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Michael Wacha Michael Wacha Shelled in return from IL
Wed, Sep 17, 2025, 7:44 AM
Wacha (9-12) took the loss Tuesday, allowing seven runs on nine hits and no walks over 2.2 innings against the Mariners. He recorded no strikeouts.
Analysis: Wacha was rocked in his first start back from a brief injured list stint for a concussion, lasting fewer than three innings while surrendering six extra-base hits, including homers to Dominic Canzone and Cal Raleigh. The veteran right-hander entered with a 3.45 ERA and 1.18 WHIP, but those marks climbed to 3.79 and 1.22, respectively, across 29 starts and 161.2 innings this season. |
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Stephen Kolek Stephen Kolek Ready for another start Thursday
Tue, Sep 16, 2025, 4:30 PM
Kolek is slated to start Thursday's game versus the Mariners in Kansas City, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Kolek is getting another start to fill in for Seth Lugo, who had a setback with his back injury Monday. Kolek heads into his start Thursday riding four straight quality starts in the majors that stem back to July 27 when he was on the Padres. In the righty's three starts with the Royals, he's allowed four earned runs on 13 hits with an 11:2 K:BB across 19.2 innings pitched. |
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Seth Lugo Seth Lugo Return delayed a few days
Tue, Sep 16, 2025, 4:14 PM
Lugo (back) did not respond well to his bullpen session Monday, so he will be shut down for a few more days, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Lugo was looking at a possible return in the middle of the week, but Cole Ragans is set to start Wednesday and Stephen Kolek will now take the mound Thursday. Lugo's next probable start as of Tuesday is Sept. 24 at the Los Angeles Angels. |
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Adam Frazier Adam Frazier Out of Tuesday's lineup
Tue, Sep 16, 2025, 2:33 PM
Frazier is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game versus the Mariners.
Analysis: It's the second straight game that Frazier hasn't been in the lineup. The Royals are going with Mike Yastrzemski in left field and Jac Caglianone in right field in Tuesday's series opener. |
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Nick Loftin Nick Loftin Optioned to Triple-A
Tue, Sep 16, 2025, 2:21 PM
The Royals optioned Loftin to Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday.
Analysis: The 26-year-old is being sent down in order to free up a roster spot for Michael Wacha (concussion), who will start Tuesday's game against the Mariners. Loftin has slashed just .208/.278/.357 over 67 contests in 2025. |
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Michael Wacha Michael Wacha Activated ahead of Tuesday's start
Tue, Sep 16, 2025, 2:19 PM
The Royals activated Wacha (concussion) from the 7-day injured list Tuesday.
Analysis: Wacha missed his last outing after suffered a concussion in an off-field incident, but he's since been cleared and will rejoin the rotation with a start Tuesday versus the Mariners. The veteran right-hander holds a 2.89 ERA in nine second-half starts, though he's managed only 33 strikeouts across 53 innings. |
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Cole Ragans Cole Ragans Rejoining rotation Wednesday
Sun, Sep 14, 2025, 8:53 PM
The Royals will activate Ragans (shoulder) from the 60-day injured list to start Wednesday's game against the Mariners in Kansas City, Jaylon T. Thompson of The Kansas City Star reports.
Analysis: The upcoming start will mark Ragans' first with the big club since June 5, after a left rotator cuff strain kept him out of commission for more than three months. The southpaw began a rehab assignment at Triple-A Omaha on Sept. 7 and tossed 56 pitches and 3.2 innings in his second and final outing on the farm this past Friday, striking out seven in that start while allowing no runs on one hit and two walks. Though Ragans looked sharp in both of his appearances at Omaha, he's not yet fully stretched out for a typical starter's workload and could be limited to around 70-to-80 pitches Wednesday. |
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Michael Wacha Michael Wacha Returning from IL on Tuesday
Sun, Sep 14, 2025, 8:47 PM
The Royals will reinstate Wacha (concussion) from the 7-day injured list to start Tuesday's home game against the Mariners, Jaylon T. Thompson of The Kansas City Star reports.
Analysis: Kansas City will restore two of its top starters to the rotation during the upcoming series with Seattle, as Cole Ragans (shoulder) is in line to return from the 60-day injured list Wednesday. After being placed on the 7-day IL last Tuesday, Wacha will wind up just a little over the minimum amount of time due to the concussion, which he sustained in what the team described as an "off-field accident," per MLB.com. Wacha was cleared to resume throwing shortly after being deactivated and shouldn't be operating with any restrictions Tuesday. |
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Carlos Estevez Carlos Estevez Departs with back tightness
Sun, Sep 14, 2025, 4:02 PM
Estevez was removed from Sunday's win over the Phillies due to mild back tightness, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: The veteran right-hander was called upon for the ninth inning with a five-run lead since he had pitched just once in the previous eight days, so the Royals had no reason to stick with him once the back issue surfaced. Estevez didn't seem concerned by the injury and will have a team day off Monday to aid in his recover ahead of Tuesday's series opener versus Seattle. |
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Bobby Witt Jr. Bobby Witt Jr. Triple, home run in win
Sun, Sep 14, 2025, 3:53 PM
Witt went 2-for-5 with a triple, a solo home run and a second run scored in Sunday's 10-3 win over the Phillies.
Analysis: Witt led off the Royals' four-run sixth inning with his sixth triple of the season before extending the lead to 9-3 with an opposite-field shot off Max Lazar, his 22nd homer this year. Witt had gone six games without an extra-base hit prior to Sunday, going just 4-for-22 (.182) in that span. Overall, he's slashing .292/.350/.501 with 79 RBI, 94 runs scored and 36 steals through 631 plate appearances this season. |
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Salvador Perez Salvador Perez Drives in five Sunday
Sun, Sep 14, 2025, 3:42 PM
Perez went 2-for-5 with a three-run homer and five total RBI in Sunday's 10-3 win over the Phillies.
Analysis: Perez extended Kansas City's lead to 6-2 with a homer off Aaron Nola in the sixth inning, his 28th this year, before adding two more RBI with a base hit in the seventh. Perez now has three homers and eight RBI in his last two games after going just 2-for-23 with no RBI in his previous six contests. Overall, the 35-year-old veteran is slashing .237/.278/.450 with 89 RBI and 51 runs scored across 589 plate appearances this season. |
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Noah Cameron Noah Cameron Sharp in eighth win
Sun, Sep 14, 2025, 3:32 PM
Cameron (8-7) earned the win Sunday over the Phillies, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk across seven innings. He struck out seven.
Analysis: Cameron looked like he was headed for an early exit after giving up home runs to Kyle Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto in the first inning. However, the left-hander rebounded and held the Phillies scoreless over his final six frames, allowing just two more hits in an eventual 10-3 Kansas City victory. Cameron has gone seven innings in back-to-back starts, allowing just four runs while striking out 15 in that span. He's lowered his ERA to 2.98 with a 1.09 WHIP and 103:37 K:BB through 22 starts (127 innings) this year. Cameron is tentatively lined up to face the Blue Jays at home in his next outing. |
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Adam Frazier Adam Frazier Taking seat Sunday
Sun, Sep 14, 2025, 12:18 PM
Frazier is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Phillies.
Analysis: Frazier picked up starts in left field in the first two games of the series and went 2-for-8 between those contests, but he'll take a seat for the final contest in Philadelphia. Michael Massey will fill in for Frazier in left field and will bat sixth. |
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Kyle Isbel Kyle Isbel Idle against right-hander
Sun, Sep 14, 2025, 12:16 PM
Isbel is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Phillies.
Analysis: The Royals are facing off against a righty (Aaron Nola) in the series finale, but the left-handed-hitting Isbel will receive a day off nonetheless after he had started in each of Kansas City's last 12 games. Mike Yastrzemski will spell Isbel in center field. |
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Salvador Perez Salvador Perez Reaches big milestones in loss
Sat, Sep 13, 2025, 8:52 PM
Perez went 2-for-4 with two home runs and three RBI in Saturday's 8-6 loss to the Phillies.
Analysis: The future Hall of Famer helped give the Royals an early 4-2 lead by taking Taijuan Walker deep twice in the first three innings. It was Perez's fourth multi-homer performance of the year, and the second blast not only gave him 27 home runs on the season, it lifted him to 300 HR for his career, as well as 1,000 career RBI. The 35-year-old Perez has been fading overall in September, however, batting just .178 (8-for-45) through 12 games this month with a 0:9 BB:K, although six of those eight hits (two doubles and four homers) have gone for extra bases. |
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Ryan Bergert Ryan Bergert Escapes with no-decision in Philly
Sat, Sep 13, 2025, 8:46 PM
Bergert didn't factor into the decision in Saturday's 8-6 loss to the Phillies, giving up three runs on four hits and three walks over four innings. He struck out five.
Analysis: It's the third straight start in which Bergert issued three free passes, and his loss of control has left him with an 8.76 ERA, 2.03 WHIP and 14:9 K:BB in 12.1 innings during the skid. The Royals could get one or more of Michael Wacha (concussion), Seth Lugo (back) and Cole Ragans (shoulder) back from the IL in the next week or two, so Bergert's hold on a rotation spot may be slipping. At present however, he's scheduled to make his next start at home next weekend against the Blue Jays. |
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Jac Caglianone Jac Caglianone Sitting Saturday
Sat, Sep 13, 2025, 1:32 PM
Caglianone isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Phillies.
Analysis: Caglianone will get a breather Saturday after going 2-for-15 with two RBI and a run scored across his last five games. His absence will give Carter Jensen a start as Kansas City's designated hitter while batting eighth. |
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Michael Lorenzen Michael Lorenzen Handed 11th loss
Sat, Sep 13, 2025, 3:13 AM
Lorenzen (5-11) took the loss Friday, allowing six runs on 10 hits and two walks over three innings against Philadelphia. He struck out three.
Analysis: Lorenzen surrendered just one run across the first two innings but gave up three in the third and was pulled after surrendering three straight doubles to open the fourth inning. The veteran right-hander has lost his past three starts and has a 6.18 ERA in six outings since returning from an oblique injury in mid-August. |
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Jonathan India Jonathan India On bench Friday
Fri, Sep 12, 2025, 2:38 PM
India is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Phillies.
Analysis: India made three straight starts after being activated from the injured list Tuesday, and he'll get a breather Friday. The second baseman went 3-for-10 with six strikeouts during those three starts. Michael Massey will play the keystone and bat seventh. |
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Stephen Kolek Stephen Kolek Encouraging start with new team
Fri, Sep 12, 2025, 2:37 AM
Kolek didn't factor into the decision Thursday against the Guardians, allowing one run on three hits and no walks in 6.2 innings. He struck out four.
Analysis: Kolek's Royals career is off to a promising start, as he's now fired at least six innings while conceding two runs or fewer in each of his first three starts for his new team. The three hits allowed matched a season low, and he's riding a streak of seven consecutive outings of at least five frames dating back to his time with San Diego. Kolek is next scheduled to take the mound for a key matchup against the Mariners. Through 99.1 innings, the right-hander owns a 3.71 ERA, 1.20 WHIP and 67:28 K:BB. |
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