KANSAS CITY – On an unseasonably warm afternoon at Kauffman Stadium, the Kansas City Royals proved that while the fences have moved in, they didn’t need the extra help to secure a win. Behind surprising home runs from Kyle Isbel and Isaac Collins, the Royals defeated the Minnesota Twins 3-1 in front of a sellout crowd of 39,320.
The 85-degree heat at first pitch set the stage for a day dominated by the long ball. Despite off-season renovations that moved the outfield walls in by 8 to 10 feet, all four runs in the contest came via homers that would have cleared the original dimensions.
Bubic Leads the Way on the Mound
Southpaw Kris Bubic (1-0) continued a stellar trend for the Royals’ rotation. Bubic earned the win by limiting the Twins to just one run on two hits over six innings. While he battled through three walks and baserunners in nearly every frame, he maintained his composure to become the third consecutive Royals starter to allow one or fewer runs in a start of at least six innings.
John Schreiber locked down the ninth inning to earn his first save of the season.
Surprising Bats Provide the Spark
The Twins jumped out to an early lead in the second inning when Matt Wallner crushed a 424-foot solo shot that nearly reached the iconic fountains in right-center field. However, the Royals responded immediately in the bottom half of the inning.
- Kyle Isbel, who hit only four home runs in the entirety of 2025, leveled the score with a two-run blast into the Royals’ bullpen.
- Isaac Collins, entering the game 0-for-8 on the young season, provided the insurance in the seventh inning with a 400-foot strike into the Twins’ bullpen.
Pitching Summary
| Pitcher | Result | IP | H | R | ER | BB |
| Kris Bubic (KC) | W (1-0) | 6.0 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 |
| S. Woods Richardson (MIN) | L (0-1) | — | 5 | 2 | 2 | — |
| John Schreiber (KC) | S (1) | 1.0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
“Both starters were effective, though neither was brilliant,” noted observers, as both Bubic and Minnesota’s Simeon Woods Richardson navigated heavy traffic throughout their outings.
Up Next
Following an off-day on Tuesday, the Royals and Twins will continue their three-game series on Wednesday. The Royals will then look ahead to a matchup against the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday.
