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      Steve Drumwright

       

      The Kansas City Royals made a move to try and improve the bullpen, calling up right-hander Beck Way from Triple-A Omaha to make his MLB debut. Right-hander Eli Morgan was sent down to Omaha.

      Also, outfielder Matt Lugo was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels and optioned to Triple-A and left-hander Bailey Falter cleared waivers and was outrighted to Omaha.

      Way was a fourth-round draft choice in 2020 out of Northwest Florida State College, a junior college. At Triple-A this year, Way had a 4.50 ERA in 19 games covering 30 innings, walking 10 and striking out 42.

      Morgan has a 5,51 ERA in 13 games and 16⅓ innings with eight walks and 15 strikeouts. He also has given up four homers. He appeared in Monday's 9-2 win over the Cincinnati Reds, allowing a run on two hits with three strikeouts.

      Lugo made his MLB debut this season with the Angels and had a  .232/.243/.464 slash line with four homers and nine RBIs. Seven of his 16 hits went for extra bases. He was designated for assignment by the Angels.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The unfortunate 2026 of Vinnie Pasquantino has another chapter.

      The Kansas City Royals placed the slugging first baseman on the 10-day injured list with soreness in his right wrist and called up outfielder John Rave from Triple-A Omaha.

      Pasquantino had been back off the IL for about three weeks following a fractured right hamate bone, the same hand now experiencing soreness. Pasquantino left Tuesday's 3-2 loss to the Minnesota Twins with the injury, which bothers him when he swings. By that tone, this would seem to be a fairly minimal stay on the IL.

      The left-handed hitter is slashing just .232/.318/.345 with his power production down notably. He has just six homers and 33 RBIs in 79 games after having 32 homers and 113 RBIs in 160 games last year.

      Rave is up for the second time this season, having gone 4-for-18 with a homer among four extra-base hits and one RBI.

       

      Kevin O'Brien

      On Thursday afternoon, the Royals announced that they would be bringing back catcher Luke Maile on a minor league deal. That also includes an invitation to spring training. 

      Maile played in 25 games and had 54 plate appearances with the Royals last year, primarily filling in as the backup catcher after Freddy Fermin was traded to San Diego at the Trade Deadline. The 34-year-old journeyman catcher hit .244 with the Royals and also posted a .316 wOBA, 99 wRC+, and 0.3 fWAR. 

      He was primarily known for his defense with the Royals, especially in the framing department. He was two runs above average in terms of framing runs and sported a +1 FRV in 143 innings behind the plate. On the offensive side, he swung and missed a lot, but he made up for it with a strong walk rate, hard-hit rate, and sweet-spot percentage. That is evident in his TJ Stats summary below.

      Luke Maile TJ-2025.png

      The Royals will have eight catchers in Spring Training camp, which is important given that pitchers and catchers report in five days. It is likely that the Royals will begin the year with Carter Jensen as the backup to Salvador Perez, who will likely be the regular catcher in 2026 after signing a two-year extension this offseason.

      That said, Maile will provide a veteran presence in Arizona while Perez plays for Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic. Additionally, Maile could also help Jensen in his adjustment to catching at the Major League level in Perez's absence. Once the season starts, the Royals could promote Maile to the Majors if Perez or Jensen gets hurt (or if Jensen struggles out of the gate and needs time in Omaha to reset). 

      Kevin O'Brien

       

      On Sunday, after the Royals' 3-1 win over the Milwaukee Brewers, manager Matt Quatraro announced that Luinder Avila will be joining Team Venezuela for the upcoming World Baseball Classic. 

       

       

      Avila will be joining Team Venezuela along with Royals teammates Salvador Perez and Maikel Garcia, who were announced to the roster earlier in the offseason. In addition to those three, Bobby Witt Jr. and Michael Wacha will be joining Team USA; Vinnie Pasquantino and Jac Caglianone will be joining Team Italy; Seth Lugo will be starting for Team Puerto Rico; and Carlos Estevez will be pitching for Team Dominican Republic. Michael Coyle had a breakdown of all participants in the World Baseball Classic on February 5th here at Royals Keep. 

       

      Avila ranks 13th on our Top 20 preseason Royals prospects list. He had a strong MLB debut, posting a 1.29 ERA and 0.93 WHIP in 13 appearances with the Royals. He also posted a 28.6% K% and had a 2.09 xERA in his first stint against MLB competition. 

       

      In Royals camp, he's been in competition for not just a roster spot, but perhaps a spot in the Royals' rotation. Quatraro mentioned in a press conference in Spring Training that Avila had "frontline starter" potential. Prior to his call-up, the 24-year-old primarily pitched as a starter in the Minor Leagues, posting a 5.23 ERA and 1.33 WHIP in 53.1 IP with the Storm Chasers last season. However, he still posted a 28% K%, a 17.7% K-BB%, and a 4.38 FIP, indicating he was better in Omaha than his ERA suggested. 

      This spring, Avila has been off to a strong start in Cactus League play. In 4.0 IP, he has a 2.25 ERA and 1.75 WHIP. His K% and K-BB% are a little low at 21.1% and 10.5%, respectively. That said, his TJ Stuff+, chase, and whiff metrics have still been strong, as seen below via his TJ Stats summary.

      pitching_summary_season.png

      Avila has a 100 overall TJ Stuff+ but has four pitches with marks of 100 or higher and grades of 54 or higher. His curveball has been his best pitch this spring on a TJ Stuff+ end, with a 59 grade, but it has only generated a 20% whiff and chase rate. On the flip side, his sinker is his worst pitch in terms of TJ Stuff+ (93 and 45 grade), but it's been his best offering in terms of generating chases (66.7%) and whiffs (53.8%). His slider and changeup have shown promise, but he's only thrown them one time each this spring. 

       

      The Venezuelan righty will likely pitch out of the bullpen for Team Venezuela in the WBC. Carlos Hernandez was the last Royals pitcher to pitch for Team Venezuela in 2023 and had a solid showing. In 2.2 IP, he struck out five batters and allowed no runs, no walks, and only three hits.

       

       

      Hernandez's solid performance in the WBC helped him get off to a strong start in 2023, as he posted a 3.83 ERA, a 2.65 FIP, a 28.8% K%, and 22% K-BB% in 44.2 IP in the first half. His strong first half prompted the Royals to trade away established closer Scott Barlow to San Diego at the Trade Deadline. Unfortunately, Hernandez regressed sharply in the second half, posting a 7.82 ERA, 1.93 WHIP, 7.16 FIP, 21.1% K%, and 5.7% K-BB% in 25.1 IP. 

      Let's hope that Avila not only gets valuable experience competing in the WBC but also has a solid performance that can be parlayed into another step forward in pitching development in 2026. Avila has a lot more upside than Hernandez, and he will be needed, especially with Stephen Kolek straining his oblique and likely starting the season on the 15-Day IL. 

      The World Baseball Classic kicks off with pool play on Thursday, March 5th, and will conclude on March 17th. Venezuela is in Pool D with the Dominican Republic, Israel, Nicaragua, and the Netherlands. More information about the World Baseball Classic can be found on its website. 

       

       

      Kevin O'Brien

       

      On Wednesday evening, the Royals announced via social media that pitchers Ryan Bergert and Ben Kudrna underwent successful surgeries on their arms. 

       

      Bergert and Kudrna are both on the 40-man roster, though neither made the Opening Day roster. 

      The former Padre, acquired with Stephen Kolek for Freddy Fermin at last summer's Trade Deadline, is the more accomplished of the pair. Berger pitched 76.1 IP with the Padres and Royals a season ago. In that 19-appearance sample (15 starts), he posted 3.66 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 22.6% K%, and 11.8% K-BB%. He walked fewer batters with the Royals (9.8% BB%) than the Padres (12.1% BB%), but his ERA with the Royals (4.43) was much higher than his one with the Padres (2.78). 

      Still, Bergert showcased a solid profile and a strong ability to flood the strike zone, especially with the Royals, as illustrated in his TJ Stats summary from 2025.

      tjstats_season_summary (21).png

      Bergert's chase%, whiff%, and xwOBACON left a bit to be desired, as they all rated slightly below average. However, he was showing some progress in Spring Training and Triple-A Omaha (23.8% K% and 2.79 ERA in 9.1 IP) before going down with an injury.

      As for Kudrna, the 2021 second-round pick was added to the 40-man roster this past offseason, and hopes were high that the local Kansas prep product would be a dark horse to make his MLB debut this season. Kudrna posted a 4.21 ERA and 1.29 WHIP in 94 IP with the Double-A Northwest Arkansas Naturals. However, he had a 24% K%, 15.7% K-BB%, and 3.17 FIP. 

      Omaha was a much tougher challenge for Kudrna. In four outings, three starts, and 11.1 IP, he posted a 14.29 ERA, 2.74 WHIP, 9.54 FIP, and -11.1% K-BB%. His one outing with the Storm Chasers this year wasn't much better, as he posted a 9.00 ERA, 3.00 WHIP, and 7.10 FIP. 

      Kudrna posted a solid whiff rate in Omaha as well as limited hard contact, but his TJ Stuff+, zone rate, and chase rate metrics were all mediocre, as illustrated in his TJ Stats season summary below.

      tjstats_season_summary (22).png

      The typical recovery timetable for surgeries such as Kudrna's is 3-6 months. Thus, it's possible that Kudrna could return in Late August or September if his body responds well to the recovery process. That said, at 23 years old, it's likely that the Royals will take it slow with Kudrna, which probably rules out any return to Omaha this season. 

      Both players will likely be placed on the 60-Day IL, opening two roster spots for potential pitchers in the near future. 

      Kevin O'Brien

       

      On Monday, before their series-opening game against the Yankees on Monday, manager Matt Quatraro shared some deflating news regarding pitcher Cole Ragans, who's been on the IL since May 7th due to a left elbow impingement.

      Anne Rogers reported that he didn't bounce back from his rehab outing in Omaha and that he would need to be shut down for 2-3 days before being re-evaluated. It seemed like this elbow issue flared up after he pitched, not during his outing in Triple-A. 

      Joel Penfield of KC Sports Network shared video of Quatraro's comments in the dugout during the pregame presser. 

       

      It's been a challenging year for Ragans, who's struggled with injuries and inconsistency for a second straight season. He has a 4.84 ERA and 1.42 WHIP in eight starts and 35.1 IP. His K rate is solid at 29.8%, but his walk rate is 15.2%, nearly double his rate from a season ago (7.8% BB%). 

      When looking at his TJ Stuff+ summary from this year, Ragans is still generating whiffs at a solid rate (31.7%), and his TJ Stuff+ data is solid overall (104). However, he has struggled to find the strike zone and generate chase, and has allowed a lot of hard contact, as seen in the summary below.

      tjstats_season_summary (56).png

      Ragans had an encouraging outing on Sunday for Omaha, as he went 4.1 IP and allowed only three hits, one run, and one walk while striking out three (he also had 10 whiffs). The TJ Stuff+ metrics also looked solid in his outing as well, especially in the TJ Stuff+, chase, and xwOBACON areas. 

      tjstuff_summary (30).png

      Ragans will likely need more time on the IL as he sorts through this latest setback. The Royals are planning to have another bullpen game on Tuesday, with Bailey Falter as the opener. That said, if they need someone to start in Ragans' spot, they could opt for Mitch Spence, who's on the 40-man roster and currently pitching in Triple-A Omaha. 

      Spence has only made one outing with the Royals this year, and it was a rough one where he allowed six runs on four hits and five walks while striking out three against the Yankees in the Bronx. That said, he's been more serviceable in Omaha, as evidenced by his 4.80 ERA, 1.17 WHIP, and 3.88 FIP in 30 IP. He has also demonstrated solid TJ Stuff+ metrics with the Storm Chasers, as shown in his summary below.

      tjstats_season_summary (57).png

      Whether the Royals will opt for Spence or another bullpen game next week will depend on Ragans' status, which hopefully will become clearer by the end of this week.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The Kansas City Royals will be without right-handed starter Stephen Kolek this weekend, but it is for a good reason.

      Kolek was placed on the paternity list Friday, with right-hander Mitch Spence called up from Triple-A Omaha. The paternity list allows a player to be away from the team for up to three days.

      Kolek, whose last start was Sunday, would have been due to start Friday's series opener against the Chicago White Sox. He still could return this weekend, but otherwise will be back when the Royals return home to start a three-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays.

      Spence is up for the third time this season. He made one start and one relief appearance in his previous call-ups, allowing 12 runs in eight innings on 11 hits and six walks.

       

      Cory Moen

      Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. was placed on the 10-day injured list with low back tightness, which has kept him out of a few games recently. This move is retroactive to July 21, so the first day he will be eligible to come off the injured list is July 31.

      In a corresponding move, the Royals have selected the contract of shortstop Andrew Velazquez. Velazquez last appeared in a major league contest in 2023 with the Angels. He has major league experience every year from 2018-2023 and has played at Triple-A the past few years with the Braves, Yankees, and the Diamondbacks and Royals this year. 

      Across 58 Triple-A games this year, he has hit for a slash line of .270/.333/.370. He's played shortstop, second base, and all three outfield positions this year, so expect to see him at multiple positions when he is on the field.

      To make room for Velazquez on the 40-man roster, RHP Stephen Kolek was transferred from the 15-day to the 60-day injured list. 

      Cory Moen

      The Royals have activated Nate Pearson to the major league roster. He was acquired in a trade with the Houston Astros on July 22. The Royals sent RHP Max Martin to Houston to acquire Pearson.

      Pearson has been decent for Houston, throwing 20 innings with a 3.60 ERA and 4.10 FIP.

      To make room for Pearson on the major league roster, the Royals have optioned RHP Eli Morgan to Triple-A Omaha. Morgan has bounced back and forth between Triple-A and the Royals roster this year. He's appeared in 16 games and thrown 19 1/3 innings, recording 16 strikeouts with nine walks. In that time, he has a 5.12 ERA and 6.52 FIP. 

      Cory Moen

      The Royals have traded OF Kameron Misner to the Philadelphia Phillies for cash considerations.

      Misner was acquired in November in a trade with the Tampa Bay Rays. In 18 games at the major league level this year, Misner hit for a slash line of .220/.266/.244 and struck out 17 times in 41 at-bats. He added three stolen bases in four attempts in that time frame as well.  

      He was much better at the Triple-A level, hitting for a .941 OPS with 14 home runs, 16 doubles, and adding 14 stolen bases in 63 games played. Misner is able to play all three outfield positions and will give the Phillies more outfield depth.

      Cory Moen

      The Royals have placed RHP Beck Way on the injured list and recalled RHP Easton McGee.

      Way, a rookie, has pitched in 19 games with the Royals this year with a 3.86 ERA and 4.95 FIP. He has 21 strikeouts in 23 1/3 innings pitched in those 19 games.

      McGee will make his Royals debut, previously having pitched in the majors for the Rays, Mariners, and Brewers. Over 13 career games at the major league level, he has thrown 26 1/3 innings and has recorded 17 strikeouts with a 3.08 ERA and 3.61 FIP.

      McGee was acquired two weeks ago from the Milwaukee Brewers for cash considerations. Since being acquired, he has thrown six innings over three appearances at Triple-A Omaha with seven strikeouts and six runs given up, good for a 9.00 ERA. 

      Cory Moen

      The Royals placed RHP Luinder Avila on the 15-day injured list with right forearm tightness. He was taken out after 2 2/3 innings in Saturday's 12-6 loss to the Colorado Rockies. 

      Avila has struggled at points this year. In 21 appearances (12 starts), he has a 5.53 ERA with a better 4.54 FIP. He's recorded 60 strikeouts and 42 walks in 70 innings pitched at the major league level this year.

      To replace Avila on the active roster, the Royals selected the contract of LHP Aaron Bummer from Triple-A.  Bummer made 4 appearances, throwing 4 1/3 innings and recording seven strikeouts in that brief stint with the Storm Chasers. Earlier this year, Bummer pitched in 19 games for the Atlanta Braves before being designated for assignment, struggling to a 7.63 ERA over 15 1/3 innings. He also pitched with the Cubs Triple-A team prior to signing a minor league contract with the Royals on July 20. 

      Cory Moen

      The Royals have acquired RHP Nolan Hoffman from the Phillies. The Royals sent RHP Manuel Colon to Philadelphia in return. 

      Hoffman has thrown 4 2/3 innings for the Phillies this year, striking out two and walking three. At the Triple-A level, Hoffman has thrown 34 1/3 innings, stirking out 40 and walking 18 with a 5.24 ERA over 30 relief appearances. He was designated for assignment earlier today.

      Colon has thrown in the Arizona Complex League and at Single-A Columbia, throwing 29 1/3 innings combined (27 in the Complex League). He has a combined 5.83 ERA with 37 strikeouts and 12 walks in that time. 

      Cory Moen

      The Royals have claimed LHP Connor Thomas off waivers from the Athletics. Thomas was previously DFAed on Aug 1, shortly after the A's claimed him off waivers from the Atlanta Braves on July 31.

      Thomas has struggled in the majors in his brief appearances with the Brewers in 2025 and the Braves in 2026. He's thrown 11 2/3 innings over four appearances, giving up 27 earned runs. He has struck out nine hitters and walked eight in that time as well.

      In Triple-A with the Braves this year, he has had much better results, pitching to a 1.98 ERA over 12 appearances and 27 1/3 innings. In those innings, he has struck out 20 and walked eight. He will provide the Royals with relief pitching depth.

      No 40-man roster move was needed, as LHP Matt Strahm was designated for assignment earlier in the day. 

      Kevin O'Brien

       

      On Monday morning, the Royals announced they would activate Michael Massey from the IL. The 28-year-old second baseman/left fielder was on a rehab stint in Omaha after suffering a calf injury in Spring Training. Massey started the season on the 10-Day IL. 

      With the activation of Massey, Kansas City optioned utility player Nick Loftin to Omaha.

       

      Massey had a solid spring until he was sidelined with a calf injury. In 24 plate appearances, the former Illinois product slashed .364/.417/.545 with a .962 OPS. He also hit a home run, had 3 RBIs, stole a base, and posted solid Statcast percentiles in Cactus League play, as seen below via TJ Stats.

      Michael_Massey_percentiles.png

      Massey is trying to bounce back after a lackluster 2025 campaign. 

      In 277 plate appearances, he hit .244 with a .581 OPS. He had three home runs, posted a .069 ISO, and only had a 3.2% walk rate. The Royals are hoping that Massey can be more selective at the plate and show more power, much like he did in 2024 when he hit 14 home runs in 356 plate appearances.

      With Massey coming up, the Royals optioned Loftin, who was hitting .222 with a .697 OPS in 11 plate appearances. The former Baylor product showed excellent plate discipline so far in 2026. He had a .364 OBP and had solid Statcast rankings, especially in terms of whiff rate, walk rate, and chase rate. 

      Nick_Loftin_percentiles.png

      That said, Loftin struggled to launch the ball, as evidenced by an LA Sweet-Spot% that ranked in the 18th percentile. He also showed questionable defense in the field, especially in left field, where he misplayed a ball badly that resulted in the Brewers scoring.

      Thus, the Royals may want Loftin to work on his defense and power in Omaha. With his strong plate discipline, it doesn't seem like Loftin will be waiting in Omaha for long, especially if Massey can't show progress at the plate in 2026. 

      Kevin O'Brien

       

      On Monday afternoon, before the start of the Royals' seven-game homestand against Cleveland and Detroit, the Royals announced on social media that relief pitcher Carlos Estevez will begin a rehab assignment in Triple-A Omaha.

      Estevez has made only one MLB-level appearance this season, on the road against Atlanta on March 28th. In 0.1 IP, he allowed six runs on four hits and two walks while not registering a single strikeout. He also gave up a home run and currently has a 162.00 ERA, 18.00 WHIP, and 60.10 FIP. 

      During the Braves game, the 33-year-old reliever was hit in the foot by a comebacker and, as a result, was placed on the 15-Day IL due to a left foot contusion. 

      There was a lot of buzz surrounding Estevez this spring, as his four-seam velocity sat under 90 MPH for most of Spring Training. While he's been traditionally a slow starter when it comes to ramping up for the start of the season, the subpar velocity captured the eye of concerned Royals fans. While his velocity was slightly better against Atlanta than what he showed in the spring, it was still down compared to his historical velocity trends.

      tjstats_season_summary (3).png

      Not much has been shared about Estevez since going on the IL, though it was reported that he got sick, which bumped his rehab assignment back. In bullpen sessions back in Arizona, Royals GM JJ Picollo, in an interview with the Cody and Gold radio show on 96.5 FM on April 29th, said the velocity looked much better and was more in line with what the Royals saw a season ago, during his first season in Kansas City. 

       

      Estevez is in the last year of a two-year deal he signed with the Royals last offseason. In 67 appearances last year, he posted a 2.45 ERA, 1.06 WHIP, and saved 42 games, which led all of baseball. It was the first time a Royals closer had led the league in saves since Dan Quisenberry back in 1985. 

      Currently, Lucas Erceg has been receiving a majority of the save opportunities with Estevez on the IL. In 15 appearances, the 30-year-old righty has a 3.77 ERA and 1.40 WHIP and has nine saves with two blown saves this season. A setup man in 2025, Erceg saved 14 games with the Royals and Athletics in 2024. 11 of those saves came with Kansas City after being acquired at the Trade Deadline.   

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      If you felt Kansas City Royals right-handed reliever Nick Mears was struggling for some reason, you might have your answer now.

      The Royals on Friday placed Mears on the 15-day injured list due to a right shoulder impingement and called up right-handed reliever Eric Cerantola from Triple-A Omaha.

      We have made the following roster moves:

      [image or embed]

      — Kansas City Royals (@royals.com) May 29, 2026 at 12:57 PM

      A key offseason addition after being acquired along with outfielder Isaac Collins from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for left-handed reliever Angel Zerpa, Mears has produced a 5.12 ERA over 19⅓ innings over 20 appearances, with 11 walks and 15 strikeouts. He last pitched Wednesday in a 7-0 loss to the New York Yankees, when he went two-thirds and allowed three runs on two hits and two walks and a strikeout.

      Cerantola was called up May 6 for his MLB debut and appeared in two games before returning to the minors, tossing three innings, giving up three runs on two hits with four walks and five strikeouts. At Triple-A this year, he has a 1.97 ERA over 18 appearances and 19⅔ innings, walking 10 and striking out 30.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      Following a scary incident the night before, Seth Lugo will be out for the next week.

      The Kansas City Royals on Friday placed the right-handed starter on the seven-day concussion list and promoted right-handed reliever Eli Morgan from Triple-A Omaha. Lugo took a 106.6 line drive off his forehead Thursday off the bat of good friend Brandon Nimmo of the Texas Rangers in the fourth inning of a 4-2 loss.

      Lugo was able to walk off the field under his own power and even joked with Nimmo about hitting the ball somewhere else next time. Lugo was left with a pretty good welt on his forehead with an indent from the seams of the baseball visible.

      He said he felt fine after the game, but concussions don't always present immediately. Lugo has a 3.57 FIP (3.86 ERA) in 14 starts, with a 7.5% walk rate and 19.8% strikeout rate.

      This is the fourth time Morgan has been recalled from Omaha. In his 13 games this season with the Royals, Morgan has a 6.29 FIP (5.51 ERA) in 16⅓ innings, posting a 9.9% walk rate and 18.5% strikeout rate. At Triple-A, he has a 1.38 ERA in 13 innings over 11 appearances, walking six and striking out 21.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      Another round of hamate injuries have snared a few MLB stars. One of them plays for the Kansas City Royals.

      First baseman Vinnie Pasquantino was placed on the 10-day injured list Sunday by the Royals with a fractured right hamate bone. Outfielder John Rave was called up from Triple-A Omaha. Following surgery, hamate injuries typically take between one and two months to recover from. Cleveland Guardians third baseman Jose Ramirez also sustained a hamate fracture Saturday.

      Pasquantino was injured Saturday on a swing in the fifth inning in which he popped up to the third baseman. He immediately grimaced and held his arm in a way that signified the injury. Pasquantino was removed from the game, replaced by left fielder Isaac Collins in the lineup with Jac Caglianone moving from the outfield to first base.

      Pasquantino is part of the heart of the Royals' offense, but his .224/.309/.350 slash line with six homers and 32 RBIs is one reason why the team is struggling.

      Rave made his MLB debut last season, slashing .196/.283/.307 with four homers and 14 RBIs in 72 games. At Triple-A this year, he has a slash line of .278/.395/.475 with 10 homers and 32 RBIs.

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

      What could have been a lengthier stay on the concussion list turned out to be a minimal one.

      The Kansas City Royals on Friday activated right-handed starter Seth Lugo from the seven-day concussion list and optioned right-handed reliever Mason Black to Triple-A Omaha. Lugo will be on the mound to start Friday's series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals.

      Lugo was injured Thursday of last week when he was drilled in the forehead by a line drive off the bat of the Texas Rangers' Brandon Nimmo, leaving a massive welt. He was able to walk off the mound and was even joking before entering the clubhouse.

      Concussions are a tricky injury and it can take time for symptoms to appear and longer to dissipate. At this stage, Lugo came out on the better side of that situation.

      For Black, his second call-up to the Royals included eight appearances. Overall, Black has pitched in 12 games with a 5.81 FIP (3.57 ERA), walking 13.4% of hitters and striking out 18.3%.

       

      Kevin O'Brien

       

      On Friday, the Royals acquired free-agent catcher Elias Diaz, signing the 35-year-old to a Minor League deal. He is not expected until next week, according to the announcement on the Royals' social media account.

      Diaz made the All-Star team with the Rockies in 2023. That season, he hit 14 home runs and collected 72 RBI, but only posted an 82 wRC+ and -0.1 fWAR. Last year, he played 106 games with the Padres and had nine home runs, 29 RBI, a 74 wRC+, and a 0.4 fWAR in 283 plate appearances. In terms of Statcast, Diaz didn't excel in any particular areas, though he is aggressive on pitches in the strike zone, as illustrated in his Statcast summary below.

      Elias Diaz TJ-2025.png

      Since debuting with the Pirates in 2015, he has played 830 career games and had 2,800 plate appearances at the Major League level. In that time span, he has 71 home runs and 326 RBI, but a career 78 wRC+ and 0.3 fWAR. At this point in his career, he may be a Major League backup catcher, at best. 

       

      The Royals seem set at catcher with Salvador Perez and Carter Jensen on the big league roster. Perez showed he is ready for the upcoming season in Kansas City's first Spring Training game of the year, hitting a 441-foot home run on Friday against the Rangers' Nathan Eovaldi.

       

      However, the Royals may need some catching depth this spring, as they have been down a couple of catchers. Jorge Alfaro has not been able to report yet due to visa issues. Luke Maile hasn't reported due to personal reasons. Thus, Diaz likely was acquired due to the issues with those two catchers, who both were signed on Minor League deals in the offseason.

      Diaz will likely start the year in Triple-A Omaha, though he may opt out of his deal if he doesn't make the Opening Day roster. It is unlikely Diaz will have a shot at making the active roster unless an injury happens to Perez or Jensen in Spring Training. 

       

      Steve Drumwright

       

       

      In an attempt to fortify the bullpen, the Kansas City Royals have found a possibility on the MLB merry-go-round.

      The Royals on Monday traded for right-handed reliever Connor Seabold, who had been designated for assignment by the Toronto Blue Jays. The Royals sent minor-league right-handed starter Denis Samudio and cash to the Jays. To make room on the 40-man roster, right-handed closer Carlos Estevez was transferred from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL. A spot on the 26-man roster for Seabold will need to be made once he reports, which will likely be Tuesday.

      The Royals also promoted right-hander Mitch Spence from Triple-A Omaha and optioned right-handed reliever Eli Morgan to Triple-A. Morgan was sent down Sunday.

      Seabold is on his third MLB team this season. After being released by the Jays in spring training, Seabold made the Detroit Tigers' Opening Day roster, but was designated for assignment May 24 after a 4.13 FIP (3.45 ERA) in 11 appearances and 15⅔ innings. He was dealt to the Jays, where he pitched in five games to a 4.31 FIP (8.10 ERA) in 3⅓ innings.

      The 21-year-old Samudio has pitched in two games in the Arizona Complex League, giving up five runs (two earned) in 5⅔ innings.

       

       

      Kevin O'Brien

       

      On Tuesday, during the Royals' evening Spring Training game against the Dodgers, Kansas City announced that Cole Ragans would be the Opening Day starter for their first game against Atlanta on March 27th.

       

      This will be the third-straight Opening Day start for Ragans, as he toed the rubber for the Royals on Opening Day in 2024 and 2025. This will be his first Opening Day start away from Kauffman Stadium. 

       

      Manager Matt Quatraro was highly complimentary of Ragans after sharing the news. He pointed out in the Rogers piece that the 28-year-old ace will be key to their playoff chances in 2026.

      Quote

      "We view him as a frontline starter,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “And we want to get him as many chances to get out there on the mound as we can. We’re obviously going to be better the more starts he makes.”

      Ragans is coming off a tough 2025 marred by injury. He only made 13 starts for the Royals and pitched 61.2 innings in 2025. The ERA was high at 4.67, but his WHIP was 1.18, his FIP was 2.47, and his K% and K-BB% were solid at 38.1% and 30.4%, respectively. For context, his 30.4% K-BB% was 9.9 percentage points better than his 2024 mark. 

      An issue for Ragans in 2025 was that he gave up more barrels and allowed fewer ground balls. That said, his percentiles otherwise were encouraging, as illustrated in his TJ Stats Statcast summary below.

      Cole_Ragans_percentiles.png

      Ragans has been fully healthy this spring, making four starts and pitching 10.2 innings. The ERA is rough at 8.44, and he's been hurt by an 18.2% HR/FB rate. Conversely, his K% is 30%, his K-BB% is 24%, and the stuff metrics have been impressive, as illustrated in his TJ Stats summary below.

      tjstats_season_summary (6).png

      Even though the ERA isn't great, the solid TJ Stuff+ (104 overall), strong chase (31.1%) and whiff (35.5%) rates should make Royals fans encouraged that Ragans is not just ready for Opening Day, but for 2026 in general. 

      Steve Drumwright

       

      The Kansas City Royals' struggling offense has lost a struggling bat.

      Second baseman Jonathan India was put on the 10-day injured list Monday due to a left shoulder subluxation. Infielder-outfielder Nick Loftin was called up from Triple-A Omaha.

      We have made the following roster moves:

      [image or embed]

      — Kansas City Royals (@royals.com) April 20, 2026 at 1:37 PM

      India has not been in the starting lineup since Thursday's 10-9 road loss to the Detroit Tigers. He did come off the bench and had two at-bats Friday vs. the New York Yankees and came in defensively in Saturday's blowout loss. India did not play Sunday.

      The Royals entered Monday with the third-worst OPS at .635 and are dead last in MLB at 3.23 runs per game. India has helped contribute to that with his .167/.310/.313 slash line with two homers and eight RBIs in 17 of the Royals' 22 games.

      Loftin made the Opening Day roster, but was optioned to Omaha on April 6. He appeared in four games, two at second base, one at third base and the other in left, going 2-for-9 (.222/.364/.333) with two walks and three runs scored. At Omaha, he had a .303/.385/.455 slash line in nine games.

       

      Kevin O'Brien

       

      On Wednesday morning, the Kansas City Royals announced that they had designated left-handed pitcher Bailey Falter for assignment and had recalled right-handed pitcher Mason Black from Omaha.

      Falter had come over to the Royals at the Trade Deadline from Pittsburgh last season in exchange for lefty reliever Evan Sisk. In 2024, Falter posted a 4.43 ERA in 142.1 IP, and in 2025 with the Pirates, he posted a 3.73 ERA in 113.1 IP. However, he struggled in his move to Kansas City last year, posting an 11.25 ERA in four outings (two starts) and 12 IP before landing on the IL for the remainder of the year.

      The struggles Falter experienced with the Royals in 2025 carried over into this season.

      In five outings (two starts) and 9.2 IP, the 29-year-old posted a 13.97 ERA, 3.10 WHIP, and 9.10 WHIP. He also landed on the IL early in the year due to some elbow issues and looked better in his rehab outing in Omaha. Unfortunately, the results from Omaha didn't follow Falter to Kansas City.

      As discussed in a post this morning, Falter showed an interesting TJ Stuff+ profile and extension on his pitches, but struggled to generate whiffs and CSWs this season at the Major League level.

      Bailey_Falter_percentiles (2).png

      Falter will likely declare for free agency if he clears waivers. It doesn't seem like he was happy with his role, flipping between starter and reliever, as evidenced by this quote from the Kansas City Star's Pete Grathoff.

       

      Mason Black will replace Falter on the Royals' pitching staff. Black has made four appearances with the Royals this year. In that 4.2 IP sample, he has not allowed a run, has a 1.93 WHIP, 2.24 FIP, and 13.6% K-BB%. His profile is very similar to Falter's, albeit from the right, as seen below in his TJ Statcast Percentiles summary.

      Mason_Black_percentiles (3).png

      In 13 outings and 20.2 IP with Omaha this year, Black has a 6.53 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, and 4.3% K-BB%, which isn't impressive. However, his FIP is much better at 3.49, and he's done a much better job in Triple-A of throwing strikes (67% strike rate) and limiting the long ball (0.0% HR/FB rate). 

       

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