Return of Royals (to KC), plus more Chiefs OTAs and a holiday Current match: Next Play

First of all, can you believe it’s June?

Indeed, the calendar flips this week to the month containing the official start of summer. So what better place to kick off this week’s KC Next Play than the boys of summer themselves, at least in Kansas City — the Royals.

We’ll also get to the latest with the Chiefs, KC Current (who play a special holiday matinee on Monday at Children’s Mercy Park) and Sporting Kansas City.

Kansas City Royals catcher MJ Melendez, left, and pitcher Scott Barlow celebrate after the team’s 3-2 win over the Minnesota Twins in a baseball game Thursday, May 26, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)
Kansas City Royals catcher MJ Melendez, left, and pitcher Scott Barlow celebrate after the team’s 3-2 win over the Minnesota Twins in a baseball game Thursday, May 26, 2022, in Minneapolis. (AP Photo/Craig Lassig)

Royals return from the road

The Royals are probably ready to say goodbye (for now) to the Minnesota Twins. The teams wrap up their four-game series today (Sunday) with a 1:10 p.m. game in Minneapolis.

They have a quick turnaround and some travel after this one’s through, heading to Cleveland to open a series against the Guardians. Game times in Cleveland are 5:10 p.m. Central on Monday and Tuesday and 12:10 p.m. on Wednesday.

The Royals get an off-day Thursday before opening a 10-game homestand on Friday against the Houston Astros. KC plays the Astros at 7:10 p.m. Friday, 3:10 p.m. Saturday and 1:10 p.m. next Sunday at Kauffman Stadium.

The homestand also includes series against the Toronto Blue Jays (June 6-8) and Baltimore Orioles (June 9-12).

Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes directs traffic during practice Thursday at the Chiefs’ practice facility.
Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes directs traffic during practice Thursday at the Chiefs’ practice facility.

Chiefs return to practice field

The Chiefs have another round of voluntary organized team activities (OTA) practices this week at their training complex adjacent to Arrowhead Stadium.

They’ll convene on a Tuesday-Thursday schedule again this week, with more opportunities to work out together as a team. Last week’s sessions were a good start for a team hungry to return to the Super Bowl after getting bounced by the Bengals in the last AFC Championship Game.

The Kansas City Current (pictured) and OL Reign FC observed a moment of silence for the victims of the massacre in Uvalde, Texas, before Wednesday night’s NWSL match in Seattle.
The Kansas City Current (pictured) and OL Reign FC observed a moment of silence for the victims of the massacre in Uvalde, Texas, before Wednesday night’s NWSL match in Seattle.

Holiday game for KC Current

The Current kick off the week with a Memorial Day game Monday against Racing Louisville at Children’s Mercy Park.

This 2 p.m. match could be a prime opportunity for the Current to record their first National Women’s Soccer League victory of the season. You’ll recall, perhaps, that the Current cruised through the preseason and most of the NWSL Challenge Cup tournament before losing steam as the league season began.

The Current haven’t beaten Racing Louisville in any competition thus far this season, tying the team from Kentucky in their Challenge Cup group-stage opener before losing to Louisville 3-0 later during the group-play portion of the tourney. That latter game, too, was at Children’s Mercy Park, so a win Monday would also be tinged sweetly with revenge.

Sporting Kansas City forward Johnny Russell crosses the ball late in the second half of a Round of 16 game against Houston Dynamo FC at Children’s Mercy Park on May 25, 2022.
Sporting Kansas City forward Johnny Russell crosses the ball late in the second half of a Round of 16 game against Houston Dynamo FC at Children’s Mercy Park on May 25, 2022.

No game for Sporting KC

A quick note about Sporting Kansas City, lest anyone think we forgot about the team that last week moved into the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup quarterfinals with a 2-1 home victory over the Houston Dynamo.

Sporting is off this week, resuming competition on June 12 against the New England Revolution at Children’s Mercy Park.

Last call for high school heroes

This is the final week of high school sports in the Kansas City region.

The Kansas-side schools are done, and after this week, the Missouri championships will also be complete.

Finals are coming in the Show Me State for baseball and girls soccer. Stay tuned.