Caglianone's Bat Fuels Royals
Jac Caglianone delivers two home runs and three RBIs in Royals' 12-5 victory over Rays
Tampa Bay native Jac Caglianone hit two home runs and drove in three runs as the Kansas City Royals crushed the Rays 12-5 on Tuesday night at Tropicana Field. The rookie slugger launched a 443-foot blast in the first inning and a 416-foot shot in the fifth, giving him nine home runs in June — tied for the most in the American League, according to Associated Press.
The win was a homecoming performance for Caglianone, who grew up in the Tampa area. It was also part of a brutal stretch for the Rays, who have lost eight of their last 11 games and now sit three games behind the first-place New York Yankees in the AL East, Associated Press reported.
Caglianone Lights Up His Hometown Ballpark
Caglianone wasted no time making an impression. In the first inning, Nick Loftin hit a 403-foot solo homer. Three pitches later, Caglianone put his own shot into the right-field catwalk at 443 feet, per MLB.com. The Royals led 2-0 before the Rays could blink.
His second homer came in a five-run fifth inning that broke the game open. Rays starter Shane McClanahan committed a throwing error on a bunt, letting a run score. Then Caglianone crushed a two-run shot to put Kansas City up 6-1, Tampa Bay Times reported. Caglianone is now hitting .379 with a 1.210 OPS in June, according to Field Level Media.
Royals' Offense Buries McClanahan Despite Good Stuff
Shane McClanahan took the loss, falling to 6-5 on the season. He gave up six runs over six innings, though four were unearned. Before Tuesday, McClanahan had allowed just three home runs in 67 2/3 innings. He gave up three in this game alone, Tampa Bay Times noted.
McClanahan himself was baffled. "I feel like I haven't had better stuff all year," he said, per Tampa Bay Times. Nick Loftin also had a big night for Kansas City, going 4-for-5 with a home run and two RBIs. The Royals finished with 14 hits total, Associated Press reported.
Avila Steadies Kansas City's Starting Rotation
Luinder Avila earned the win to improve to 3-3. He held Tampa Bay to one run on three hits over five innings and struck out six. Royals pitching coach Brian Sweeney praised Avila's "consistency on the 17 inches of the plate," saying his natural movement does the work, per Field Level Media.
Sweeney described Avila as a "powerful and strong individual" who is successfully moving from the bullpen to a starting role, Field Level Media reported. Four Royals relievers finished off the game after Avila's exit.
Rays' Hot Start Feels Like Ancient History Now
Tampa Bay began the season on a historic 22-4 run. Since May 24, they have gone just 9-17. The Rays dropped to third place in the AL East at 43-33, now three games behind New York, Associated Press reported.
For the Royals, the win was part of a recent 5-1 stretch. Kansas City is still 33-46 and last in the AL Central. But Caglianone — drafted 6th overall in 2024 after struggling badly as a rookie — is looking like a different player. His nine June homers are tied with Oakland's Nick Kurtz for the AL monthly lead, Associated Press reported.
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