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  • MLB Notes

    Read quick notes on the Kansas City Royals big league club, including injuries, lineup changes and roster moves.

    106 rumors in this category

      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 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. 

      Matthew Lenz

      The Kansas City Royals are shifting titles and responsibilities in their front office. Brooks Sherman, formerly the president of business operations, is now president of real estate and development. His primary responsibility will be looking for a new ballpark location.

      In his place, Anne Rogers of MLB.com is reporting that the Kansas City Royals have named Cullen Maxey the President of Business Operations. In a statement, Royals chairman/CEO John Sherman said, "...this is a day that helps change our organization and prepares us for the future." Maxey was previously the Executive Vice President, Business Operations and Chief Revenue Officer with the Arizona Diamondbacks for 16 seasons.

      In Arizona, Maxey was part of the leadership team responsible for the planning and construction of the $200 million Salt River Fields Complex. He also led the team that transitioned the Diamondbacks' broadcast from the regional sports network model to a team-managed multi-platform distribution. Most notably for fans, he was one of the key figures behind "value item pricing" at the concession stand. His efforts led the D-backs to have the lowest Fan Cost Index in MLB for many consecutive years.

      While the impact of front office roles can be hard to measure, how do you think Maxey and Sherman's new roles will impact the Royals organization? Let us know in the comments!

      Kevin O'Brien

      On Friday afternoon, MLB Trade Rumors reported that the team outrighted pitchers Mason Black, Alec Marsh, Alex Lange, Connor Seabold, and Easton McGee from the 40-man roster.

      As expected, no one claimed any of the five players. According to Trade Rumors, McGee and Seabold have elected free agency. Marsh and Lange are eligible, but haven't officially done so yet. Black isn't eligible for free agency yet due to service-time requirements. The Royals could keep him in the Minor Leagues for the upcoming season, even though he will not be on the 40-man roster.

      Seabold and McGee didn't get much time in Kansas City in 2026 after the Royals acquired them midseason from Toronto and Milwaukee, respectively. Seabold posted a 9.00 ERA in five outings and five innings, and McGee posted an 8.68 ERA in seven outings and 9.1 innings. 

      Marsh had a promising 2024 season, posting a 4.53 ERA in 26 games (25 starts) and 129 IP. He also posted a 15.3% K-BB% and a 4.34 FIP in 2024. However, he's dealt with shoulder issues (including surgery) over the past two seasons and hasn't thrown a pitch in the Majors or Minors since the end of the 2024 season. Little has been shared about his rehab, which explains why the Royals were willing to outright him off the 40-man roster. 

      Lange is a local product from Lee's Summit who struggled in his first season with the Royals after spending time in the Tigers and Cubs organizations previously. In 59 games and 60 IP, he posted a 6.75 ERA and 5.87 FIP. He did save 10 games, tying for the second-most among Royals relievers last season. That said, he also had three blown saves and a -1.1 fWAR, the second-lowest fWAR among Royals pitchers (only Matt Strahm was worse).

      Lange was out of Minor League options, and he likely won't be guaranteed a bullpen spot in Spring Training.

      The last pitcher outrighted was Black, who came over to the Royals from San Francisco in a trade last offseason (Kansas City traded pitcher Logan Martin to the Giants). In 17 outings and 31.1 IP, the 26-year-old posted a 4.31 ERA, but his FIP was much worse at 6.48. This was mainly due to a paltry 13.4% K% and -0.7% K-BB%. Many of his Statcast percentiles weren't impressive last year either, as TJ Stats shows below. 

      Mason_Black_percentiles.png

      Black will likely return to the Royals organization because of his lack of service time, but it wouldn't surprise me to see Kansas City use him in a trade for cash assets. While Black has a diverse pitch repertoire (seven pitches), he has struggled to produce an effective mix at the Major League level, both with the Royals and the Giants.

      The Royals' 40-man roster is now at 37 players. 

      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. 

      Philip Ruo

      The Royals announced last week their broadcast schedule for Spring Training games in the Cactus League, outlining how fans can enjoy the Royals as they prepare for the 2026 MLB season.

      The Royals begin playing games this Friday, February 20 at 2:00 p.m. CT against the Texas Rangers at their shared stadium in Surprise, Arizona.

      Only three of their games will not be broadcast in any format this Spring. All three of those games fall on days where two games are played.

      Three games will be televised on Royals.tv, the new home for Kansas City’s regular season games:

      • March 5 vs. the Texas Rangers - 7:05 p.m. CT

      • March 13 vs. the Arizona Diamondbacks - 8:05 p.m. CT

      • March 17 vs. the Los Angeles Dodgers - 8:05 p.m. CT

      You can find our guide on how to watch Royals.tv here.

      29 games will be available for audio streaming on royals.com. 22 of those games will be available on a radio broadcast; 16 games on 96.5 The Fan (including the three Royals.tv broadcasts), and six on The Bet 1660. The remaining seven games will air exclusively at royals.com. See the post from the Royals above for the breakdown of which games will be available on which stations. All games are listed on Central Time.

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