Royals Senior VP/Baseball Operations & GM Dayton Moore "confirmed that the club continues to vet" Oregon State P Luke Heimlich as it "comes to grips with the situation" surrounding Heimlich and his criminal history. THE ATHLETIC's Rustin Dodd cited a source as saying that the Royals are "not close to signing Heimlich, nor do they have any framework for a deal in place." The final decision would "rest with ownership, which offers its own uncertainty." Moore said that the Royals "continue to gather information as an organization." Moore has "emerged as an unlikely public supporter for Heimlich" (THEATHLETIC.com, 6/26).
TRAVELLING FANBASE: In Newark, Bill Evans noted the Yankees "returned to Citizens Bank Park for the first time" since the '09 World Series on Monday. The attendance of 44,136 was the "second-biggest home crowd of the year behind the home opener and the first non-opening day sellout" for the Phillies since '13. The Phillies' "average attendance of 25,225 is 19th" in MLB. The Yankees "lead the majors in road attendance at 33,454 per game" (NJ.com, 6/26).
TEBOW TIME: In N.Y., Peter Botte writes the "day is surely coming" when Tim Tebow joins the Mets, as he "suddenly is posting respectable numbers." It certainly does not "seem out of the realm of possibility anymore that Tebow will be promoted" to the Triple-A Pacific Coast League Las Vegas 51s at some point this summer, with a September "addition to the Met's expanded roster hardly out of the question." For the "always bottom-line seeking" Mets ownership, the Wilpon family, Tebow "probably even will sell a few extra tickets and Shake Shack burgers come September" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 6/27).
