Jac Caglianone + Salvador Perez showcase thunderous power as Royals sweep Pirates
It may be too early for Kansas City Royals outfielder Jac Caglianone to officially turn in his resignation from a prolonged slump.
However, if the last two days are any indication, the rookie is starting to figure out how the complex Major League Baseball system operates.
Much to the delight of the Royals’ faithful.
In the fourth inning, Caglianone belted a 466-foot home run off Pittsburgh Pirates left-handed starter Bailey Falter. The homer rattled above the batter’s eye in center field and gave the Royals a 3-0 lead at Kauffman Stadium.
“It felt really good,” Caglianone said. “It was good to get one out to center and honestly just get the team on the board and get the ball rolling a little bit.”
Caglianone circled the bases with a smile. It was his second home run in consecutive days after he’d posted a paltry .157 batting average in June.
The long ball, and two more by a teammate, helped the Royals (46-48) claw their way to another victory, 4-3. It was KC’s seventh victory in nine games and completed a sweep of the Pirates.
“Everything is just experience-based at this point,” Caglianone said. “You are going to figure out new things every day. So that’s one thing I’m focusing on and leaning on the guys around me, for sure.”
Caglianone finished 1-for-4. He paced the Royals’ offense early before team captain Salvador Perez made sure to send the fans home happy. Each of those homers was needed as the Royals went 1-for-9 with runners in scoring position.
Perez, who was featured with his very own Superman-themed bobblehead as a Wednesday evening giveaway, hit two home runs. The second one came against Pirates reliever Isaac Mattson and put the Royals ahead for good.
“Every day is about making adjustments and trying to be consistent with my routine,” Perez said.
It was the 19th multi-homer game of Perez’s distinguished career. And it capped another strong performance at the plate from the Royals.
The Pirates, meanwhile, dropped to 38-56.
Royals pitcher Kris Bubic, in his first start as a 2025 All-Star, surrendered three runs in 5 2/3 innings. The Pirates chased him from the game in the sixth inning after Ke’Bryan Hayes recorded a two-run single.
“The last inning hurt with the 3-0 lead, you know, letting those first couple guys get on,” Bubic said. “The offense picked us up there — Salvy with some big swings and Jac with a big swing.
“But it’s just part of it and it was a good team win. They picked me up there after that inning.”
Bubic threw 53 of his 82 pitches for strikes. He balanced his fastball with a mix of his changeup, sweeper and off-speed pitches. In total, he recorded 33 swings and six whiffs.
Salvador Perez continues hot streak
As the summer months roll along, Royals captain Perez continues to sizzle at the plate.
Perez has owned the month of July. Entering Wednesday’s game, he’d had a .323 batting average, four doubles, two homers and nine RBIs in 31 at-bats since June ended.
He added to those numbers in the second inning.
“Salvy squaring those balls up, big part of the field and different pitches, you know he is seeing the ball well,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “Base hit up the middle, too.
“You know he is seeing it well and his exit velos have been up. He’s in a good spot. When he does that, it’s a huge lift for us in the middle of the order.”
Perez hit a 444-foot solo homer to give the Royals a 1-0 lead. Later, he showcased some nimble athleticism as he dove toward the first base bag to end the seventh before concluding the night with his go-ahead home run.
“Those are the biggest swings of the night for sure,” Caglianone said of Perez’s homers. “Being able to hit behind him and being the first person to dap him up after, I definitely don’t take it for granted.
“It’s super special being able to watch him do what he does. You watch it on TV long enough as a kid, so it’s really cool to see it in person.”
What’s next: The Royals are off Thursday before hosting the New York Mets this weekend at Kauffman Stadium, starting Friday night.
This story was originally published July 9, 2025 at 9:28 PM with the headline "Jac Caglianone + Salvador Perez showcase thunderous power as Royals sweep Pirates."
