Kansas City Royals News

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Isaac Collins • LF • Royals

Isaac Collins Back in Royals Lineup on Saturday

Kansas City Royals outfielder Isaac Collins (knee) is back in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the New York Yankees in the Bronx, serving as the designated hitter and batting seventh in the order against Yankees right-hander Wil Warren, according to MLB.com. Collins suffered a bruised right knee on Tuesday and missed three straight games before his return for Game 2 of the series in New York. The 28-year-old switch-hitter has played in 16 games so far in 2026 and has gone just 9-for-42 (.214) with a home run, four RBI, seven runs scored, six walks, and 15 strikeouts. Collins will be an easy fade for DFS lineups in his first game back against a pitcher he's never faced. In his first full MLB season in 2025 with the Milwaukee Brewers, Collins slashed .263/.368/.411 with a .779 OPS, nine home runs, 54 RBI, 16 stolen bases, and 56 runs scored in 441 plate appearances across 130 games played. In his last seven games, Collins has gone just 3-for-18 at the plate.

Yesterday

Carter Jensen • C • Royals

Carter Jensen is a Must-Add Target at Catcher Position

Kansas City Royals catcher Carter Jensen has been picking it up with the bat recently, and fantasy managers are beginning to notice. Jensen had a recent stretch of play where he hit over .300 with three home runs and five RBI in a six-game span. The power numbers have taken a dip since then, but Jensen is still worth looking at for fantasy managers in need of a catcher. The 22-year-old is slashing .222/.259/.463 with four homers, 10 RBI in 18 games this season. He has been filling in as the designated hitter whenever he's not behind the plate. It's never an easy task finding a viable hitter at the catcher position, but Jensen appears to have good upside.

2 days ago

Vinnie Pasquantino • 1B • Royals

Vinnie Pasquantino Snaps Lengthy Skid with Home Run, Cause for Optimism?

Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino crushed his first home run of the season on Thursday against the Detroit Tigers. It came in his fifth at-bat of the contest off Connor Seabold and had an exit velocity of 108.0 mph and traveled 412 feet. It was his first hit of the game and first home run of the season for Pasquantino, and he finished Thursday's contest going 1-for-5. Pasquantino has struggled at the plate thus far, slashing .155/.244/.239 with nine RBI and five runs scored. The Royals' offense overall has yet to show up this season, but perhaps their nine-run outburst from Thursday will get them going. Fantasy managers who drafted Pasquantino have every right to be disappointed with his performance thus far; however, Pasquantino is a career .261/.327/.447 hitter and is coming off a career high last season with 32 home runs and 113 RBI. There is very likely positive regression coming his way. While the underlying metrics so far this season do not fully support that positive regression, his track record over the past five years certainly does. Fantasy managers should be optimistic about his home run on Thursday and the potential breakout on the horizon.

2 days ago

Cole Ragans • SP • Royals

Cole Ragans Returning to the Mound on Tuesday Against Tigers

Kansas City Royals left-hander Cole Ragans (thumb) has been cleared to make his next start on Tuesday against the division-rival Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park, according to MLB.com. Ragans left his previous start early against the Cleveland Guardians last week when he was hit by a comebacker on his thumb in the first inning, but thankfully, it didn't turn out to be a serious injury. The 28-year-old former first-rounder in 2016 is 0-3 with a 5.91 ERA, 1.69 WHIP, and 15:6 K:BB in 10 2/3 innings over his first three starts in 2026, and it won't get any easier in his fourth outing on Tuesday night against the Tigers. Ragans' pitch count isn't expected to be limited at all on Tuesday, but he'll certainly be riskier in fantasy baseball lineups in his first start after his thumb injury against a strong lineup. Ragans can bounce back in 2026 if he can stay healthy, as he's just one year removed from striking out 223 batters with a 3.14 ERA in 32 starts in 2024, when he was a first-time All-Star.

5 days ago

Carlos Estévez • RP • Royals

Carlos Estevez Hoping to Start Rehab Assignment in the Next Five Days

Kansas City Royals general manager and president of baseball operations JJ Piccolo said that right-handed reliever Carlos Estevez (foot) is hoping to start a minor-league rehab assignment at Triple-A Omaha in the next five days, according to Cody Tapp of 96.5 The Fan. Estevez looked pretty bad early in the 2026 season and saw his velocity drop before he was hit in the left foot by a comebacker. The 33-year-old veteran was a second-time All-Star in 2025 and had a league-high 42 saves in 66 innings pitched, but he had allowed six earned runs with two walks and no strikeouts in just one-third of an inning in his only performance for KC this year before going on the 15-day injured list. The Royals probably aren't in any rush to put Estevez back in high-leverage situations in the back of their bullpen when he's completely healthy, especially since Lucas Erceg has gone a perfect 5-for-5 in save chances as the team's closer since Estevez went on the IL.

5 days ago

Carter Jensen • C • Royals

Carter Jensen Heating Up, Emerging as a Must-Add Catcher in Fantasy?

Kansas City Royals catcher Carter Jensen is starting to heat up at the plate and has homered three times in his last six games. Jensen is slashing .211/.262/.553 with four home runs, seven RBI, six runs, and 16 strikeouts over 14 games. The 22-year-old has struggled with strikeouts this season, posting a 35.9 K%, almost double last season's strikeout rate. However, his 18.2% barrel percentage is in the 92nd percentile, while his hard-hit percentage (50.0) is in the 79th percentile. Jensen has legit power and homered 14 times in just 43 games in Triple-A last season. His average might not be there yet, but Jensen carries plenty of upside and is only rostered in 30% of Yahoo leagues. Fantasy managers searching for catcher help off the waiver wire should add Jensen in all leagues, especially while he's wielding a hot bat.

Apr 11

Kris Bubic • SP • Royals

Kris Bubic Dominates White Sox With 11 Strikeouts on Friday

Kansas City Royals left-hander Kris Bubic took advantage of a plus matchup in Friday's series opener against the Chicago White Sox to pick up his second win of the 2026 season in the team's 2-0 shutout win. In seven innings of work, Bubic only allowed two hits while walking one and striking out 11. It was the first time that the 28-year-old southpaw struck out double-digit batters in his career, and it was also only the fourth time that he threw at least seven shutout innings. The opponent definitely helped his cause, but Bubic generated an eye-opening 17 whiffs on 88 total pitches. He's sporting a nice 2.50 ERA with 23 strikeouts and seven walks in his 18 innings pitched this year as he heads into a much tougher matchup in his next scheduled outing against the division-rival Detroit Tigers. Bubic showed last year that he's the real deal, posting a 2.55 ERA and 1.18 WHIP with 11 strikeouts and eight wins. He doesn't blow hitters away, but his fantastic command gives him plenty of fantasy appeal.

Apr 11

Carlos Estévez • RP • Royals

Carlos Estevez to Throw a Bullpen on Thursday

Kansas City Royals right-handed reliever Carlos Estevez (foot) is scheduled to throw a bullpen session on Thursday, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. After an abysmal start to the 2026 season, the Royals placed Estevez on the 15-day injured list last Wednesday with a left-foot contusion that he suffered when he was struck by a comebacker. The 33-year-old veteran Dominican hurler was showing decreased velocity this spring, and it continued into the start of the regular season. In just one-third of an inning pitched in his only outing of the year before going on the shelf, Estevez allowed six earned runs on four hits (one grand slam) while walking two and striking out none. The two-time All-Star had a league-high 42 saves in his first year in KC in 2025, but there were underlying signs that his stuff was in decline. Lucas Erceg has stepped up as the Royals' closer, and he may not relinquish the title, even when Estevez is cleared to return from the IL.

Apr 9

Bailey Falter • SP • Royals

Bailey Falter has Resumed Throwing

Kansas City Royals left-hander Bailey Falter (elbow) has been battling valgus extension overload (VEO) in his left elbow and is experiencing pain when extending. However, he resumed playing catch on Monday, according to MLB.com. Falter was placed on the 15-day injured list on April 3 with left-elbow inflammation, and he's expected to return in late April. Before his injury, Falter had been working as a reliever for the Royals, taking away what little fantasy value he had left. The 28-year-old southpaw allowed five earned runs on eight hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out four in 3 1/3 relief innings over two appearances for the Royals before landing on the IL. With a career 17.8% strikeout rate, Falter has very little fantasy upside in KC, and he should be ignored as long as he remains in a relief role when he's cleared to return to the majors.

Apr 9

Bobby Witt Jr. • SS • Royals

Bobby Witt Jr. Working Through a Power Outage

Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. is off to a slow start to the season by his lofty standards from the last few seasons. After hitting 20+ homers in each of his first four seasons with a career .357 wOBA, Witt has no homers and just a .298 wOBA in his first 12 games this season. He's hitting a decent .273 but only has one extra-base hit. When he has reached base, he's been very aggressive and is a perfect 7-for-7 in stolen base attempts. His power shortage is concerning, although his hard-hit rate is actually up to 60%, and his average exit velocity is up to 95.2 miles per hour. He's hitting the ball well, but so far, he's not getting the results we've come to expect from the superstar over the last few seasons. If you invested an early pick or a big auction number in Witt, wait for him to come around if possible. He makes a good buy-low candidate if his manager in your league is ready to hit the panic button early in the season.

Apr 9

Cole Ragans • SP • Royals

Cole Ragans "Should be Good" for Next Start

Kansas City Royals left-hander Cole Ragans (thumb) "should be good" going forward after suffering a left-thumb contusion in his start on Wednesday versus the Cleveland Guardians, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. It sounds as though the Royals avoided the worst with Ragans after he was hit by a comebacker off the bat of Jose Ramirez in the first inning. He initially stayed in the game, but his thumb proved to be too stiff for him to continue, so the Royals pulled him as a precaution. The 28-year-old southpaw was charged with three earned runs while walking one and striking out two in just two-thirds of an inning on Wednesday. It's great news for Ragans, who made only 13 starts in 2025 due to injuries after his All-Star campaign in 2024. Ragans struck out 223 hitters in 32 starts for the Royals in 2024, and he's a prime bounce-back candidate this year if he can manage to stay healthy. His next scheduled start will come against the division-rival Detroit Tigers next Tuesday on the road.

Apr 8

Cole Ragans • SP • Royals

Cole Ragans Diagnosed With Thumb Contusion

Updating a previous report, Kansas City Royals left-hander Cole Ragans (thumb) was diagnosed with a left-thumb contusion after leaving his start early on Wednesday against the Cleveland Guardians after he was hit in the throwing hand by a comebacker off the bat of third baseman Jose Ramirez in the first inning, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. The 28-year-old southpaw appears to have avoided a serious injury, but he could still have his next turn in the starting rotation skipped as a precaution. Before leaving, Ragans was unfortunately charged with three earned runs on two hits while walking one and striking out two in two-thirds of an inning pitched. If the Royals clear Ragans to make his next start, he's scheduled to face the division-rival Detroit Tigers next week. If he can avoid further injuries, Ragans has a good chance to bounce back in 2026 for fantasy managers.

Apr 8

Cole Ragans • SP • Royals

Cole Ragans Leaves Early on Wednesday After Being Hit in the Hand

Kansas City Royals left-hander Cole Ragans (hand) was hit on the left hand by a comebacker against the Cleveland Guardians during his start on Wednesday and was removed early, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Ragans initially stayed in the game after a lengthy visit from a trainer, but he was eventually pulled after facing five batters. His final line on the day was three earned runs allowed on two hits while walking one and striking out two in just two-thirds of an inning. The Royals will most likely send Ragans for X-rays to rule out any broken bones in his left hand. Fantasy managers will want to check back on the 28-year-old southpaw's status, but even if he avoids any structural damage in his throwing hand, Ragans might need to skip his next turn in KC's starting rotation. The former first-rounder was a first-time All-Star in 2024 but made only 13 starts in 2025 due to injuries. Ragans has plenty of bounce-back potential this year, but he'll need to stay healthy.

Apr 8

Noah Cameron • SP • Royals

Noah Cameron Turns in Another Strong Outing, Profiles as a Top Waiver-Wire Target

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Noah Cameron delivered a quality performance in his team's 2-1 loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday, allowing one earned run, one walk, and six hits while striking out five across 5 2/3 innings of work. The 26-year-old is off to a strong start to the 2026 season, as he's allowed just two earned runs and two walks and racked up 10 strikeouts across 10 2/3 innings (two starts). Cameron made his MLB debut for the Royals in 2025 and pitched well, logging a 2.99 ERA and 1.10 WHIP across 138 1/3 innings. Still, he posted a subpar 20.5% strikeout rate, and his 84% strand rate made him a prime regression candidate. Thus far in 2026, Cameron has backed up his rookie season production, albeit in a small sample size. His next start is scheduled for Sunday against the Chicago White Sox, so fantasy managers in leagues with weekly pickups will get another chance to see Cameron before he hits the waiver wire.

Apr 7

Carter Jensen • C • Royals

Carter Jensen Continues Power Surge on Tuesday

Kansas City Royals catcher Carter Jensen was the lone offensive bright spot in his team's 2-1 loss to the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday, as he went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run. The 22-year-old has now gone deep in back-to-back games and has three home runs in 31 plate appearances this season. Jensen also owns an impressive 53.3% hard-hit rate, backing up the 58.3% hard-hit rate he posted across a 60-plate appearance sample size in 2025. Perhaps most importantly, Jensen could be working his way towards everyday playing time in Kansas City. The presence of veteran Royals catcher Salvador Perez blocks Jensen from the full-time starting role behind the plate, but the Royals should have enough at-bats available at designated hitter to give both players regular playing time. Jensen will be a popular waiver-wire target across all formats if he can continue his recent hot streak at the plate.

Apr 7

Lucas Erceg • RP • Royals

Lucas Erceg Notches Third Save on Monday, Carrying Must-Start Upside

Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Lucas Erceg picked up his third save of the season on Monday, pitching a perfect ninth inning with a strikeout in his team's 4-2 win over the Cleveland Guardians. Across 4 2/3 innings pitched in 2026, the 30-year-old has allowed five hits, two earned runs, and two walks while recording three strikeouts. While Erceg's numbers don't scream dominance, he has been effective since taking over the Kansas City closer job from Carlos Estevez (foot). Estevez is currently on the 15-day injured list with a foot injury that is not expected to cause him to miss significant time. However, Estevez struggled mightily in both Spring Training and his lone 2026 regular season appearance before being placed on the IL. Erceg profiles as a must-start reliever in the short term for fantasy managers, and could end up holding the ninth-inning role in Kansas City for the remainder of the year.

Apr 6

Michael Massey • 2B • Royals

Michael Massey Activated From Injured List

The Kansas City Royals announced on Monday that they activated infielder/outfielder Michael Massey (calf) from the 10-day injured list and optioned infielder/outfielder Nick Loftin to Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move. Massey is ready to make his 2026 season debut for the Royals after going 3-for-12 with a home run in three minor-league rehab games with Omaha last week. The 28-year-old injured his left calf in spring training in early March. The former fourth-round pick in 2019 will be a utility player for the Royals now that he's healthy, making him avoidable in all mixed fantasy baseball leagues for now. Massey had 29 home runs in 2023 and 2024 combined, but he played in only 77 games in KC last year in his fourth year in the big leagues and slashed .244/.268/.313 with a career-worst .581 OPS, three home runs, and 20 RBI.

Apr 6

Lucas Erceg • RP • Royals

Lucas Erceg Emerging as a Must-Add Off the Waiver Wire for Saves?

Kansas City Royals reliever Lucas Erceg has converted both save opportunities while posting a 1.13 WHIP and one strikeout across 2 2/3 scoreless innings in 2026. The Royals placed closer Carlos Estevez (foot) on the 15-day injured list with a foot contusion. Estevez had velocity concerns heading into the year and was lit up for six earned runs in only one appearance this season. With Estevez on the injured list, Erceg has locked down Kansas City's closer role and becomes a must-add off the waiver wire for fantasy managers searching for saves. The 30-year-old was terrific last season, owning a 2.64 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 48:18 K :BB with two saves and 23 holds over 61 1/3 innings for the Royals last season. Erceg is rostered in 51% of Yahoo Fantasy leagues and is currently third on RotoBaller's Week 2 waiver wire rankings.

Apr 4

Bailey Falter • SP • Royals

Royals Place Bailey Falter on 15-Day Injured List With Elbow Inflammation

The Kansas City Royals announced on Friday that they placed left-hander Bailey Falter (elbow) on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to April 2) with left-elbow inflammation and recalled right-hander Luinder Avila from Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move. It could help explain why Falter allowed three runs in just one-third of an inning during his outing in relief against the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday. He's allowed five earned runs on eight hits (one homer) while walking two and striking out four in just 3 1/3 innings in his first two appearances out of KC's bullpen in 2026. It's unclear if Falter will be eligible to return from the IL when he's eligible in mid-April. The 28-year-old southpaw isn't much to look at for fantasy baseball purposes, even if he were to rejoin the Royals' starting rotation at some point this year. Falter finished in the bottom 20th percentile in 2025 in whiff rate, strikeout rate, xERA, xBA, and ground-ball rate.

Apr 3

Michael Wacha • SP • Royals

Michael Wacha is Scratched from Friday's Start

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha (illness) has been scratched from his scheduled start against the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday. It appears the veteran right-hander is feeling under the weather, so he'll be pulled from this start, but shouldn't need to be placed on the Injured List. Luinder Avila has been recalled from Triple-A Omaha to make the start on Friday night. Avila registered a 1.29 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and a 16:6 K/BB ratio across 13 relief appearances with the Royals last season. The 24-year-old has been mainly working as a starter in the minors, but he still might not pitch deep into this game. The rest of the Royals' starters will remain the same, with Seth Lugo on Saturday and Kris Bubic on Sunday.

Apr 2

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