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  • Kansas City Royals Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

    The latest Kansas City Royals free agent and trade rumors, along with notes and tidbits about the team.
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    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
    The Kansas City Royals will be without their starting center fielder for a bit.
    Kyle Isbel was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday by the Royals due to a left plantar fasciitis. Outfielder Kameron Misner was called up from Triple-A Omaha to take his place. Lane Thomas was in the starting lineup as the center fielder for Wednesday's game against the Texas Rangers.
    Isbel was hurt after singling in the seventh inning of Tuesday's game and making a turn as if he was going to go for a double, but changed his mind and dove back into first base. He was removed from the game, with Tyler Tolbert pinch-running. Isbel has a slash line of .244/.298/.354 with three homers, 11 RBIs and five stolen bases in 56 games.
    Misner was acquired from the Tampa Bay Rays after being designated for assignment in November for a player to be named, which wound up being minor-league right-handed reliever Matthew Hoskins. This will be his Royals debut after appearing in 79 games with the Rays over the last two seasons with a .203/.260/.325 slash line with five homers and 22 RBIs. At Triple-A this year, Misner was slashing .276/.373/.547 with 13 homers, 51 RBIs and 11 steals in 59 games.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    The Kansas City Royals have gotten back a member of their starting rotation.
    Right-hander Stephen Kolek was activated from the family medical emergency leave list and will start Tuesday's game against the Texas Rangers. Infielder Josh Rojas was optioned to Triple-A Omaha.
    Details behind Kolek's placement on the list, which happened Thursday, have not been disclosed. That could be cleared up following the game when the media has a chance to interview Kolek. In six starts covering 38 innings this year, Kolek has a 4.11 FIP (3.32 ERA) to go along with an excellent 5.4% walk rate and subpar 18.1% strikeout rate. He has had an issue giving up homers, with five so far this season. He does have a shutout, blanking the Seattle Mariners 3-0 on May 23.
    Rojas came up to replace Kolek on Thursday and appeared in two games, going 1-for-5 with two RBIs.
     
    Kevin O'Brien
    In USA Today's Bob Nightengale's latest Sunday Notebook, he reported that the Kansas City Royals aren't ready to become sellers on the trade market just yet. Still, they have been receiving some interest from the Sacramento Athletics in Kris Bubic, which could be an intriguing situation with Bubic set to hit free agency next offseason.
     
    Here's what Nightengale said about the Royals (and Minnesota Twins) regarding their decision to be sellers or buyers at the Trade Deadline, even though they have a losing record.
    However, in his bullet-point list of rumors around the league, he noted that the Sacramento Athletics are interested in acquiring Bubic. An All-Star a year ago, the 28-year-old has seen some regression this year. In 50.1 IP, he has a 4.11 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, 3.77 FIP, and 12.1% K-BB%. According to TJ Stuff+ summary data, his zone rate and xwOBACON have been slightly below average this season. However, his TJ Stuff+, chase, and whiff rates have all been above average, which explains the buzz he's getting on the trade market.

    The A's are currently 30-34, having regressed hard after a strong start to the season. Their rotation has been an Achilles' heel for the club, as they rank 27th in starter ERA and 28th in starter WHIP.
    In terms of what they have in the rotation currently, rookie J.T. Ginn has been phenomenal (2.74 ERA in 65.2 IP), and Jeffrey Springs has been serviceable (4.37 ERA in 70 IP). They also have a promising arm in Gage Jump, who's seen as a Top-100 prospect by multiple outlets. Other than that, however, the starting pitching staff has been thin, especially with veterans Aaron Civale and Luis Severino on the IL. 
    The Athletics rank 26th in K-BB% with a 10.1% mark, so Bubic would boost this rotation immediately. Furthermore, the former Stanford product grew up in Northern California, so he would likely welcome a move to Sacramento, despite the hitter-friendly home ballpark.
    MLB Pipeline ranked the A's 18th in its Farm System rankings, and they have intriguing top-100 prospects like Jump, pitcher Jamie Arnold, and shortstop Leo De Vries. While it's unlikely that the A's would want to deal a Top-100 prospect for Bubic, this is an A's team that hasn't made the postseason since 2020, during the shortened COVID season.
    Bubic has been on the 15-Day IL since May 18th due to left elbow soreness. According to a June 4th report by MLB.com Royals beat writer Anne Rogers, Bubic is on a regular bullpen schedule.
     
     
    No timetable has been released on Bubic's rehab schedule or probable return to the Kansas City rotation. 
     
     
    Steve Drumwright
    The Kansas City Royals placed right-handed starter Stephen Kolek on the family medical emergency leave list on Thursday and promoted infielder Josh Rojas from Triple-A Omaha. There were no details immediately available on Kolek's situation.
    Rojas was not on the 40-man roster, so the Royals created space by transferring Jonathan India, who is out for the season with an injured left shoulder, from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL.
    Kolek has been a reliable member of the starting rotation. In his six starts, he put up a 3.32 ERA with eight walks and 27 strikeouts in 38 innings. He threw a four-hit shutout May 23 vs. the Seattle Mariners.
    The 31-year-old Rojas, a seven-year MLB veteran, was slashing .247/.309/.437 at Triple-A with six homers and 26 RBIs.
     
    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 Kansas City Royals are getting a key arm back in their bullpen.
    Left-handed reliever Matt Strahm was activated off the 15-day injured list by the Royals, who optioned right-hander Eric Cerantola back to Triple-A Omaha. Strahm missed the minimum 15 days with left knee inflammation.
    Acquired in an offseason trade with the Philadelphia Phillies, Strahm has a 3.86 ERA in 17 games and 16⅓ innings, with seven walks and 17 strikeouts.
    Cerantola, in his second call-up this year, pitched in Friday's 9-1 loss to the Texas Rangers, allowing a solo homer and striking out two.
     
    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.

    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.
     
    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.

    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.

    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). 
     
    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.

    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. 

    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.

    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.
     
    Kevin O'Brien
    On Friday, Raising Royals, the Royals' Professional Development account, announced that they had signed MLB veteran relievers Luke Jackson and Genesis Cabrera to Minor League deals. Both pitchers are expected to report to Triple-A Omaha.
    Jackson and Cabrera are older players, at 34 and 29, respectively. They should add some much-needed depth to the Storm Chasers bullpen, which has struggled outside of Eric Cerantola, Beck Way, Jose Cuas, and Andrew Perez. Furthermore, Jackson and Cabrera are bullpen arms that could fill in at the MLB level should injury befall someone in the Royals bullpen.
    The 34-year-old Jackson comes over from the Mets organization, as he pitched in 7.2 innings total between Triple-A and Low-A ball. The righty was semi-productive with the Texas Rangers a year ago, posting a 4.11 ERA in 35.1 IP. However, his FIP was much higher at 5.01, and his K% and K-BB% were paltry at 15.8% and 3.3%, respectively.
    In 4.2 IP with the Syracuse Mets, Jackson posted an 11.57 ERA, 1.93 WHIP, and 6.74 FIP. He also had a -22.7% K-BB%. On a positive note, his TJ Stuff+ profile was pretty solid, so he could rebound a bit if he can hone his command a bit in Omaha.

    Jackson had a 106 TJ Stuff+ overall with three pitchers (changeup, slider, and four-seamer) with TJ Stuff+ marks of 100 or higher. He also limited hard contact, with a .300 xwOBACON overall. However, his whiff rate (19.4%), chase rate (23.6%), and zone rate (40.2%) were all paltry, illustrating his issues with command in Syracuse. 
    As for Cabrera, he was last in the Phillies organization, pitching for the Triple-A Leigh Valley Iron Pigs this season.
    In 15 appearances and 17.1 IP with the Iron Pigs, he posted a 10.38 ERA and 1.79 WHIP. However, his FIP was much better at 4.54, and he showed a strong ability to maximize strikeouts and minimize walks. He had a 26.8% K% and 15.9% K-BB%, both solid marks for a reliever. What hurt him the most in Triple-A was the long ball, as he allowed a HR/FB% of 17.6%.
    When it comes to TJ Stuff+, he hasn't been as impressive as Jackson. That said, he showed a much better ability to generate swing-and-miss in Triple-A this year than the right-handed reliever. 

    Cabrera had a 99 overall TJ Stuff+ with only two pitches hitting the 100 mark (his sinker and changeup). That said, he did generate a 29.9% chase and 32.6% whiff rate, both above-average marks. His xwOBACON was a bit average overall at .373, but he did a good job of minimizing hard contact on his sinker and curveball, as illustrated by his .304 and .260 xwOBACON marks, respectively.
    The big key for Cabrera will be finding the strike zone, as he only had a 44.1% zone rate with the Iron Pigs this season. Both have Minor League contracts, so they will need to be added to the 40-man roster to get a call-up to the Major Leagues this season. 
     
    Steve Drumwright
    It is another chance for Tyler Tolbert.
    The Kansas City Royals called up Tolbert, a second baseman, from Triple-A Omaha on Friday. Catcher Elias Diaz was designated for assignment.
    This is the speedy Tolbert's second appearance on the Royals' roster this year after making the team out of spring training. But Tolbert appeared in just eight games and went 1-for-5 at the plate in the three weeks he was on the roster.
    After being optioned to Omaha on April 19, Tolbert put up a .260/.365/.288 slash line with no homers, five RBIs and eight stolen bases in 20 games. He made his MLB debut a year ago, playing in 64 games with a slash line of .280/.321/.380 with one homer, six RBIs and 21 steals.
    Diaz's DFA puts the Royals back at the traditional two catchers. The 2023 All-Star Game MVP with the Colorado Rockies slashed .227/.261/.591 with two homers and five RBIs while appearing in 10 games. It also opens up a spot on the 40-man roster.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    The Kansas City Royals have lost another valuable member of their starting rotation.
    Left-handed starter Kris Bubic was placed on the 15-day injured list Monday by the Royals with a soreness in his left elbow. Right-handed reliever Eli Morgan was called up from Triple-A Omaha.

    Bubic joins ace left-hander Cole Ragans on the injured list. Ragans went on the 15-day IL May 8 with an impingement in his left elbow. Ragans did throw a 30-pitch bullpen session Sunday, but still needs to go through steps before returning to the rotation.
    Bubic started Thursday and gave up five runs in just four innings on five hits and three walks with four strikeouts in a 6-2 loss to the Chicago White Sox. For the season, Bubic has a 4.11 ERA over nine starts, with four homers allowed in 50⅓ innings, a 12.6% walk rate and a 24.6% strikeout rate.
    Morgan is making his third trip up from the minors this year. He has appeared in seven games with a 2.61 ERA in 10⅓ innings, allowing eight hits and six walks with nine strikeouts.
    The Royals will still have to find a starter to fill Bubic's spot in the rotation.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    One left-handed reliever is back, while another will be out for a bit.
    Matt Strahm was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday by the Kansas City Royals with inflammation in his right knee. Bailey Falter, who had been on a rehab assignment, was activated from the 15-day IL. Falter had inflammation in his left elbow and his rehab assignment, which started April 15, had expired.
    Strahm has been a big part of the Royals' bullpen thus far. Acquired in the offseason from the Philadelphia Phillies, Strahm has a 3.86 ERA in 17 appearances covering 16⅓ innings.
    Falter had made two appearances with the Royals before going on the IL April 3. He allowed five runs in 3⅓ innings, giving up eight hits and two walks with four strikeouts.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    The expected became official in regards to Cole Ragans.
    The Kansas City Royals placed their ace left-hander on the 15-day injured list with a left elbow impingement. Right-handed starter Stephen Kolek, who made his season debut Tuesday before being sent to Triple-A, was recalled from Omaha. Also, left-hander Eric Cerantola, who made his MLB debut this week, was optioned to Triple-A and right-handed reliever Steven Cruz was called up.

    Additionally, right-handed closer Carlos Estevez was officially pulled from his rehab assignment after experiencing discomfort in his right shoulder following his first rehab appearance Wednesday.
    Ragans was pulled from Wednesday's start vs. the Cleveland Guardians after just three innings. On Thursday, it was revealed that Ragans was dealing with pitcher's elbow, with the more technical term of valgus extension overload.
    The loss of Ragans is a significant blow to the Royals, who are still trying to string some wins together.
    Kolek came off the 15-day IL and went six innings in Tuesday's 5-3 win over the Guardians. He allowed all three runs on four hits with no walks and three strikeouts.
    Cruz, in his second stint with the Royals, made five appearances after an April 1 call-up. In five innings, he allowed eight runs on seven hits, including four homers, with four walks and seven strikeouts for a 14.40 ERA. At Omaha, he had a 6.43 ERA in eight appearances, giving up eight runs on 10 hits and three walks with 10 strikeouts.
    Cerantola made two relief appearances, pitching Wednesday and Thursday. He went a combined three innings, allowing three runs, including a homer, in two innings in his second appearance. He walked four and struck out five.
     
    Steve Drumwright
    The bullpen shuffle continues for the Kansas City Royals.
    Right-hander Eric Cerantola was called up from Triple-A Omaha to make his MLB debut and right-handed starter Stephen Kolek, who started Tuesday, was sent back to the Storm Chasers.
    Also, right-handed closer Carlos Estevez was sent to Omaha to begin a rehab assignment. He has been out since April with a left foot contusion.
    Kolek was called up to make a spot start in Tuesday's 5-3 win over the Cleveland Guardians. He went six innings, giving up three runs on six hits and no walks with three strikeouts.
    Cerantola was a fifth-round draft choice in 2021 out of Mississippi State and has posted a 3.59 ERA in 133 games, including 24 starts. This season at Omaha, Cerantola appeared in 12 games and had a 1.42 ERA with six walks and 18 strikeouts in 12⅔ innings.
     
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