Steven Cruz is turning into a bullpen beast

Steven Cruz has been a quietly dominant force in the Royals’ bullpen this year, posting a sterling 1.93 ERA and 0.86 WHIP through his first 28 innings, backed by strong underlying measures—a 2.36 xERA, 2.85 FIP, a 25.9% strikeout rate, and a nearly 46% ground-ball clip—making him one of KC’s most trustworthy high-leverage arms. In July, the Royals start with a three‑game series in Seattle (July 1–3), then head to Arizona (4–6), return home to host Pittsburgh (7–9) and the Mets (11–13), break for the All‑Star Game (July 14–17), before a stretch in Miami (18–20), Chicago Cubs (21–23), and closing the month with Cleveland (25–27) and Atlanta (28–30). Tonight’s pitching matchup pits rookie lefty Noah Cameron—who made his debut April 30 and has impressed with a 0.85 ERA and 19 strikeouts over seven early-season appearances —against Seattle’s Logan Gilbert, a polished vet with reliable mid‑3.50s ERA and solid strikeout upside. Expect a pitcher’s duel under the T‑Mobile Park lights. 0:00 - Cruz 12:14 - July 22:23 - Tonight's matchup Follow & Subscribe on all Podcast platforms… 🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/podcasts/locked-on-royals/ Locked On MLB League-Wide: Every Team, Prospects & More 🎧 https://lockedonpodcasts.com/leagues/mlb/ #Royals #KansasCityRoyals #MLB Supply House Join the TradeMaster program today at SupplyHouse.com/TM and start ordering plumbing, HVAC, and electrical supplies with just a few clicks. Plus, use promo code S-H-5 for 5% off your first order. That’s SupplyHouse.com! Monarch Money Take control of your finances with Monarch Money. Use code LOCKEDONMLB at monarchmoney.com/lockedonmlb for 50% off your first year. Gametime Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDONMLB for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime. FanDuel Right now, new customers can get ONE HUNDRED FIFTY DOLLARS in BONUS BETS when your first FIVE DOLLAR BET WINS! Download the app or head to FANDUEL.COM to get started. Bet with FanDuel—Official Partner of the NBA. FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See https://pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.