Steve Drumwright

A disappointing season is resulting in at least one change on the MLB coach staff for the Kansas City Royals. Alec Zumwalt will not return as the Royals' hitting coach, although he remains in the system as the senior director of hitting performance, according to a report Tuesday by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. The Royals finished last in the AL Central at 69-93, the third-worst in the AL and fifth-worst in MLB. Hitters had a mixed bag in their performance this year. The team had the eighth-best batting average in MLB at .247, ranked 17th in on-base percentage (.316) and 16th in OPS (.718). Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. may get some down-ballot AL MVP votes after a .281/.359/.441 slash line with 15 homers, 54 RBIs and 45 stolen bases. Right fielder Jac Caglianone also thrived in his first full MLB season, putting up a .289/.340/.494 slash line with 23 homers and 77 RBIs. But first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino (.249/.333/.428), who dealt with hamate bone surgery that hindered his performance, and key offseason acquisition Isaac Collins (.213/.320/.321), especially, were among the key underperformers. View full rumor

What is the purpose of a player returning for the final six games of the regular season? To prove he is healthy. That is the case with right-handed starter Tony Gonsolin, who was activated Tuesday off the 15-day injured list by the Kansas City Royals. Right-handed reliever Spencer Bivens was optioned to the Arizona Complex League. The minor-league season is complete at all levels, although there are young players and rehabbing players at the various team complexes. The 32-year-old Gonsolin is a unique case in that the Royals signed him Aug. 13 and placed the right-hander on the 15-day injured list. He underwent the internal brace procedure on his right elbow in August 2025 and made four starts, pitching 16⅓ innings at Triple-A Omaha. Gonsolin will most likely make a start Friday against the Cleveland Guardians at home in his lone appearance this year. The Royals currently do not have a starter announced for that game. Gonsolin, who spent his entire career with the Los Angeles Dodgers, signed a prorated $1 million contract for this year with a club option for 2027. Bivens was claimed off waivers from the San Francisco Giants on Sept. 12 after four MLB appearances in two stints, allowing eight runs over five innings with four walks and eight strikeouts. Bivens was optioned to Triple-A Omaha after being claimed. He was called up Saturday but did not appear in either of the two games vs. the Pittsburgh Pirates. View full rumor

With the Kansas City Royals on the verge of officially being eliminated from postseason contention, you have to give credit to Maikel Garcia for coming back for the final 13 days of the regular season. The Royals activated their third baseman from the 10-day injured list Tuesday and sent outfielder Matthew Lugo down to Triple-A Omaha. Garcia has been on the IL since Aug. 21 with a strained left hamstring. That was just a few days after returning from another IL stint for a muscle strain in his left hand that kept him out nearly two months. Garcia is slashing .269/.324/.385 with three homers and 32 RBIs in 73 games. Lugo, who was claimed off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels on June 2 and optioned to the minors, was called up when Garcia went on the IL. He appeared in just nine games and went 2-for-14 (.143/.200/.143). The Royals entered play Tuesday at 66-84, last in the AL Central, with a tragic number of three. View full rumor

As the Kansas City Royals try to hang around in the AL wild-card race, injuries can hit a little bit harder. Second baseman Michael Massey was placed on the seven-day concussion list Thursday by the Kansas City Royals. The Royals also optioned right-handed reliever Mason Black to Triple-A Omaha, while selecting the contract of left-handed reliever Anthony Gose and recalled infielder Josh Rojas, both coming up from Triple-A. Also, the Royals pulled right-hander Beck Way from his rehab assignment. Massey was injured in Tuesday's 5-3 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays. He fielded a grounder from Nathan Lukes as he ranged to his right and made an off-balance throw for the out at first base for the second out in the fifth inning. But he hit his head as he crashed to the ground. He was removed from the game. Massey is a key part of the Royals' offense, putting up a .276/.310/.444 slash line with 11 homers and 44 RBIs. Massey also started the season on the injured list with a strained left calf. Rojas is up for the third time this season. In his previous stints, he had a .224/.253/.303 slash line with one homer and nine RBIs in 30 games. Black pitched two perfect innings in Wednesday's 3-0 loss to the Jays. His demotion is all about getting a fresh arm in the bullpen and Gose, who hasn't pitched in the majors since 2024, got the call. Gose intended to start the season in the Mexican League, but then signed a minor-league deal with the Royals on April 28. In 39 games and 46 innings for Omaha, he has a 4.89 ERA with 29 walks and 58 strikeouts. He last appeared in the majors with the Cleveland Guardians in 2024, pitching in just three games. View full rumor

The return of Maikel Garcia to the Kansas City Royals lasted just three games plus one at-bat. The third baseman was placed on the 10-day injured list Friday by the Royals due to a strained left hamstring. Right-handed reliever Carlos Duran was optioned to Triple-A Omaha, while taking their spots on the 26-man roster are outfielder Matthew Lugo and right-handed reliever Jose Cuas, who were called up from Omaha. Garcia was injured during the first inning Thursday after taking a big turn around third base following a misplay on a grounder to short. Nic Loftin took over at third base as Garcia exited the game. Garcia had just returned to the Royals' lineup Monday following a muscle strain in his left hand from the last week in June. Garcia is slashing .269/.324/.385 in 73 games, hitting three homers and driving in 32. The 25-year-old Lugo will be making his Royals debut. He has only appeared in the majors for 31 games last season with the Los Angeles Angels, posting a .232/.243/.464 with four homers and nine RBIs. The Royals claimed Lugo off waivers from the Angels on June 2. Between the Angels and Royals in the minors this season, he has a .265/.350/.473 slash line with 14 homers and 65 RBIs, along with 14 steals, in 100 games. Cuas has a 1.64 ERA in 10 games and 11 innings, with four walks and 13 strikeouts. Duran has appeared in two games with the Royals this year, allowing two runs in 1⅓ innings. View full rumor

The struggles of Lucas Erceg have resulted in a demotion. The right-handed reliever was optioned to Triple-A Omaha as right-hander Carlos Duran was called up from Omaha. The Royals are hoping Erceg can figure some things out in a less-pressurized environment. In Monday's 9-5 loss to the A's, Erceg gave up a run on a hit and two walks without getting an out in the ninth inning. That leaves him with a 5.57 FIP (6.23 ERA) in 43⅓ innings over 47 appearances with a 13.9% walk rate and 14.9% strikeout rate. Those are not only below last year's marks of 7.2% and 19.3%, but off his career rates of 10.3% and 22.8%. Erceg, formerly the Royals' closer, has 12 saves in 18 chances this season. Duran will be making his season debut for the Royals after having his MLB debut with the A's last year with one-third of an inning, allowing three runs on one hit and three walks. He signed in the offseason with the Los Angeles Dodgers and was added to the 40-man roster in early July before being acquired by the Royals in the Kris Bubic trade at the deadline. In 40 games at Triple-A between the Dodgers and Royals, he has a 3.15 ERA with a 13.9% walk rate and 30.8% strikeout rate. View full rumor

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. View full rumor