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Only a day after joining the Kansas City Royals from the San Francisco Giants, veteran outfielder Mike Yastrzemski wasted no time making an impact for the Royals, launching a two-run homer in his first plate appearance with the club on Friday against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre.
The 370-foot shot to right-center came off Blue Jays starter Kevin Gausman in the second inning, giving the Royals an early 2–1 lead. Yastrzemski, who was hitting sixth and playing right field, joined the team in Toronto after flying in Friday morning, passport in hand, having learned of the trade during a golf outing in New York the previous day.
The Kansas City Royals acquired Yastrzemski in exchange for minor league pitcher Yunior Marte. The 34-year-old outfielder, who is eligible for free agency at the end of the 2025 season, had appeared in 96 games with San Francisco this year, slashing .231/.330/.355 with eight home runs, 28 RBIs, and six stolen bases before the deal. His home run on Friday marked his ninth of the season.
Yastrzemski brings a veteran presence to a reshaped Royals lineup that also recently added Randal Grichuk and Adam Frazier. Manager Matt Quatraro noted that while Yastrzemski, a left-handed hitter, will see regular starts against right-handed pitching, he and Grichuk are not in a strict platoon system.
The Royals also made several pitching moves at the deadline. Bailey Falter (acquired from the Pittsburgh Pirates) and rookie Ryan Bergert (acquired from the San Diego Padres) are expected to join the rotation next week during the upcoming series in Boston. Meanwhile, Stephen Kolek, another acquisition from the San Diego Padres, was optioned to Triple-A Omaha to be stretched out as a starter.
The Yastrzemski trade coincided with the departure of catcher Freddy Fermin, dealt to the Padres in exchange for Bergert and Kolek. Fermin had made 51 starts behind the plate this season, while Salvador Perez had started 54. Veteran Luke Maile now steps in as Perez’s primary backup as the Royals manage the 35-year-old's workload during a grueling August stretch.
Yastrzemski, who wore No. 5 with the Giants, debuted for the Royals wearing No. 18, as George Brett’s No. 5 is retired in Kansas City. Nevertheless, Yastrzemski made one thing clear on Day 1, that he’s here to contribute, and he started with a bang.
