Kansas City Royals News

The Kansas City Royals announced on Monday that they reinstated first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (wrist) from the 10-day injured list, and he is starting at first base and batting fifth in the series opener at Kauffman Stadium against the Athletics and right-hander Mason Barnett. The 28-year-old left-handed slugger has only six home runs and 33 RBI in 79 games so far in 2026 after hitting 32 home runs and driving in 113 runs in 160 games played a year ago. Pasquantino had surgery back on June 14 to fix a broken hamate bone in his right hand, and he had to go back on the IL due to soreness in his right wrist that kept him out for almost three more weeks. The Pasquatch's hand/wrist issues this year have sapped him of his power, but he is worth picking back up to see if he can help in the power department the rest of the way. Although he has disappointed in his fifth year in the majors with the Royals, Pasquantino has only struck out 17.9% of the time and has walked 11% of the time in his 336 plate appearances. He has gone hitless in just three career at-bats against Barnett.

The Kansas City Royals announced on Monday that they reinstated infielder/outfielder Maikel Garcia (hand) from the 10-day injured list, and he will start at third base and bat cleanup in his return in the series opener at home against the visiting Athletics and right-hander Mason Barnett. Fantasy managers in need of stolen bases should look to scoop Garcia up right away if he is available in your league. The 26-year-old Venezuelan has been injured for much of the year and has not lived up to expectations after hitting 16 home runs and stealing 23 bases in 2025, but he could do some damage for fantasy managers the rest of the way. Garcia will return to a .261/.320/.373 slash line with a .693 OPS, three home runs, 30 RBI, 32 runs scored, and five stolen bases in his 69 games and 294 plate appearances. He racked up 83 stolen bases from 2023 to 2025 with the Royals and is eligible at second base, third base, shortstop, and the outfield in Yahoo leagues. Garcia went 4-for-10 at the plate with a double and a steal in three minor-league rehab games last week with Double-A Northwest Arkansas.

Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro said that infielder/outfielder Maikel Garcia (hand) didn't play in a minor-league rehab game on Sunday, but if he's feeling good, there's a chance he could come off the 10-day injured list to rejoin the big-league club on Monday before their series opener at home against the Athletics. Garcia has gone 3-for-16 at the plate on his rehab assignment after joining Triple-A Omaha on Wednesday, and the 26-year-old could be on the verge of rejoining the Royals for the first time since being put on the 10-day injured list with a muscle strain in his left hand back on June 23. When he's activated, Garcia should take over as the team's starting third baseman, which will push Nick Loftin back to a utility role off the bench. Garcia has just three home runs, 30 RBI, and five stolen bases in 2026 in his fourth full season in the majors, but he did have 16 homers, 74 RBI, and 23 steals in 160 games as a first-time All-Star in 2025, and he had 83 stolen bases from 2023-25. With eligibility in Yahoo leagues at second base, third base, shortstop, and the outfield, Garcia should at least be a versatile speed threat for fantasy managers the rest of the way. He's currently rostered in 76% of Yahoo leagues.

Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (elbow) is back in the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Los Angeles Angels. Perez returns after making an early exit during Wednesday's game due to a right elbow issue. He sat out of Friday's contest because of the injury, but returns as the designated hitter on Saturday. Perez is having a below-average year at the plate, but has been hitting the ball better in August. Fantasy managers can go ahead and get Perez back in their lineups ahead of first pitch on Saturday.

Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Steven Cruz picked up his fourth save Friday, August 14, working a scoreless ninth in a 7-6 win over the Los Angeles Angels. Cruz allowed one hit and struck out one, freezing Mike Trout for the final out. It was another ninth-inning chance for the right-hander, who has now recorded all four of his saves over his last 15 appearances. Cruz has been much better than his 4.17 season ERA suggests lately, posting a 2.40 ERA and 0.87 WHIP across those 15 outings. Alex Lange has moved into lower-leverage work, while Cruz has been getting the ninth more often. The job isn't completely secure yet, but Cruz is clearly the arm to chase from this bullpen right now. Yahoo managers haven't moved much yet, either, with Cruz rostered in just 6% of leagues. He's worth grabbing in deeper formats for anyone looking to add saves.

Kansas City Royals catcher/first baseman Salvador Perez (elbow) remains out of action for Friday's series opener on the road against the Los Angeles Angels, according to MLB.com. Carter Jensen is doing the catching for right-hander Seth Lugo and is batting leadoff against Angels right-hander Grayson Rodriguez. Perez was pulled early from Wednesday's contest, and he's not ready to return just yet despite having a scheduled day off on Thursday. The 36-year-old Venezuelan veteran still has some power with 16 home runs on the year, but he comes into Friday's action hitting just .216 (94-for-436) with a 3.8% walk rate in his 473 plate appearances. The 15-year veteran and nine-time All-Star should be considered day-to-day, but fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised if his elbow injury turns into a stint on the injured list. Perez has gone 8-for-35 (.229) with a single homer, two doubles, seven RBI, two runs scored, one walk, and two strikeouts in 10 games so far in August. His offensive decline has become very real after hitting 30 homers and driving in 100 runs just last year.

The Kansas City Royals signed starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin to a one-year deal with a club option for the 2027 season on Thursday. The right-hander hasn't pitched at all this season while he rehabs from Tommy John surgery he underwent last August. Gonsolin is nearing the final stages of his recovery process and should be back on the mound soon. He has been placed on the 15-day Injured List while he continues to get fully healthy. It's unclear when he'll make his season debut, but right-hander Eli Morgan has been designated for assignment in a corresponding move. The Royals are hopeful that Gonsolin can bounce back and be an option for them in their 2027 rotation. Gonsolin was an All-Star in 2022, but he hasn't looked the same on the mound since then. He can be ignored in fantasy formats right now.

The Kansas City Royals announced on Wednesday evening that catcher/first baseman Salvador Perez (elbow) left the contest early against the Los Angeles Dodgers due to right-elbow irritation. It's unclear exactly how serious Perez's injury is right now, so we'll consider him day-to-day until more information is available. The good news is that KC has a scheduled day off on Thursday, giving the veteran catcher an extra day to recover before potentially returning for Friday's series opener in Anaheim against the Los Angeles Angels. The 36-year-old has primarily been working as the Royals' designated hitter to keep him off his feet as much as possible. Perez went 1-for-2 with an RBI in Wednesday's 4-2 loss to the Dodgers before leaving early. The nine-time All-Star and five-time Silver Slugger winner hit 30 homers in 2025, but he's been in full offensive decline in 2026 with a .216/.262/.369 slash line, a career-low .631 OPS, 16 homers, 52 RBI, and 41 runs scored in his 15th year in the big leagues. Check back on Friday to see if he's included in the Royals' starting nine.

Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia (hand) is expected to begin a minor league rehab assignment with Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Wednesday. This is encouraging news on Garcia, who has been sidelined since June 22 due to a strained muscle in his left hand. He was nearing a return before experiencing renewed soreness in his left in late July and needed to be pulled off his rehab assignment. It's unclear how long Garcia will need before rejoining the Royals, but he should be back in the mix within the next week or so. In the meantime, Nick Loftin should continue getting everyday reps at third base until Garcia is ready. Fantasy managers looking for help for a playoff push should consider stashing Garcia.

Kansas City Royals outfield prospect Gavin Cross has an extra-base hit in three consecutive contests for Triple-A Omaha and is now on a mini four-game hit streak, during which time he has gone 7-for-17 (.412), including two doubles and a home run. The Royals' 26th-ranked prospect had been on a tear from late June to late July, hitting .352 while collecting a hit in 26 of 27 games, but despite that and his recent four-game run, the former ninth-overall draft pick is still only batting .249 on the year with a .734 OPS. There is intriguing power and speed in his profile, but the 6-foot-2 slugger owns a high strikeout rate of 28.8 percent which could lead to additional cold spells. Even so, the 25-year-old should get a shot in the majors before the season is out, although there is little reason to stash him in redraft leagues.

Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (hand) is scheduled to begin a minor-league rehab assignment on Tuesday with Triple-A Omaha. Pasquantino is working his way back from wrist soreness that has kept him sidelined since July 29. If everything goes well, Pasquantino should only require a few minor league games before being ready to return to Kansas City. This season, Pasquantino is slashing .232/.318/.345 with six home runs, 33 RBI, and four steals in 79 games. It has been a down year for the left-handed slugger, but he could be worth snagging for fantasy managers looking for help in the power department.

Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia (hand) could resume his rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha as early as Wednesday, according to Pete Grathoff. Garcia was scheduled to do fielding drills ahead of Sunday's game against the Chicago Cubs. If everything continues to go well, Garcia could be back in action as early as Wednesday. He was previously pulled off his rehab assignment due to renewed soreness in his left hand. Nick Loftin has been serving as the primary third baseman while Garcia has been sidelined. He'll return to a reserve role once Garcia is back, which is hopefully in the coming weeks.

Kansas City Royals first baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone had his fourth multi-homer game of the season in Saturday's 6-3 win over the visiting Chicago Cubs, going a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with two solo home runs, two doubles, and four RBI to raise his season average to .264 and his OPS to an even .800. The 23-year-old former sixth overall pick from the University of Florida in the 2024 MLB draft got off to a slow start in 2026 in his first full season in the majors, but he has come on strong with more experience and is red-hot so far in the month of August, hitting .429 (12-for-28) with three home runs, four doubles, nine RBI, and a stolen base. Caglianone is an emerging young source of power who has been regularly hitting in the heart of the Royals' batting order. That should continue through the remainder of the season. After Cags' strong game to help beat the Cubbies on Saturday at Kauffman Stadium, he's hitting .264 on the season with 20 home runs, 49 RBI, and four stolen bases across his 390 at-bats. Caglianone should be rostered in more than 65% of Yahoo leagues.

Kansas City Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (wrist) could begin a minor league rehab assignment as early as Tuesday, according to manager Matt Quatraro. Pasquantino has been sidelined since the end of July due to right wrist soreness. He underwent surgery in mid-June for a fractured hamate bone. The soreness in his wrist is likely related to the surgery, so hopefully Pasquantino can put this entire injury behind him soon. This season, Pasquantino is slashing .232/.318/.345 with six home runs and 33 RBI across 79 games. Fantasy managers seeking another slugger should consider stashing Pasquantino with his return on the horizon.

Kansas City Royals right-handed reliever Steven Cruz has jumped into the saves picture for the Royals after Alex Lange has allowed 16 runs in his last 10 appearances. Cruz was entrusted in a save situation on Wednesday against the division-rival Minnesota Twins, and he delivered to close out the 2-1 win. He threw a clean inning with one strikeout to earn his third save of the season for the Royals. The 27-year-old Dominican pitcher is 2-3 in 2026 with a 4.29 ERA (5.50 FIP) and 1.21 WHIP with 48 strikeouts and 17 walks in 42 total innings pitched in his fourth year in the majors with the Royals. Cruz's surface stats aren't all that impressive, but he's been much better since the start of July, allowing only four earned runs on 11 hits while walking three and striking out 13 in 15 2/3 innings during that stretch. He's also picked up all three of his saves and has added two holds. It's unclear if veteran reliever Carlos Estevez (shoulder) will even be able to make it back at all this year, so Cruz could have plenty of runway to close out the year as the Royals' primary closer over Lange. Cruz is rostered in just 3% of Yahoo leagues and is widely available.

Kansas City Royals infielder/outfielder Maikel Garcia (hand) felt more discomfort in his left hand during his first minor-league rehab game with Double-A Northwest Arkansas on July 28. He visited with a hand specialist on Tuesday and received a cortisone injection. The Royals will shut Garcia down for around five days and then will ramp up his baseball activities again, according to MLB.com. He's been on the 10-day injured list since June 23 with a muscle strain in his left hand. The 26-year-old should be able to return to the Royals before the end of the season, but he might not be reinstated from the IL until later this month. The Venezuelan right-handed hitter has not lived up to expectations in his fifth MLB season due to injuries, and he's currently hitting .261/.320/.373 with a .693 OPS, only three home runs, 30 RBI, 32 runs, and five stolen bases in 69 games and 294 plate appearances after being named a first-time All-Star in 2025. Garcia will return to regular duties at third base when he's cleared, and he remains rostered in 78% of Yahoo leagues despite his lengthy absence.

The Kansas City Royals announced on Tuesday that they reinstated shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (back) from the 10-day injured list. The Royals haven't released their starting lineup for Tuesday's tilt at home against the division-rival Minnesota Twins and right-hander Joe Ryan, but Witt should be back in there after a two-week absence due to tightness in his lower back. The 26-year-old three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner should be returned to all starting fantasy lineups this week, even though he's coming off a rough month of July in which his performance suffered at the plate while he battled injuries. Witt hit just .196 (11-for-56) with a .536 OPS, one homer, two doubles, three RBI, seven runs scored, and two stolen bases in 14 games last month, but he should be primed to bounce back the rest of the way as long as he's 100% healthy. The five-category contributor is returning to a .279/.350/.450 slash line with an even .800 OPS, 13 home runs, 39 RBI, 30 stolen bases, and 51 runs scored in his 369 at-bats in 2026.

Kansas City Royals outfield prospect Gavin Cross had a stretch in late July when he hit a home run in six straight games for Triple-A Omaha. Altogether, he finished the month of July with seven homers and 23 RBI while hitting .337. It was a big month for the former first-round pick out of Virginia Tech. The left-handed hitting outfield prospect is the No. 26-ranked prospect in the Royals' system and has 11 homers and 42 RBI this season at Omaha in 337 at-bats. He's added 22 stolen bases and 50 runs scored while hitting .243 overall. The 25-year-old could be looking at a shot to man the outfield for the Royals this season and is worth a look in fantasy leagues. His 50-grade power and 50-grade speed make him an intriguing stash as someone who could produce given an opportunity this season.

Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia (hand) is scheduled to see a hand specialist next week, according to Jaylon Thompson. Garcia has been sidelined since late June due to a left-hand muscle strain. He began a rehab assignment on Tuesday, but was quickly pulled off due to renewed pain in his left hand. The Royals should have a better timetable for Garcia after he is evaluated by the hand specialist. Fantasy managers should continue to hold the 26-year-old and be hopeful for a return sometime this month. There should be another update on his status later this week.

Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (back) is expected to go through another full workout on Saturday, and he is on track to return from the 10-day injured list on Tuesday to take on the division-rival Minnesota Twins at home at Kauffman Stadium, according to Jaylon T. Thompson of The Kansas City Star. Witt has been sidelined since July 22 with back soreness, but he has been recovering nicely and will return to the Royals without going on a minor-league rehab assignment. The 26-year-old three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger winner should be plugged back into all starting lineups in traditional leagues right away next week. Witt will be returning to a .279/.350/.450 slash line with an .800 OPS, 13 home runs, 39 RBI, 30 stolen bases, and 51 runs scored in his 369 at-bats in 2026. July was by far Witt's worst month of the season, as he hit just .196 (11-for-56) with a homer, two doubles, three RBI, seven runs scored, two steals, four walks, and 13 strikeouts in 14 games played. The former second overall pick in the 2019 MLB draft still has plenty of time to be a difference-maker down the stretch for fantasy managers as a five-category contributor.