Jac Caglianone struggled, but energized KC Royals' lineup in series win over Cardinals

The vibes were immaculate from Tuesday night's first pitch to Carlos Estevez's last Thursday night. The Royals visited Busch Stadium for some payback and earned it, as they defeated the Cardinals 7-5 on Thursday, splitting the doubleheader but earning the series victory.

All eyes were fixed on St. Louis this week for one reason: Jac Caglianone was making his Major League debut. It was one of the most anticipated debuts I can remember, not just for the Royals but also for Major League Baseball.

But the biggest development wasn't the young phenom's performance; it was how he affected everyone around him, like a moon orbiting its planet.

Collectively, this was the best the offense has looked all season. The addition of Jac had an effect on the team that's hard to explain.

Before Caglianone arrived, it was like every Royals game was in black and white. On Tuesday, the boys brought some life and much-needed juice to the ballpark, but are we buying into this new team?

Has the Royals' offense officially broken out after Jac Caglianone's arrival?

According to Anne Rodgers, who covers the Royals for MLB.com, this was the first time the Royals have scored five-plus runs in three consecutive games all season. Their offense hasn't looked like this since before Vinnie Pasquantino went on the IL last season.

The lineup was fresh as if they had just left the barbershop. After going with a steady lineup for the majority of the season, Royals Manager Matt Quatraro and his staff decided to switch things up.

Maikel Garcia was moved up to third, and Pasquantino was dropped down to fourth. Caglianone was inserted into the sixth spot behind Salvador Perez. It was a bold change for a franchise that, throughout my time, has been slow to change.

The resurgence started with Jonathan India, who was on fire the entire series. He collected a hit in every game, including three in Game 1 and two in Game 2, including a leadoff home run. He has found his groove, hitting .345 in his last seven games. This was the man the Royals traded for. He needs to continue to be the catalyst of this team if this offense wants to sustain this offensive outburst.

Bobby Witt Jr. added some power with a home run in Game 1, but his highlight reel moment was on defense, making a full extension dive for a ball to his right in mid-air. It was Mahomes in the Super Bowl-esque.

Maikel Garcia struggled at the beginning of the series, but came through in the rubber match with an opposite-field home run and two RBI.

Pasquantino continued his hot streak, too, going 7-for-15 with five RBI during the series.

Even Perez showed signs of life, going 5-for-15 in the series. The arrival of Caglianone may have the greatest impact on the veteran slugger. Think about it like this: How differently are teams going to pitch to Salvy with Cags behind him? I imagine he will start to see more hittable fastballs in the zone if Caglianone proves to be a threat.

Jac Caglianone struggles, but collects first Major League hit

I noticed the Cardinals were not shy about bringing in lefties when Cags came to the dish. In Game 1, RHP Kyle Leahy struck out Perez on three pitches, and they still went to left-hander John King when Cags emerged from the on-deck circle.

They did it again in Game 2, bringing King to face Cags for one out.

The Cardinals were going after Cags, but they did it strategically. If they are adjusting to Caglianone like this now, we can only hope he starts to figure out their plan of attack and exploit it.

He received a heavy dose of fastballs (52.8%), nine of which were sinkers (47%). As a result, Cags left the Cardinals series with an 80% ground ball rate and zero hits off of the fastball.

Cags was 1-13 in the series, but his first Major League hit came with a steak attached. Cags was uber-aggressive in this series, swinging early and often. He had four first-pitch outs through the first two games. The rubber match was Caglianone's worst game, striking out three times, but I'm not worried in the slightest. Cags looked like he belonged on the same field as Bobby and Vinnie.

Are we ready to buy into this new-look KC Royals offense?

Josh Vernier, Royals Insider for 96.5 The Fan, has called this the start of a new Royals era. With the arrival of Caglianone, the Royals may have found what they have lost.

The season, until this point, was like walking through the wilderness without a flashlight. There was disappointment after disappointment with no end in sight.

The Royals were good, but only at one phase of the game.

They won with elite pitching, but that was the only way they could win. Before this series, the Royals had scored one or fewer runs 20 times.

I give Q and his staff a lot of credit for noticing that the boys needed a spark and were willing to do something about it.

It would be impossible not to notice the effect Jac Caglianone has on this team. There was a tangible difference in the Royals' swagger and confidence. He completes them in a way they were missing before, like a long-lost family member reunited.

We could look back on this series with the Cardinals as the launching pad that propels the Royals into the team they are meant to be.