KANSAS CITY – The Royals and FOX Sports Kansas City are inching closer to finalizing and signing their handshake deal that was agreed upon in Spring Training, MLB.com has learned.

It is believed that FSKC will carry 59 of the 60 games this season, with one game reserved for a national telecast.

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The deal, believed to be in the five-to-eight-year range, is expected to average somewhere near $48-52 million per year, depending on the contract’s escalators.

The Royals’ previous 12-year deal with FSKC expired after the 2019 season, and averaged about $20-25 million annually.

Dozier has bruised hand after HBP
Royals right fielder Hunter Dozier sustained a bruised right hand after being struck by an inside sinker from right-hander Brady Singer, the team’s No. 2 prospect per MLB Pipeline, in an intrasquad game Wednesday night. Dozier originally jogged to first base but eventually left as a precaution.

Manager Mike Matheny said he had no issues with Singer over the hit-by-pitch.

“He’s got to pitch inside,” Matheny said. “That’s baseball. You can’t take that away from him.”

Also, outfielder Nick Heath, trying to make the team in a reserve role, left the game for what Matheny described as a “full body cramp.” He is fine as well.

Matias smokes a double
Outfielder Seuly Matias, the Royals' No. 14 prospect, continued to impress Matheny with two more hits, including a blast off the right-field wall off Kyle Zimmer for a double.

“Man,” Matheny said, “he makes your ears ring when he hits it.”

Staumont making adjustments
One of the pitchers who caught the coaching staff’s eyes during Spring Training was right-hander Josh Staumont, whose fastball peaked at 102 mph in Arizona. Staumont didn’t give up a run in six innings and struck out 10.

Staumont’s fastball in Tuesday’s scrimmage certainly had its usual life. But he struggled to gain command of his curve -- specifically, he had issues with his grip as the heat index at Kauffman Stadium neared 100 degrees.

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“Coming from California, it’s never easy to jump right into the heat and humidity,” Staumont said. “When you go max effort right away, there are going to be times when [pitches] pop loose a little. Curveball popped out, but the fastball felt good.

“I left Spring Training in a pretty good spot. I’m getting a little used to competitive at-bats again, so that’s really good. I don’t think it’s a command thing as much as it’s a comfort thing.”

Satellite camp?
Matheny mentioned that the Royals are still open to having a satellite camp away from Kauffman Stadium for players who won’t be on the 30-man roster.

Several sites are being considered but it appears likely the Royals won’t use one of their Minor League affiliates for logistical travel reasons. Some of the local sites being considered include T-Bones Park (home of the independent league T-Bones), the Kansas City Urban Youth Academy and some area junior college facilities.