Kansas City Royals News

CENTRAL

Maikel Garcia • 3B • Royals

Maikel Garcia Gets Pulled off Rehab Assignment

Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia (hand) has been pulled off his minor league rehab assignment. Garcia felt renewed pain in his left hand while playing in a rehab game with Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Tuesday. The team has decided to have Garcia head back to Kansas City for further evaluation. Garcia has been out since late June due to a muscle strain in his left hand. Fantasy managers were hopeful to get Garcia back soon, but that seems unlikely now. There should be a better timetable for Garcia once the team is done evaluating him. Fantasy managers should check back for another update in the coming days.

5 hours ago

Bobby Witt Jr. • SS • Royals

Bobby Witt Jr. is Ramping up Baseball Activities

Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (back) started to ramp up his baseball activities on Wednesday. The team plans to see how he feels over the next few days before they decide what to do next. Witt has been on the Injured List since July 22 due to lower back tightness. The Royals are hopeful this is a short injury stint and that Witt can return when first eligible on Friday. This season, Witt is slashing .279/.350/.4550 with 13 home runs, 39 RBI, and 30 stolen bases. Tyler Tolbert figures to continue filling in at shortstop until Witt is ready to return.

5 hours ago

Vinnie Pasquantino • 1B • Royals

Vinnie Pasquantino Heading Back to Injured List With Wrist Soreness

The Kansas City Royals announced on Wednesday that they are placing first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (wrist) back on the 10-day injured list with soreness in his right wrist and are recalling outfielder John Rave from Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move. With Pasquantino out of the starting lineup again on Wednesday against the division-rival Minnesota Twins, Salvador Perez will start at first and bat cleanup, with Carter Jensen catching right-hander Randy Dobnak and batting leadoff against Twins right-hander Joe Ryan. This will be the second time on the IL for Pasquantino in 2026 after previously requiring surgery on June 14 to fix a broken hamate bone in the same hand. It's unclear if the 28-year-old lefty slugger will be ready when he's eligible to return on Aug. 8, but our guess is he won't be. Perez and Jac Caglianone will likely split playing time at first in KC with Pasquantino out again, opening up extra playing time for Nick Loftin. Pasquantino has been a massive bust this year, hitting just .232 (68-for-29) with six homers, 33 RBI, 34 runs, and four steals after breaking out for 32 homers and 113 RBI in 160 games in 2025. For the power upside alone, the Pasquatch is worth stashing in the majority of fantasy leagues while he heals.

10 hours ago

Alex Lange • RP • Royals

Alex Lange Blows Third Save on Tuesday as Long-Term Questions Arise

Royals right-hander Alex Lange blew his third save of the season on Tuesday, continuing a difficult stretch out of the bullpen. Lange allowed two earned runs and one walk while recording just two outs, marking his third blown save in his last five opportunities. The 30-year-old has struggled to protect leads, posting an 11.20 ERA and 1.90 WHIP over his last 15 appearances. His season numbers have also taken a hit, as he now owns a 6.33 ERA and 1.55 WHIP. Those recent struggles are likely to cost him ninth-inning opportunities if they continue. Fantasy managers should look elsewhere for saves until Lange can regain his form and reestablish himself in high-leverage situations.

18 hours ago

Vinnie Pasquantino • 1B • Royals

Vinnie Pasquantino Pulled on Tuesday With Sore Hand

The Kansas City Royals announced that first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (hand) left Tuesday night's game early against the division-rival Minnesota Twins with right-hand soreness. Before leaving the eventual 3-2 loss at Target Field, Pasquantino went 0-for-3 at the plate with a strikeout to drop his season average to .232 and his OPS to .663. Normally, hand soreness wouldn't be much of a concern, but it is for Pasquantino, who already required surgery for a fractured hamate bone in his right hand earlier this season. Fantasy managers should consider the left-handed slugger day-to-day for now, but don't be surprised if it results in a trip to the injured list. The 28-year-old has been a massive disappointment for fantasy managers in 2026 after he clubbed a career-high 32 homers and drove in 113 runs in 160 games a season ago. The Pasquatch entered Tuesday with a .234/.321/.348 slash line with a career-worst .670 OPS, only six homers, and 33 RBI in 333 plate appearances. If he requires another trip to the IL, expect Jac Caglianone to move from right field to first base in KC. Pasquantino's power stroke from the left side isn't guaranteed to bounce back the rest of the year following his hand issues.

Yesterday

Maikel Garcia • 3B • Royals

Maikel Garcia Starting Rehab Assignment on Tuesday

Kansas City Royals infielder/outfielder Maikel Garcia (hand) will start a minor-league rehab assignment with Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Tuesday, the team announced on Monday. Barring a setback with his hand injury, Garcia could be ready to rejoin the big-league roster this weekend or early next week. He's been out for over a month with a muscle strain in his left hand, which has limited him to 69 games in his fifth year in the majors with KC. After Garcia was a first-time All-Star in 2025, he has disappointed in 2026 with a .261/.320/.373 slash line, .693 OPS, only three home runs, 30 RBI, 32 runs scored, and five stolen bases in 294 plate appearances. He was just four home runs away from his first 20-20 campaign last year, though, and his power/speed abilities have kept him rostered in 81% of Yahoo leagues despite his lengthy IL stay. Garcia has had at least 23 stolen bases in each of the last three seasons with the Royals, so fantasy managers are hoping that he'll start to run more the rest of the way after he's activated.

2 days ago

Jac Caglianone • RF • Royals

Jac Caglianone Returns From Shoulder Injury on Saturday

Kansas City Royals first baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone (shoulder) is starting in right field and is batting third for the Royals in Saturday's contest against the division-rival Detroit Tigers and right-hander Casey Mize, per MLB.com. Caglianone will return to action on Saturday in Motown after missing each of the last three games with right-shoulder soreness that was the result of him diving for a ball in the outfield. The 23-year-old left-handed slugger came off the bench as a pinch-hitter in Friday's loss to Detroit and is now ready to rejoin the starting nine. Fantasy managers will want to plug the second-year player back into their starting lineups against the right-hander on Saturday. Cags has gone hitless in each of his last three games, but before that, he was hitting .271 (16-for-59) with two homers, five doubles, seven RBI, and seven runs scored in 14 games to begin the month of July. After a slow start in 2026, his first full year in the majors, the former sixth overall pick from the University of Florida has turned things up and is currently slashing .257/.315/.462 with a .777 OPS and 16 home runs in 338 at-bats.

4 days ago

Jac Caglianone • RF • Royals

Jac Caglianone Remains Out on Thursday

Kansas City Royals first baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone (shoulder) remains out of the starting lineup for Thursday's contest on the road in Detroit against the division-rival Tigers, per MLB.com. Nick Loftin is starting in right field and will bat eighth against Tigers right-hander Troy Melton. Caglianone injured his shoulder attempting to make a diving catch in Tuesday's game and is now missing a second straight start. There hasn't been any news to suggest that Cags is dealing with a significant injury, though, so fantasy managers should continue to consider him day-to-day for now. Check back on Friday to see if he's available for the second game of the series on Friday in Motown. Caglianone got off to a slow start in 2026 in his first full season in the big leagues, homering five times in the first two months, but he clubbed nine long balls in June while hitting over .300, and he's currently batting .246 (16-for-65) with a .658 OPS, two homers, seven RBI, and seven runs so far in 16 games in July. He could be a difference-maker in the power department to close out the year for fantasy managers, and he's rostered in under 70% of Yahoo leagues.

6 days ago

Lane Thomas • CF • Royals

Lane Thomas Has Turned Everyday At-Bats Into Mixed-League Value

Kansas City Royals outfielder Lane Thomas is no longer just a platoon bat. Since Kyle Isbel (foot) landed on the injured list June 10, Thomas has hit .262/.331/.524 with seven home runs and 12 doubles across 126 plate appearances. He is playing against righties and lefties now, usually in a prominent lineup spot. The full-season line sits at .240 with nine homers, 34 RBI, 29 runs, and five steals over 250 at-bats. Only 11% of Yahoo leagues have Thomas rostered. That is still low for an everyday outfielder offering some power, a little speed, and enough on-base ability to keep the counting stats moving. Isbel began a rehab assignment Tuesday, so the outfield will get crowded again. Thomas has done too much with the opportunity to simply fall back into a strict platoon. He is a worthwhile mixed-league pickup while the role and production are both working.

7 days ago

Jac Caglianone • RF • Royals

Jac Caglianone Out of Wednesday's Lineup

Kansas City Royals first baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone (shoulder) is not in the team's starting lineup for Wednesday's series finale against the visiting San Francisco Giants, per MLB.com. Veteran Starling Marte will make the start in right field for the Royals and will bat seventh against Giants right-hander Landen Roupp. Caglianone should be considered day-to-day for now after he was pulled from Tuesday's game early against the Giants after hurting his right shoulder during a diving attempt in the outfield. Fantasy managers need to make sure he's on their benches for Wednesday while checking back on Thursday to see if he's active for the series opener against the division-rival Detroit Tigers. The 23-year-old former sixth overall pick in 2024 out of the University of Florida has come on strong in 2026 after a slow start to his first full season in the majors, and he's now hitting .258/.316/.463 with a .779 OPS, 16 long balls, 37 RBI, 46 runs scored, and three steals in 337 at-bats. Perhaps the most encouraging is that he's hitting .248 (25-for-101) with five of his 16 bombs against left-handed pitchers.

7 days ago

Bobby Witt Jr. • SS • Royals

Royals Place Bobby Witt Jr. on Injured List With Back Tightness

The Kansas City Royals announced on Wednesday that they placed shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (back) on the 10-day injured list with lower-back tightness and selected the contract of infielder Andrew Velazquez from Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move. Velazquez is starting at shortstop and batting ninth on Wednesday against San Francisco Giants right-hander Landen Roupp, but both Tyler Tolbert and Nick Loftin could fill in at the 6 in KC for however long Witt is sidelined. This will be the first time in Witt's career that he has landed on the IL. He was originally held out of Sunday's series finale against the San Diego Padres with back tightness before returning for Monday's series opener against the Giants, only to be pulled mid-game with more back tightness. It doesn't sound like the Royals are very concerned, though, which means Witt could be back when his 10 days on the IL are up. It could help explain why the three-time All-Star has hit only .196 (11-for-56) with a .536 OPS, one homer, two doubles, three RBI, seven runs, two steals, four walks, and 13 strikeouts in 14 games in the month of July. Witt is a must-hold in all fantasy leagues while he recovers.

7 days ago

Alex Lange • RP • Royals

Alex Lange Bounces Back on Tuesday, Tallies Save in Scoreless Frame

Kansas City Royals right-hander Alex Lange recorded his ninth save of the season on Tuesday night, pitching a scoreless ninth inning with two strikeouts in his team's 3-2 win over the San Francisco Giants. Lange had struggled in July leading up to his outing on Tuesday, allowing eight earned runs across 3 2/3 innings (four games) this month. However, it appears as though Kansas City is sticking with him as its primary option in the ninth inning. Although he's recorded a 6.15 ERA and a 1.51 WHIP across 41 innings so far this year, Lange has converted a respectable nine out of 11 save chances. Fantasy managers should be aware of the damage he might do to their ratios, but Lange remains a viable source of saves to target on the waiver wire.

7 days ago

Jac Caglianone • RF • Royals

Jac Caglianone Exits Early on Tuesday Due to Shoulder Soreness

Kansas City Royals outfielder/first baseman Jac Caglianone (shoulder) exited early from his team's game on Tuesday against the San Francisco Giants due to right shoulder soreness. Caglianone was hitless in two plate appearances before being removed. Across 367 plate appearances this season, Caglianone is hitting .258/.316/.463 with 16 home runs, 37 RBI, 46 runs scored, and three stolen bases. The 23-year-old has struck out in 28.6% of his trips to the plate, which limits his batting average ceiling. However, Caglianone's massive power upside is present in his elite barrel (15.1%) and hard-hit (55.2%) rates. The extent of Caglianone's injury is not yet clear, so fantasy managers will need to check back for further updates. If Caglianone is forced to miss time, Royals utility man Tyler Tolbert and outfielder Starling Marte could both be in line for increased playing time.

Jul 21

Bobby Witt Jr. • SS • Royals

Bobby Witt Jr. Not Starting on Tuesday Against Giants

After back tightness forced Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (back) from Monday's series opener against the San Francisco Giants, he is out of the starting lineup for Game 2 of the series on Tuesday, per MLB.com. Tyler Tolbert will make the start at the 6 and will bat ninth against Giants right-hander Tyler Mahle. The Royals also held Witt out of Sunday's series finale against the San Diego Padres due to lower-back tightness, so it shouldn't come as a surprise that he's sitting on Tuesday after a setback on Monday. We will consider the three-time All-Star as day-to-day for now, but this could develop into an injured list stint if he doesn't recover quickly. Witt is typically a must-start in all fantasy leagues as one of the top shortstops in the league, but he hasn't been himself in July, hitting .196 (11-for-56) with a .536 OPS, a homer, two doubles, three RBI, seven runs scored, two steals, four walks, and 13 strikeouts in 14 games played. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Wednesday to see if Witt can return to action for Wednesday's series finale against the Gigantes. UPDATE: Manager Matt Quatraro said Witt's back is still pretty stiff, per The Kansas City Star's Jaylon T. Thompson.

Jul 21

Alex Lange • RP • Royals

Alex Lange Stumbles in Monday's Save Opportunity Amid Lengthy Skid

Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Alex Lange blew his save opportunity on Monday night against the Giants, but he earned the win after the Royals rallied in the bottom of the ninth. Lange entered the game with a two-run lead, and he started the inning strong with back-to-back strikeouts of Rafael Devers and Heliot Ramos. He gave up a game-tying homer to Willy Adames with two outs before getting the last out of the inning. The Royals won in the bottom of the ninth on a walk-off bunt from Nick Loftin, giving Lange his first win of the season. Lange has allowed eight runs in his last three games in just 2 2/3 innings. Over his last six games, he has a brutal 23.40 ERA with a 40.9% hard-hit rate against him. Lange is still the team's primary option at the end of the game at this point, but Daniel Lynch IV and John Schreiber could step in as the closer if Lange continues to stumble.

Jul 21

Bobby Witt Jr. • SS • Royals

Bobby Witt Jr. Pulled Early With Back Tightness on Monday

Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (back) was forced to leave Monday's game early against the San Francisco Giants with more tightness in his lower back, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Before being replaced at the 6 by Nick Loftin, Witt went 0-for-1 at the plate with a walk and a strikeout. The Royals held Witt out of Sunday's series finale against the San Diego Padres due to back tightness, but he was included in the starting lineup for Monday's series opener against SF. After being pulled early with the same issue, the 26-year-old three-time All-Star could be headed for a stint on the injured list. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Tuesday for an update on his condition. If Witt is forced to miss more time going forward with his back injury, Loftin and Tyler Tolbert would both be candidates to see more playing time at shortstop going forward for KC. Witt is one of the top offensive players, regardless of position, in all of baseball, but he came into Monday's contest hitting just .200 (11-for-55) with a .532 OPS, one homer, two doubles, three RBI, seven runs, two steals, three walks, and 12 K's in 13 games so far in July.

Jul 20

Bobby Witt Jr. • SS • Royals

Bobby Witt Jr. Starting for Royals on Monday

Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (back) is starting at the 6 and will hit second in Monday's series opener against the visiting San Francisco Giants and right-hander Trevor McDonald, according to MLB.com. The Royals held Witt out of Sunday's series finale against the San Diego Padres as a precaution due to back tightness that he's experienced of late, but he will end up missing just one game. The 26-year-old former second overall pick in 2019 has not been himself so far in July, but he's still a must-start in traditional fantasy leagues now that he's back in action to start a new week. Overall, the three-time All-Star is hitting .280/.350/.451 with an .801 OPS, 13 home runs, 39 RBI, 30 stolen bases, and 51 runs scored across his 368 at-bats, but he's hitting just .200 (11-for-55) with a .532 OPS, one homer, two doubles, three RBI, seven runs scored, two steals, three walks, and 12 strikeouts in 13 games so far in July. Witt has never faced McDonald in his MLB career.

Jul 20

Stephen Kolek • SP • Royals

Stephen Kolek Placed on 15-Day Injured List With Flexor Strain

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Stephen Kolek (elbow) was reinstated from the family medical leave list on Sunday. He was immediately placed on the 15-day injured list due to a right flexor strain. It sounds like Kolek suffered the injury during a rehab outing with Triple-A Omaha on Saturday. It's unclear how long Kolek is going to be sidelined with this issue. The right-hander hasn't made an appearance with the big league club since July 2. This season, Kolek owns a 4.50 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 34/12 K/BB ratio across 10 starts this season. There is no timetable available for Kolek, but he likely won't be back until some point in August.

Jul 19

Bobby Witt Jr. • SS • Royals

Bobby Witt Jr. Out on Sunday With Back Tightness

Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (back) is out of the lineup for Sunday's series finale versus the visiting San Diego Padres due to back tightness, according to Anne Rogers of MLB.com. Manager Matt Quatraro said it progressed during Saturday's win, and the Royals wanted to be cautious with the All-Star shortstop on Sunday. With Witt out, Tyler Tolbert will handle shortstop duties and will bat eighth against Padres right-hander German Marquez. The Royals rightfully aren't going to take any chances with one of the best all-around players in the league. Fantasy managers will need to check back to see if the 26-year-old three-time All-Star can play in Monday's series opener against the San Francisco Giants. For now, we'll consider him day-to-day. Witt went hitless in nine plate appearances in the first two games of the series against SD and is batting just .200 (11-for-55) with a .532 OPS, a homer, two doubles, three RBI, seven runs, two steals, three walks, and 12 K's in 13 games in July to drop his overall line to .280/.350/.451 on the season with an .801 OPS. Witt might be a little banged up, but he's a must-start when he's active in most fantasy leagues.

Jul 19

Kris Bubic • SP • Royals

Kris Bubic Could Begin a Throwing Program Soon

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Kris Bubic (elbow/shoulder) could begin a new throwing program soon. After missing his rehab start on July 1 due to shoulder soreness, the left-hander received a cortisone injection and is now nearly ready to begin a new throwing program. Already on the Injured List with a previous bout of left elbow soreness, Bubic developed left shoulder discomfort following a bout of arm fatigue and a rehab start in which he allowed six runs on eight hits and one walk while recording just four outs. With two significant injuries to manage, it is unclear what his throwing program will entail, but it will likely be slow-moving and carefully monitored. While this is a positive development, it remains unclear whether he will pitch again this season.

Jul 18

Kansas City Royals News

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