Royals Recap
Hosted by Big Dill
About This Episode
Generated sports podcast with host Big Dill based on prompt: Kansas City Royals daily updates. If they played a game yesterday give me the highlights.
Transcript
Welcome back to Big Dill Sports! I'm your host, Dillon, and today we've got an exciting "Royals Recap" for you. We're diving into the Kansas City Royals' final game of the 2025 regular season. It was a big win for Kansas City, as they took down the Oakland Athletics with a commanding 9–2 victory.
The Royals wrapped up back-to-back winning seasons, finishing with an 82–80 record. This marks their second consecutive year above .500—a trend we love to see in Kansas City! After trailing Oakland through much of the second half, the Royals pulled off a three-game winning streak to close the season, showing off their offensive firepower and solid pitching.
The game kicked into gear early. In the second inning, Carter Jensen set the tone with a single. Michael Massey drove him home with another single, putting Kansas City on the board. Maikel Garcia added to the momentum, and before long, they had a solid 3–0 lead.
Things really heated up in the seventh inning. Mike Yastrzemski and rookie sensation Carter Jensen hit back-to-back solo homers. And let's talk about Jensen’s shot: a jaw-dropping 482-foot homer—the longest by a Royal in the Statcast era. Bobby Witt Jr. then delivered a two-run double, bringing his league-leading doubles total to 47. Yastrzemski didn’t stop there—he added another homer in the eighth, his 17th of the season, sealing the deal at 9–0.
On the mound, Cole Ragans was electric, striking out eight in just over four innings. The bullpen did great too, with Daniel Lynch IV earning the win after 2.1 perfect innings. Though Sam Long gave up a two-run homer in the eighth, Luinder Avila closed it out smoothly with a 1-2-3 ninth inning.
Let's give a shoutout to some standout performers. Carter Jensen was on fire, ending the game with three hits and three RBIs, while Michael Massey went 4-for-5, adding two RBIs and stretching his hitting streak. Mike Yastrzemski showed his veteran savvy with two homers. And Bobby Witt Jr. was, as always, a pillar of consistency.
So, what's next for Kansas City? While the playoffs are just out of reach, the Royals have set the groundwork for future success. They'll look to strengthen their pitching rotation in the offseason and keep the offensive momentum going. Expect the front office to explore free-agency moves to bolster the bullpen and add depth.
And now, our favorite part—declaring our Player of the Game. Today's 'big dill' is Carter Jensen. His stellar performance, capped by that incredible 482-foot homer, gives us plenty to be excited about as we look to 2026. Jensen is poised to be a cornerstone of the Royals' lineup.
That's all for today's "Royals Recap" on Big Dill Sports. I'm Dillon. Thanks for tuning in, and until next time, stay big and keep those sports thrilling!
## Game Recap
In their final contest of the 2025 regular season on September 28, the Kansas City Royals convincingly defeated the Oakland Athletics by a score of 9–2 at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento, California ([royalsreview.com](https://www.royalsreview.com/2025-royals-game-recaps/88255/royals-crush-athletics-9-2-win-2025-finale)). The victory capped back-to-back winning campaigns for Kansas City, improving their record to 82–80 and securing a second straight above-.500 finish ([royalsreview.com](https://www.royalsreview.com/2025-royals-game-recaps/88255/royals-crush-athletics-9-2-win-2025-finale)). After trailing Oakland by a single game for much of the second half, the Royals closed out the season on a three-game winning streak, displaying potent offense and effective pitching against their AL West opponents.
## Early Scoring Surge
Kansas City struck first in the bottom of the second inning. Carter Jensen opened the frame with a single and, following an Adam Frazier groundout, Michael Massey delivered a run-scoring single that plated Jensen and gave Kansas City a 1–0 lead. Maikel Garcia subsequently sacrificed in a second run with a fly ball to center, marking the Royals’ first multi-run inning of the day ([royalsreview.com](https://www.royalsreview.com/2025-royals-game-recaps/88255/royals-crush-athletics-9-2-win-2025-finale)). The offense kept rolling in the fourth, as a leadoff single and an error by right fielder JJ Bleday allowed Michael Massey to score, and Garcia’s RBI single brought home another run, sending KC to a 3–0 cushion. Massey tacked on a fourth RBI later in the fifth via yet another first-pitch single, extending the advantage to 4–0 ([royalsreview.com](https://www.royalsreview.com/2025-royals-game-recaps/88255/royals-crush-athletics-9-2-win-2025-finale)).
## Late-Inning Homers Spark Offense
The Royals’ bats erupted anew in the seventh inning with back-to-back solo homers from veteran outfielder Mike Yastrzemski and rookie Carter Jensen. Yastrzemski’s blast was his 16th of the season, while Jensen’s towering 482-foot shot — the longest by a Royal in the Statcast era — was his third homer of the year and electrified the visiting dugout ([royalsreview.com](https://www.royalsreview.com/2025-royals-game-recaps/88255/royals-crush-athletics-9-2-win-2025-finale)). The barrage continued when Bobby Witt Jr. delivered a two-run double, his MLB-leading 47th double and 183rd hit of the campaign, upping the Royals’ lead to 7–0. Yastrzemski added a second solo homer in the eighth, his 17th of the season, effectively putting the contest out of reach at 9–0 ([royalsreview.com](https://www.royalsreview.com/2025-royals-game-recaps/88255/royals-crush-athletics-9-2-win-2025-finale)).
## Pitching Breakdown
On the mound, Cole Ragans was efficient and dominant, working 4⅓ innings on just 72 pitches. He allowed two hits and one walk while recording eight strikeouts, demonstrating his electric stuff and setting the tone for the Royals’ bullpen ([royalsreview.com](https://www.royalsreview.com/2025-royals-game-recaps/88255/royals-crush-athletics-9-2-win-2025-finale)). Reliever Steven Cruz encountered trouble in the fifth, loading the bases with two singles, but escaped harm by striking out a pair of batters. Daniel Lynch IV followed with 2.1 perfect innings, striking out three to earn the win. Sam Long conceded a two-run homer in the eighth — Kansas City’s only blemish on the day — before Luinder Avila shut the door with a 1-2-3 ninth inning ([royalsreview.com](https://www.royalsreview.com/2025-royals-game-recaps/88255/royals-crush-athletics-9-2-win-2025-finale)).
## Standout Performers
Carter Jensen finished with a three-hit performance, including his monumental 482-foot homer, and drove in three runs, cementing his status as one of the Royals’ most exciting young bats ([royalsreview.com](https://www.royalsreview.com/2025-royals-game-recaps/88255/royals-crush-athletics-9-2-win-2025-finale)). Michael Massey went 4-for-5, contributed two RBIs, and extended his hitting streak to close out the season. Mike Yastrzemski provided veteran leadership with two solo home runs and finished the game 2-for-4 at the plate. Bobby Witt Jr.’s two-run double not only accounted for two RBIs but also represented his league-leading 47th double and 183rd hit, underlining his emergence as one of baseball’s premier contact hitters ([royalsreview.com](https://www.royalsreview.com/2025-royals-game-recaps/88255/royals-crush-athletics-9-2-win-2025-finale)).
## Season Outlook
The Royals’ decisive win over Oakland not only closed their 2025 campaign on a high note but also reinforced a culture of consistency and upward momentum in Kansas City ([royalsreview.com](https://www.royalsreview.com/2025-royals-game-recaps/88255/royals-crush-athletics-9-2-win-2025-finale)). After finishing 76–86 in their inaugural season in West Sacramento, the Athletics fell to 76–86, highlighting the contrast in trajectories for the two organizations ([athleticsnation.com](https://www.athleticsnation.com/recaps/100525/as-drop-season-finale-9-2-to-royals)). While Kansas City will miss the postseason for the 18th consecutive year, the back-to-back winning seasons for the first time since 2017–18 offer optimism for sustained competitiveness and potential playoff contention in 2026.
## What’s Next for Kansas City
With the regular season behind them, the Royals enter the offseason aiming to build on this season’s successes. Offseason targets are likely to include bolstering the rotation behind Ragans and addressing defensive upgrades. On the offensive side, retaining key veterans like Yastrzemski while integrating emerging talents such as Jensen and Massey will be critical. The front office is expected to explore additions via free agency and potential trades to solidify the bullpen depth and give Kansas City the extra push needed to break through into October baseball ([royalsreview.com](https://www.royalsreview.com/2025-royals-game-recaps/88255/royals-crush-athletics-9-2-win-2025-finale)).
## Player of the Game
Carter Jensen earns Player of the Game honors after a game-high three hits, three RBIs, and a franchise-record 482-foot homer, marking not only his personal best but also the longest home run by a Royal in the Statcast era ([royalsreview.com](https://www.royalsreview.com/2025-royals-game-recaps/88255/royals-crush-athletics-9-2-win-2025-finale)). His performance epitomized Kansas City’s late-season offensive surge and provided a glimpse of the impact the 23-year-old could have as a cornerstone in the club’s lineup moving forward. Jensen’s breakout finale sets the stage for heightened expectations in 2026.
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