CINCINNATI (AP) — Lane Thomas hit a grand slam in the first inning and Luinder Avila pitched a career-high five innings as the Kansas City Royals snapped a six-game skid with a 9-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds on Monday night.
Kansas City (23-37) won for just the fourth time in 20 games.
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Kansas City Royals pitcher Luinder Avila delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Monday, June 1, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)
Kansas City Royals pitcher Luinder Avila delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Monday, June 1, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Lyon Richardson delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Monday, June 1, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)
Cincinnati Reds' JJ Bleday rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Monday, June 1, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)
Kansas City Royals' Lane Thomas rounds the bases after hitting a grand slam during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Monday, June 1, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)
Avila (1-2) made his second career start and allowed one run on two hits with four walks and a career-high five strikeouts on 86 pitches, also a career high. Avila is replacing left-hander Kris Bubic, who is sidelined with arm issues.
Jac Caglianone hit a two-run home run, his sixth of the season, in the fifth and Michael Massey added a solo homer in the seventh, both off Reds lefty Brandon Leibrandt.
Leibrandt gave the Reds' injury-riddled bullpen a boost by pitching six innings, allowing five earned runs on 10 hits.
Reds right-hander Lyon Richardson (0-1) made his fifth career start after Chase Burns, who has a 1.96 ERA in 11 starts, was scratched due to illness. Richardson lasted one inning, issuing two walks and hitting a batter before allowing Thomas' third career grand slam that gave the Royals a 4-0 lead.
It was Thomas' second home run of the season and first since April 26. He went 3 for 5 with a homer, double, and four RBIs.
Reds left fielder JJ Bleday hit a solo home run, his 10th of the season and third in four games, in the first inning to make the score 4-1. It was just the second homer allowed by Avila this season through 36 innings.
Highly rated infield prospect Edwin Arroyo made his major-league debut at second base for Cincinnati and singled in the ninth inning for his first career hit. He went 1 for 4 and made one fine defensive play. The 22-yeare-old was recalled from Triple-A earlier Monday when Elly De La Cruz was placed on the 10-day injured list with a right hamstring strain.
Royals LHP Noah Cameron (2-4, 4.61) will oppose Reds LHP Andrew Abbott (4-3, 3.88) on Tuesday night.
Kansas City Royals pitcher Luinder Avila delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Monday, June 1, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)
Kansas City Royals pitcher Luinder Avila delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Monday, June 1, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Lyon Richardson delivers during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Monday, June 1, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)
Cincinnati Reds' JJ Bleday rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run during the first inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Monday, June 1, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)
Kansas City Royals' Lane Thomas rounds the bases after hitting a grand slam during the first inning of a baseball game against the Cincinnati Reds, Monday, June 1, 2026, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar)
Myles Garrett finally got his wish — to be a part of a consistent winning team instead of one in perpetual rebuilding.
The Cleveland Browns traded the two-time AP NFL Defensive Player of the Year to the Los Angeles Rams for pass rusher Jared Verse and three draft picks in a blockbuster deal on Monday.
Garrett was the unanimous choice for Defensive Player of the Year last season after he had 23 sacks and broke the NFL single-season record. He is expected to report to the Rams' facility on Tuesday and have a news conference to discuss the trade.
Garrett's addition marks the first time the reigning AP NFL MVP and Defensive Player of the Year will be teammates. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford won his first MVP award last season.
General manager Andrew Berry was able to make a deal after the Browns and Garrett agreed to modify the contract and defer option payments over the 2026-28 seasons in March. The first payment of around $10 million was due on March 28, but was moved to near the start of the regular season.
Garrett demanded a trade at the end of the 2024 season, but signed a four-year contract extension last March with a total value of $204.8 million that made him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history. The contract also included a no-trade clause.
Berry had long said that Garrett would play his entire career in Cleveland, but Garrett's lingering frustrations over the franchise's direction and the chance to start anew meant it was time to move on.
Cleveland is 8-26 the past two years after making the playoffs in 2023.
“As discussions intensified we were stuck at a legitimate crossroads: do we hold on to a truly generational player who has become the identity of our team, or do we make the difficult decision that we think is best for the organization over the long run?," Berry said after the trade was announced.
The Browns get Verse — the 2024 AP NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year — a 2027 first-round selection, a second-round pick in 2028 and a 2029 third-round selection.
Owners Dee and Jimmy Haslam said in a statement that they met with Garrett on Saturday to discuss the trade.
“Trading Myles was never our intent, but we also recognize that certain opportunities demand serious consideration, and we believe this is the right move for our team. Adding a young defensive star like Jared Verse, along with valuable draft assets, are necessary to strengthen a talented young core and align with the youth of our team,” the Haslams said.
Garrett was not seen at the Browns' facility during offseason workouts even though he made a couple of visits to Cleveland during the Cavaliers' NBA playoff run. Garrett has a minority stake in the Cavaliers.
Coach Todd Monken said two weeks ago he had not had a face-to-face meeting with Garrett since being hired in late January. Defensive coordinator Mike Rutenberg said last week he had some conversations over the phone with Garrett about the direction of the defense.
Garrett supported defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz being promoted to head coach before ownership opted for Monken. Schwartz ended up resigning after three years in Cleveland.
The 30-year old Garrett is the first player in NFL history with at least 12 sacks in six consecutive seasons (2020-25) and the only player with double-digit sacks each of the past eight years. His 125½ career sacks are tied for 20th on the league list.
Garrett, who was part of five double-digit losing seasons during his nine years in Cleveland, finally gets a chance to contend for a Super Bowl title.
“Nine years. It’s hard to put into words what that really means when so much of your life has been shaped in one place, around one team, and with one community behind you ... Cleveland made me tougher. You challenged me. You taught me about perseverance, about showing up even when things aren’t easy, and what loyalty really looks like. Through the highs, lows, setbacks, injuries, expectations, inclement weather, and difficult seasons, you all kept showing up. I never took that for granted,” Garrett said in a social media post Monday night addressed “To Cleveland, Northeast Ohio, and every Browns fan.”
The Browns have the sixth-lowest win percentage since 2017 and are 58-90-1. By comparison, the Rams have the fifth-best record over that span at 92-57, including seven playoff appearances and a Super Bowl title in 2021.
The trade also elevated the Rams to Super Bowl favorites.
The trade is yet another blockbuster deal swung by Rams general manager Les Snead, whose eagerness to use his draft picks in trades for star veterans has kept the Rams among the NFL’s top teams during coach Sean McVay’s decade on the sideline.
Snead notably acquired star cornerback Jalen Ramsey from Jacksonville in 2019 in a deal that included two first-round picks, securing the cornerstone of the secondary for a team that won a Super Bowl. But the Rams only won it all after they acquired Matthew Stafford in early 2021 in an even bigger trade for Jared Goff and two first-round picks.
Just a couple of months ago, Snead acquired star cornerback Trent McDuffie from Kansas City in a deal for four draft picks, including a first-rounder, to rebuild the secondary that was the weak link of last season’s team.
Before Snead shocked the NFL by picking quarterback Ty Simpson this spring, the Rams had made only one first-round selection over the previous nine years. That pick was Verse, who quickly became a star during his two seasons as the anchor of the Rams’ rebuilt pass rush in the wake of Aaron Donald’s retirement.
Verse had 4½ sacks while being selected as the NFL’s top defensive rookie in 2024, and he had 7½ sacks last season along with three forced fumbles. Byron Young led the Rams with 12 sacks and interior lineman Kobie Turner contributed seven sacks, and both young stars are heading into the final year of their rookie contracts.
With his Rams in title contention in November 2021, Snead acquired vaunted pass rusher Von Miller from Denver in a trade for LA’s second- and third-round picks. Miller contributed nine sacks in 12 games, providing exactly what they needed alongside Donald to win it all.
The current Rams are among the preseason Super Bowl favorites after winning 12 games and reaching the NFC championship game last season. Stafford, the reigning league MVP, is returning at the head of the NFL’s most potent offense last season along with a retooled defense featuring McDuffie and fellow ex-Kansas City star Jaylen Watson as its new cornerbacks — and now they’ve added the most feared pass rusher in the league.
The Rams’ roster in 2026 now includes last season’s NFL leads in yards passing, TD passes, total receptions (Puka Nacua), receiving touchdowns (Davante Adams) and sacks (Garrett).
After the Rams won the Super Bowl in February 2022 and then crashed out of the playoff picture in an injury-filled 2022-23 season, Snead briefly discarded his usual draft philosophy. He rebuilt his roster through a series of key selections in 2023 and 2024, drafting an entirely new defensive line with Verse, Young, Turner and Braden Fiske — along with All-Pro receiver Nacua.
With his rebuilt roster looming as a Super Bowl favorite again, Snead used his depth on the defensive line to make it even better.
Verse's acquisition gives the Browns the past two AP Defensive Rookies of the Year. Carson Schwesinger won last season after leading NFL rookies with 156 tackles and 11 tackles for loss.
“We receive a young, elite player at a premium position who will only continue to improve in his third NFL season. Jared’s passion and relentless style of play will be embraced by our fans. He will fit right in with the established identity of our defense,” Berry said.
AP Pro Football writer Rob Maaddi also contributed to this story.
AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl
FILE - This photo combination shows Cleveland Browns defensive end Myles Garrett, left, in Cincinnati, Jan. 4, 2026, and Los Angeles Rams linebacker Jared Verse, Jan. 4, 2026, in Inglewood, Calif. (AP Photo/David Dermer, Mark J. Terrill)
