Kansas
Live Updates: Kansas City Royals vs. New York Yankees (Game Three)
The Royals 11-5 loss to the Yankees was a culmination of everything this team struggles with exemplified.
Kansas City made the decision to push Dan Altavilla to the starting mound as part of Matt Quatraro’s desire to spice up a rotation that’s missing one of its top guys in Michael Wacha. Altavilla was attempting to play an “opener” role for the Royals before he was supposed to be relieved by Daniel Lynch for a majority of the game. Unfortunately for Kansas City, Altavilla wouldn’t make it past the first out. Lynch would come in down two runs with the bases loaded and only a single out. The Royals would have been better off just allowing Lynch to take the mound in a traditional start.
The Royal’s early pitching struggles continued in this game, allowing another collection of first-inning runs to be earned by the Yankees. The Royals constantly starting in a losing position has created an almost impossible-to-break cycle of going down early and not being able to crawl back. The Royal’s big comeback win over the Mariners last week was an example of an outlier more than anything else. Despite great offensive games from players like Bobby Witt Jr and Salvador Perez, the offense was too inconsistent to go run-for-run with the likes of the Yankees big three. The Royals will attempt to not get swept as they conclude the series with the Yankees at 1:10 p.m. tomorrow.
9:53 p.m. – The Royals put two more runners on base but it always seemed too little too late for Kansas City. They suffer their third straight loss to the Yankees and will attempt to avoid the sweep tomorrow. 11-5 Yankees
9:39 p.m. – Kansas City is resilient. Even when the game seems to be put away, the Royals continue to make noise on the base paths putting two on before being retired in the bottom of the eighth inning. It always seemed like too little too late for Kansas City, but their insistence to fight shows a lot of pride and tenacity in this young team. 11-5 Yankees
9:19 p.m. – The Royals put together another surge, this time adding three runs all while having two outs on the board. Unfortunately it’s only enough to cover the runs given up by the Torres home run last inning, meaning the Royals are still down six runs going into the eigth inning. Witt Jr and Pasquantino add RBIs, but this would make it the fourth series in a row the Royals have lost a game after scoring 5+ runs. Though Witt Jr has played well, and Perez picks up his first career game with 3+ drawn walks. 11-5 Yankees
9:00 p.m. – You could count the positives for the Royals in this game on one hand and still have most of your fingers left. It has been an absolutely abysmal night for the Royals on both sides of the plate barring a single half inning. Another home run, this time provided by Gleyber Torres, gives the Yankees three more runs. Both Royals pitchers have allowed over five earned runs in this one. There is a lot to be learned from losses, but the coaching staff may be better off burning the tape of this one and coming back on a clean slate tomorrow. 11-2 Yankees
8:51 p.m. – An inning that would usually be called a success for the Royals is overshadowed by the remaining six-run defecit. The Royals managed to bring home two, but still find themselves with a more than tough deficit to come back from. That’s why it is so crucial for the Royals to not take themselves out of games early. Kansas City has the ability to score runs quickly, but when you go down by a margin of six runs before coming to the plate you are doomed for failure. 8-2 Yankees
8:41 p.m. – The Royals finally have a star show up to play as Bobby Witt Jr extends his hit streak to 13 games with an RBI double. Kansas City now has the same amount of hits this inning as in the previous five innings combined. It can’t be this hard for the Royals to produce offense against the back halves of rotations no matter who Kansas City is playing. Cody Poteet goes 5.1 innings and only allows a single run on 88 pitches. 8-1 Yankees
8:33 p.m. – Kansas City’s offense has been lifeless through this contest. It matches their season-long struggle with consistency and not relying on explosive innings. The production from the Royal’s young stars has just not been there. It is very possible the Royals have a breakthrough moment in this game, putting on multiple runs in an inning, but the deficit and the offensive inconsistency inning-by-inning are putting the Royals in a crater-sized hole. 8-0 Yankees
8:22 p.m. – Lynch made his first big mistake of the game, allowing Stanton to take him deep over the left field wall. Royals pitchershave been extremely succeptiable to the home run ball not just in this series, but their entire June slump as a whole. Going back to allowing back-to-back leadoff home runs to J.P. Crawford, the Royals have been getting blasted by the long ball. 8-0 Yankees
8:13 p.m. – Daniel Lynch has looked good in this game. Outside of the home run that he allowed in the first inning he has not allowed much from the Yankees. He has held New York scoreless and hitless since the first inning as well. Quatraro’s decision to not only go with an opener, but an opener that had only pitched a single time for the Royals after over 1000 days away from baseball is a questionable one at best. The Royals wanted to try something different with Wacha absent from the rotation and it backfired big time. 6-0 Yankees
7:50 p.m. – Lynch has looked much better in the last two innings, you have to wonder where the Royals would be if they just elected to start him the traditional way. The hitting has been slow but Lynch has only allowed a single earned run thus far. 6-0 Yankees
7:40 p.m. – The Royals just can’t get out of their own way. The Yankees looked like a much superior team through the first two games of the series, and they look that way again today. The Royals were gifted a baserunner with an infield error just for Nelson Velazquez to hit into a routine double play. The pitching looks devoid of confidence so far and the offense is falling back into its bad habit of inconsistency. 6-0 Yankees
7:25 p.m. – Kansas City has a problem. They are getting beat up often and early by the Yankees. New York managed to bring nine total batters to the plate before Kansas City could pick up its first three outs. The Royals won’t make it very far in the postseason or to the postseason at all if they keep finding themselves down five or more runs before they even get a chance to hit the ball. The injury to Michael Wacha has left this team with a major gap in its rotation that is costing them crucial games in a tight division race. Daniel Lynch was brought in to face a bases-loaded situation and allowed all three runs to score, plus a run of his own on a three-run Trevino home run. 6-0 Yankees
7:20 p.m. – The Royals have had an epidemic of bad first innings this month. Altavilla only retired one of the first six batters that he faced. It has been a familiar story for Kansas City as they’ve allowed a first inning run in their last seven games. Matt Quatraro pulls Altavilla and wastes the concept of an opener early. Daniel Lynch will now start with one out, bases loaded, and already losing by multiple runs. 2-0 Yankees
7:10 p.m. – The game is underway as the unconvential “opener” Dan Altavilla gets the game started.
Kansas City, MO. – The Royals have struggled against the Yankees so far. The Royals pitching staff has struggled especially, not just with the Yankees but the entire month of June. Matt Quatraro has decided to change it up and go to an “opener” role to start this game. Dan Altavilla will make his first career start and just his second appearance for the Royals.
Kansas City will have to not get in trouble early if they want to win this game. The Royals have allowed a first-inning run in a large multitude of games ranging back to the Cleveland series. If Kansas City wants a shot to win this game and keep the split alive while playing the back end of their rotation, they need to hit the ball early and hard before the Yankees can pull ahead. The Royals always have a chance in close games, the issue they have been facing is that they are down more than they can handle early and it becomes unsurmountable.
Where: Kauffman Stadium, Kansas City, MO.
When: First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. CT.
TV: You can watch the game on Bally Sports KC or MLB.TV (blackouts may apply depending on location).
Starting Pitchers
KC – Dan Altavilla (0-0, 0 ERA, First Career Start)
NY – Cody Poteet (2-0, 1.72 ERA)
Batting Order/Lineup
KC: 1. Maikel Garcia (3B) 2. Bobby Witt Jr. (SS) 3. Vinnie Pasquantino (1B) 4. Salvador Perez (C) 5. Nelson Velazquez (RF) 6. Nick Loftin (2B) 7. Freddy Fermin (DH) 8. Garrett Hampson (LF) 9. Kyle Isbel (CF)
NY: 1. Anthony Volpe (SS) 2. Juan Soto (RF) 3. Aaron Judge (CF) 4. Giancarlo Stanton (DH) 5. Alex Verdugo (LF) 6. Gleyber Torres (2B) 7. Anthony Rizzo (1B) 8. Jose Trevino (C) 9. DJ LeMahieu (3B)
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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — From 25,000 parking spots to 19,000 within a 10-minute walk to the stadium, that’s how many Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas says will be available near the new Royals ballpark in Crown Center, with 9,000 of those spots on the actual campus.
While there will be less parking, Royals fan Roger Nickell says he believes this move is good for Kansas City.
“I think anything that makes Kansas City an exciting place to come to, and a good destination, the parking itself is not going to be the issue,” Nickell said “We’d rather have good things in our city, and if you go to other cities, Kansas City is actually really, really easy right now.”
While it might not be ideal for some, downtown stadiums and parking is the normal for a number of teams and cities throughout Major League Baseball. Upwards of 20 teams have a stadium in the downtown area, including the Twins, Cardinals and Tigers.
“I think every new stadium in the MLB is being built downtown, so I kind of expected it,” Royals fan Jackson Fort said. “I think parking will be kind of, they’ll have to figure out something because there’s going to be a big building and not a lot of space to put it. I think you’ll see a lot more Ubers and less of that tailgating scene that the chiefs and the royals are so known for.”
While tailgating as we know it will look different, walking to the stadium won’t actually look that bad if you use the streetcar. From the stop at the World War I Museum, you’re looking at a nine-minute walk to Crown Center, and four-minute walk if you get off at Union Station.
“I think it would be a good thing for the city, for the baseball park and for everybody,” avid streetcar user Gary Henderson said. “Especially for the people who use the trolley would get a chance to see how comfortable it is and maybe it’ll increase their business too.”
With hopes of the new stadium to be ready for opening day in 2030, the Royals, Kansas City, and fans have time to figure out any potential obstacles.
“I think we’ll get to figure it out,” Royals fan Caden Tucker said. “I think that they have plenty of time to be able to figure everything out and make sure everything’s not going to be packed in here and just kind of slowed down in the process.”
While a lot of parking will be taken away in the near future, if one thing is for certain, the Royals will not. The current lease for Kauffman stadium is set to expire in 2031.
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Kansas
Final 7-Round Kansas City Chiefs 2026 NFL Mock Draft: Putting my skills to the test against an AI trained to think like Brett Veach
I trained my AI to think and draft like Kansas City Chiefs GM Brett Veach. Then I challenged it to a duel for my final 2026 NFL Mock Draft.
YouTube/Chiefs
You’re going to see a lot of final mock drafts for the Kansas City Chiefs this week, but I decided to make mine a little bit differently this year.
I wanted to give Chiefs fans an idea of what I would do while also adding a predictive element. What I settled on was a dueling mock draft against an AI trained to think like Chiefs GM Brett Veach.
How did I train my AI? First, I uploaded Veach’s draft history since he took over as general manager following the 2017 NFL Draft. Then, I fed it pre-draft and post-draft press conference transcripts to give the AI context on how Veach views the NFL Draft. I weighted the more recent press conferences more heavily. From there, I uploaded historical data on key thresholds at specific position groups. It had access to confirmed combine formals and pre-draft meetings with 2026 NFL Draft prospects, along with historical context on their importance.
I also uploaded the Chiefs’ stats from last season so the AI could quantify areas that needed improvement relative to NFL averages. The final piece of the puzzle was to upload the Chiefs’ 90-man offseason roster and team needs.
To execute the mock draft, I used the A to Z Sports NFL Mock Draft Simulator. I provided the AI with the list of the 10 best available players at a given pick. I made my picks before the AI, but I didn’t tell it who I had chosen. The AI was prompted to use all available data to make a decision for each draft pick. With all that in mind, here’s a look at how the mock draft competition turned out.
Final Kansas City 2026 NFL Mock Draft
Pick No. 9
Top available: Mansoor Delane, Caleb Downs, Jordyn Tyson, Spencer Fano, Makai Lemon, Monroe Freeling, Jermod McCoy, Kenyon Sadiq, Ola Ioane, and Keldric Faulk.
My pick: Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson
Solving for the Chiefs’ need for “the guy” on offense in the future just feels like the right move for this draft class. Travis Kelce can’t play forever. Add Tyson and get back to scoring 30+ per game.
What AI Brett Veach did: Auburn DE Keldric Faulk
Edge rusher was the No. 1 need that I provided to the AI. At 6-foot-6 and 275 pounds with 34-inch arms, Faulk meets virtually every Chiefs threshold from a physical standpoint. It’s not an exciting pick for fans, but even a robot can see the upside here.
Pick No. 29
Top available: Kadyn Proctor, Akheem Mesidor, Caleb Banks, Cash Howell, T.J. Parker, CJ Allen, Denzel Boston, Chris Johnson, R Mason Thomas, and Colton Hood.
My pick: Tennessee CB Colton Hood
I’m becoming increasingly comfortable with the idea of taking a cornerback early. The old NFL adage goes that you can never have too many cornerbacks, and the Chiefs need bodies there. Not just for 2026, but also for the long term. Hood gives you a physical man coverage corner who can play outside, but probably crosstrains inside, too.
What AI Brett Veach did: Alabama OT Kadyn Proctor
Offensive tackle wasn’t rated as highly on the AI’s needs list. However, the Chiefs did have a top-30 visit with Proctor. I think it probably took note of Brett Veach’s comments about offensive tackle drying up by pick No. 35. He also hits some athleticism thresholds, despite missing on one key measurable (arm length).
Pick No. 40
Top available: Caleb Banks, Chris Johnson, R Mason Thomas, Denzel Boston, Chris Bell, Zion Young, Christen Miller, Chris Brazzell, D’Angelo Ponds, and Gabe Jacas.
My pick: Florida DT Caleb Banks
There are obviously some questions regarding the nagging foot injury. Plus, there’s still some development and pad-level issues to work out. I just think the 6-foot-6, 310-pound defender would really thrive by learning from Chris Jones.
What AI Brett Veach did: Florida DT Caleb Banks
What a copycat. Based on the information I gave the AI, this doesn’t surprise me. Banks had the medical top-30 visit with Kansas City. Veach, of course, mentioned needing two more defensive linemen in this class during his pre-draft presser. This just makes me feel even more strongly that this is a no-brainer pick if he’s available at pick No. 40.
Pick No. 74
Top available: Ted Hurst, Davison Igbinosun, Dom Orange, Antonio Williams, Jonah Coleman, Genesis Smith, Caleb Tiernan, Dani Dennis-Sutton, Will Lee III, and Keionte Scott.
My pick: Penn State DE Dani Dennis-Sutton
A member of the 2026 All-Juice Team, Dennis-Sutton feels like he was built in a lab solely for Steve Spagnuolo. He hits all of the physical thresholds, but also is quietly one of the more productive players at the position.
What AI Brett Veach did: Georgia State WR Ted Hurst
I think this might have been a “best player available” pick for the AI. Hurst took a pre-draft visit with the Chiefs, and wide receiver is pretty high on the needs list. It makes sense why the AI Brett Veach would value him here.
Pick No. 109
Top available: Brian Parker, Nick Singleton, Isaiah World, Oscar Delp, Dontay Corleone, Bud Clark, Kaleb Proctor, Harold Perkins, Emmett Johnson, and Charles Demmings.
My pick: TCU S Bud Clark
A versatile safety prospect for the Chiefs. Clark has ball skills for days, with four consecutive college football seasons with 3 or more interceptions. At 6-foot-1 and 188 pounds, he’s also a physical presence in run support. He fits the Spags mold.
What AI Brett Veach did: Stephen F. Austin CB Charles Demmings
Cornerback also ranked highly on the needs list, so I can see how the AI prioritized this position group at this pick. Veach also has a history of drafting FCS talent, including Fayetteville State CB Joshua Williams and Western Illinois DT Khalen Saunders. Demmings fits the mold for what K.C. likes at the cornerback spot in terms of physicality and athleticism.
Pick No. 148
Top available: Sam Roush, Kevin Coleman, Jalon Kilgore, Billy Schrauth, Kaleb Elarms-Orr, Ephesians Prysock, Justin Jefferson, Zane Durant, Logan Taylor, and Jeff Caldwell.
My pick: Stanford TE Sam Roush
I’m a big Roush fan. He’s already one of the better blocking tight ends in the class, but I also think there’s big upside as a pass-catcher. He has a 6-foot-6 and 267-pound frame. Plus, he’s a legacy player in Kansas City.
What AI Brett Veach did: South Carolina DB Jalon Kilgore
Nickel/safety versatility probably appealed to the AI here. There’s also really good ball production with eight career interceptions and 21 passes broken up. I think he’s rather role-limited in the NFL, but the AI could’ve done a whole lot worse at pick No. 148.
Pick No. 169
Top available: Landon Robinson, Josh Cameron, Caden Curry, Taureen York, Demon Claiborne, Domani Jackson, Eli Raridon, Cade Klubnik, J.C. Davis, and Keagen Trost.
My pick: Illinois OT J.C. Davis
I hadn’t taken an offensive tackle yet, so this felt right. This one is a bit of a homer pick as Davis played for my UNM Lobos before transferring to play for my Fighting Illini. If the Chiefs wait on offensive tackle, he’s the one I’d want them to target.
What AI Brett Veach did: Navy DT Landon Robinson
Doubling up on the pass-rushing interior defensive linemen. I see you, Brett Veach AI. Robinson is undersized, but his athleticism and production are absolutely worth taking a chance on. Being the top-ranked player on the list I gave to the AI probably played a part in this decision.
Pick No. 176
Top available: Jeremiah Wright, Ar’Maj Reed-Adams, Mikail Kamara, Marlin Klein, Adam Randall, Trey Moore, Jakobe Thomas, Nick Barrett, Kaelon Black, and Febechi Nwaiwu.
My pick: Michigan LB Jimmy Rolder
Call it a reach on my part, as Rolder is 201 on the A to Z Sports big board. Only a one-year starter. Instinctive with impressive closing speed at 6-foot-2 and 238 pounds. He’s someone who could slot in as a SAM linebacker in 2026, but potentially develop into the green-dot-wearer down the line.
What AI Brett Veach did: Indiana RB Kaelon Black
I noted three things the Chiefs still needed at running back in team needs for the AI: Pass protection, short-yardage, and return specialists. Black (5-foot-10, 210 pounds) can handle the first two, at the very least. The one thing I found interesting here is that running back was very low on my AI’s needs list.
Pick No. 210
Top available: Tyren Montgomery, John Michael Gyllenborg, Robert Spears-Jennings, Skyler Gill-Howard, Diego Pounds, Carver Willis, Caleb Douglas, Eli Heidenreich, Red Murdock, and George Gumbs Jr.
My pick: Florida EDGE George Gumbs Jr.
Gumbs felt like that developmental speed-rusher prototype that the Chiefs want, but haven’t really hit on. He’s long (6-foot-6 with 34-inch arms), springy, super-athletic, and the flash plays look really good. It’s just all about further development and consistency.
What AI Brett Veach did: Buffalo LB Khalil “Red” Murdock
The AI got a little sassy with me and spat out Red’s government name. I feel like Brett Veach’s recent comments about the linebacker position stuck with the AI here. I also feel like it valued Murdock’s production (364 tackles and 17 forced fumbles in his career).
Final verdict
Charles Goldman’s Final 2026 NFL Mock Draft:
- 9: Arizona State WR Jordyn Tyson
- 29: Tennessee CB Colton Hood
- 40: Florida DT Caleb Banks
- 74: Penn State EDGE Dani Dennis-Sutton
- 109: TCU S Bud Clark
- 148: Stanford TE Sam Roush
- 169: Illinois OT J.C. Davis
- 176: Michigan LB Jimmy Rolder
- 210: Florida EDGE George Gumbs Jr.
AI Brett Veach’s Final 2026 NFL Mock Draft:
- 9: Auburn DE Keldric Faulk
- 29: Alabama OT Kadyn Proctor
- 40: Florida DT Caleb Banks
- 74: Georgia State WR George Hurst
- 109: SFA CB Charles Demmings
- 148: South Carolina DB Jalon Kilgore
- 169: Navy DT Landon Robinson
- 176: Indiana RB Kaelon Black
- 210: Buffalo LB Red Murdock
Overall, I was surprised by how well the AI drafted. My draft feels a bit more top-heavy with the instant-impact contributors, but I think the AI might’ve actually done a better job on Day 3. That felt especially Brett Veach-like, given his history and penchant for finding late-round steals.
If I do this again next year, I think I’ll feed the AI some of our draft rankings at A to Z Sports to give it better context. It had access to prospect data, but not any specific set of rankings. That’s probably the one area this experiment failed. The only context it had for “best” was the order of the 10 players I gave it to choose from at each pick. If I had the ability to “reach” as I did at 176, the AI should be able to.
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