Toronto released him after the season. He is a career .232 hitter in 775 major league games over nine seasons, the first six with Seattle.The Kansas City outfield remains in a state... [More]

SURPRISE, Ariz. (AP) — It wasn't so much about who was on the field for Kansas City Royals' first full-squad workout of spring training. It was more notable who wasn't there.Several cornerstones of the Kansas City teams that reached the World Series in 2014 and 2015 are in other camps or are still looking for places to play.First baseman Eric Hosmer agreed to a $144 million contract with the San Diego Padres. Center fielder Lorenzo Cain signed with the Milwaukee Brewers. Left-hander Jason Vargas, an 18-game winner in 2017, signed with the New York Mets. Third baseman Mike Moustakas, who hit a franchise-record 38 home runs last year, remains unsigned.The Royals clubhouse is full of young, unproven talent pursing a chance to break into the majors or prove they are everyday players."The opportunity is abundant and they know that," manager Ned Yost said. "There's probably a higher level of excitement because of the new guys. I'm interested and excited to see what they bring to the table.""Normally,... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The offseason Royals fans have been dreading for years has come and gone, and now a team that could bear little resemblance to its championship past is ready to report to spring training in Arizona.Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas could be playing elsewhere. Lorenzo Cain is already headed to camp with Milwaukee. The only core member that reached free agency who will be back is shortstop Alcides Escobar, who agreed to one-year contract with Kansas City with nothing else materialized.One thing the Royals aren't going to do: tank.General manager Dayton Moore insisted they will not regress to their 100-loss past, even if Hosmer and Moustakas also sign with other teams. He's confident that a relatively weak farm system can replace those big names, and that the Royals will at least be competitive by opening day."If anybody thinks we're going to settle for mediocrity," Moore said, "or allow our players to be overmatched on a consistent basis, not put a competitive team on... [More]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Ned Yost strode through a ballroom inside Bartle Hall, where the Royals were having their annual fan festival, unsure of who will be in his lineup when spring training begins next month.The often-crusty manager was smiling, anyway.The reason was twofold: Yost is excited about the future of the organization, which is expected to rebuild around a wave of young players after the old core became free agents, and he's feeling good after a terrifying fall from a hunting stand last November left him with a broken pelvis and other injuries."I'm still supposed to be in a wheel chair right now," Yost said, "so I'm way ahead of schedule."Yost was checking the stands on his Georgia farm when one of them suddenly buckled, sending the avid outdoorsman on a perilous 20-foot drop. The fracture pelvis led to so much bleeding that surgeons wondered whether he would survive, and four broken bones only complicated the healing process.For weeks, the only movement Yost was allowed was... [More]

RHP Jorge Bonifacio hit his 17th home run of the season on Saturday, the most by a Royals rookie since Eric Hosmer hit 19 in 2011. It was his first homer since Aug. 29 against the Rays. "He's going to be a good player," Royals manager Ned Yost said.

DH Jorge Bonafacio, who singled in the second inning, has hit safely in his last six games, batting .320 over that span. In 11 games against Cleveland this year Bonafacio is hitting .378.

Bonifacio, 21, is batting .193/.262/.385 with five home runs and 14 RBI through 27 games for Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

So much for Bonifacio's fast start, as he is batting just .167 over his last 10 contests. He is still just 21 years of age, but has hit a wall at Double-A, where he has played since the end of 2013.