KCSN Weekly: Mahomes Returns, Royals Post Sub-.500 Week Again and Jayhawks Stay Hot On the Diamond

The Chiefs are deep into offseason work, the Royals are trying to stay afloat early in the season, and Kansas baseball is enjoying one of the biggest weekends in program history.

Here’s where things stand heading into June.

Chiefs Check-in: Mahomes Returns, OTAs Kick Off

The biggest takeaway from the Chiefs’ first week of Organized Team Activities was simple: Patrick Mahomes is back on the practice field.

Just over five months removed from ACL and LCL surgery, Mahomes participated in OTA work this week. While the Chiefs continue to be smart with their franchise quarterback, head coach Andy Reid said he has liked what he’s seen throughout the recovery process, and Mahomes’ presence on the field is another encouraging step toward being ready for Week 1.

The other positive injury update came at wide receiver. Reid indicated that Xavier Worthy is in a good spot entering the remainder of the offseason program, helping solidify a position group that has more questions than answers right now. It should be noted, however, that Worthy was in a non-contact jersey in the midst of recovering from offseason shoulder surgery.

Speaking of that offense, one of the more intriguing and perhaps under-talked-about storylines is the addition of Kenneth Walker III, who turned heads amongst his peers this week. Kansas City’s revamped backfield was one of the biggest storylines of the offseason, and Walker’s explosiveness could provide the Chiefs with a dynamic rushing threat they lacked all of last season.

Defensively, several young players also generated buzz during OTA practices, with Kansas City’s coaching staff beginning to evaluate how the revamped secondary and defensive front fit together following the NFL Draft.

As for Rashee Rice, Reid addressed the situation following Rice’s probation violation and recent knee surgery, indicating that the organization will continue supporting him while allowing the legal process and rehabilitation timeline to play out.

Up next for Kansas City is the second and final OTA session, June 1-3, before mandatory minicamp begins June 9.

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Royals Report: Another Losing Week

It was another week below .500 for the Kansas City Royals.

Kansas City started strong, taking two of three from the Seattle Mariners, but finished the homestand on a sour note after being swept by the New York Yankees.

The bigger concern remains the health of the pitching staff.

Ace Cole Ragans was shut down for at least 2-3 days following a rehab outing in Omaha and will undergo further evaluation on his lingering elbow issue. Meanwhile, closer Carlos Estévez resumed playing catch after suffering a shoulder setback while rehabbing from the foot injury that landed him on the injured list in early April.

The Royals also designated Bailey Falter for assignment after the left-hander posted a 13.97 ERA across five appearances.

Offensively, there were not many standout performances. No Royals hitter batted .300 on the week, although Bobby Witt Jr. continued to provide power, blasting two home runs.

On the mound, Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo, and Stephen Kolek all turned in quality starts, while Noah Cameron narrowly missed the mark after allowing two earned runs in five innings. Starting pitching remains a non-issue up to this point in the season.

At 22-24, the Royals remain within shouting distance of the playoff picture, but they’ve slipped to 10 games behind the division-leading Cleveland Guardians and 5.5 games behind the final Wild Card spot.

KCSNU

Program-Changing Weekend For the Jaywhawks

The biggest story around the local universities continues to be Kansas baseball.

Kansas followed up its Big 12 Tournament championship by earning the No. 15 national seed in the NCAA Tournament, ensuring regional play would run through Lawrence. The win over No. 2-seeded West Virginia captured the Jayhawks’ first Big 12 Tournament title since 2006.

Kansas wasted little time rewarding the home crowd, defeating Northeastern 6-3 earlier Friday.

Now the Jayhawks await the winner of the Missouri State-Arkansas game for a second game tomorrow evening.

The math is simple from here: win Saturday and Kansas advances to Sunday in the driver’s seat. Lose, and the Jayhawks will need to battle through the elimination side of the bracket.

Regardless, the program is enjoying its most significant postseason run in nearly two decades.