The Kansas City Royals haven't played to their full potential this season, but Sunday's win over the Los Angeles Angels was a reminder of what can happen when Lane Thomas is at his best.
The 30-year-old went 3-for-6 with two runs and three RBIs, which came on a walk-off three-run homer in the 10th inning. He came up with two outs and runners on the corners, and the Royals were down 9-8. They would've lost if he had gotten out, but he sealed a three-game sweep instead.
Sunday wasn't the first time that Thomas flexed his power. The 5-foot-11, 195-pounder tallied 28 homers and 86 RBIs over 156 games for the Washington Nationals in 2023 and has a career OPS of .725 across 622 contests. However, he played just 39 games for the Cleveland Guardians in 2025 due to wrist and foot injuries. He also struggled when he did play, slashing just .160/.246/.272 with four homers and 11 RBIs.
That's partially why Kansas City signed Thomas for just $5.5 million on a one-year deal in December. The Tennessee native has plenty of experience, but he still has to prove that he can be a consistent contributor again.
Thomas's performance on Sunday was a step in the right direction. The right-handed hitter could carve out a role for himself as a starter against southpaw pitchers, as he's hitting just .226 with a .661 OPS on the season but is slashing .269/.424/.423 against left-handers. Sunday's homer was against left-handed reliever Joey Lucchessi.
Thomas isn't part of Kansas City's core, which includes star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., third baseman Maikel Garcia, first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino, and catcher Salvador Perez. He's also not a high-upside young player like outfielders Jac Caglianone and Isaac Collins.
However, Thomas could be the type of extra piece that takes his team to the next level. Every squad needs a foundation, but it also needs supporting players to outperform their contracts. If he keeps producing against southpaws, then he'll fit that bill.
The Royals are now 11-17 after Sunday's win. Up next is a road trip starting against the Athletics and Seattle Mariners starting on Tuesday. After that, they'll return home to host the Cleveland Guardians and Detroit Tigers.
Tuesday's game against the Athletics will start at 9:40 p.m. ET. Left-handed pitcher Kris Bubic will start against fellow left-hander Jacob Lopez.