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Matt Strahm Matt Strahm On track to return Sunday
Thu, May 28, 2026, 12:00 PM
Strahm (knee) threw live batting practice Wednesday and is slated to throw a bullpen Friday, putting him on track to be activated from the injured list when eligible Sunday, MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Strahm landed on the injured list May 16 but appears to be recovering well after receiving an injection May 21 to address inflammation in his right knee. Manager Matt Quatraro said the southpaw looked great during a live batting practice session Wednesday, so barring any setbacks during his upcoming bullpen session, Strahm appears likely to be activated from the injured list when first eligible Sunday. Prior to being shelved, he posted a 3.86 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 17:7 K:BB across 16.1 innings. |
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Kris Bubic Kris Bubic Battling general arm fatigue
Thu, May 28, 2026, 11:57 AM
Bubic (elbow) is still dealing with general left arm fatigue, MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Bubic began a throwing program this past weekend and continues to play catch despite not yet feeling 100 percent. The southpaw will not be allowed to ramp things up until he's no longer feeling fatigue in his pitching arm, so there remains no timetable for Bubic's return to the Royals' rotation. He posted a 4.11 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 51:26 K:BB across 50.1 innings before landing on the 15-day injured list with left elbow discomfort in mid-May. |
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Carlos Estevez Carlos Estevez Resumes throwing Wednesday
Thu, May 28, 2026, 11:45 AM
Estevez (shoulder) began playing catch Wednesday, MLB.com reports.
Analysis: While on a rehab assignment for a left foot contusion, Estevez was diagnosed with a right rotator cuff strain May 6 and subsequently shut down from throwing. The right-hander met with team doctors Tuesday for a re-evaluation and seemingly received positive news, as he has now resumed throwing. The development marks a step in the right direction, though Kansas City will likely proceed cautiously with the veteran's buildup, and he'll almost certainly require another rehab assignment, leaving his timetable for a return unclear. With Estevez sidelined, Lucas Erceg has stepped in as the Royals' closer and posted a 5.06 ERA, 1.69 WHIP and 18:13 K:BB while converting 11 of 15 save opportunities across 21.1 innings. |
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Noah Cameron Noah Cameron Gets no help in loss
Wed, May 27, 2026, 11:22 PM
Cameron (2-4) allowed two runs on four hits and a walk while striking out four over five-plus innings to take the loss Wednesday versus the Yankees.
Analysis: Cameron put in a fine effort but didn't get any help from his teammates. This was his fifth straight outing without a win, a span in which he's allowed 13 runs (12 earned) across 26.1 innings. That's right in line with his work for the year -- he's at a 4.61 ERA, 1.41 WHIP and 48:17 K:BB through 52.2 innings over 10 starts. Cameron's next start is projected to be on the road versus the Reds. |
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Kyle Isbel Kyle Isbel Rare day off versus righty
Wed, May 27, 2026, 3:54 PM
Isbel is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Yankees.
Analysis: The Royals often hold the left-handed-hitting Isbel out of the lineup against southpaws, but he'll take a seat against right-hander Gerrit Cole in the series finale. Lane Thomas will replace Isbel in center field and will bat sixth. |
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Bailey Falter Bailey Falter Cast off 40-man roter
Wed, May 27, 2026, 11:29 AM
The Royals designated Falter for assignment Wednesday.
Analysis: Kansas City will drop Falter from its 40-man roster after the veteran lefty was roughed up for nine earned runs in 4.1 innings over his previous two starts, during which he served as an opener in bullpen games. The 29-year-old didn't fare much better in his three relief appearances with Kansas City before that, yielding six earned runs over 5.1 innings. The Royals will replace Falter with a fresh relief arm in right-hander Mason Black, who was recalled from Triple-A Omaha ahead of Wednesday's series finale versus the Yankees. |
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Mason Black Mason Black Summoned from Triple-A
Wed, May 27, 2026, 11:24 AM
The Royals recalled Black from Triple-A Omaha on Wednesday.
Analysis: Kansas City designated lefty Bailey Falter for assignment to clear room on the roster for Black, who will receive a promotion despite having allowed nine earned runs in three innings between his last two relief appearances for Omaha. The addition of Black looks to be mostly for the purpose of giving the Royals a fresh arm out of the bullpen for Wednesday's series finale versus the Yankees, after Kansas City needed three relievers plus position player Tyler Tolbert to cover the final 6.2 frames of Tuesday's 15-1 loss. |
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Bailey Falter Bailey Falter Falters badly against Yankees
Tue, May 26, 2026, 10:43 PM
Falter (0-2) took the loss against the Yankees on Tuesday, allowing seven runs on nine hits while striking out three batters over 2.1 innings.
Analysis: Falter was called upon to work as Kansas City's opener for a second straight outing. He gave the Royals 2.1 frames but was hit hard, serving up three homers and five runs before he departed. Two more runs were charged to Falter's ledger following his exit, pushing his ERA to an ugly 13.97 through 9.2 frames on the campaign. It remains to be seen how Falter will be utilized moving forward, but he's struggled to such an extent that Kansas City may need to reconsider his role. |
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Carlos Estevez Carlos Estevez Could start throwing soon
Tue, May 26, 2026, 9:15 PM
Royals manager Matt Quatraro said that Estevez (shoulder) is slated to be re-examined by the team doctor Tuesday and could be cleared to resume throwing if he receives a positive evaluation, Jaylon T. Thompson of The Kansas City Star reports.
Analysis: Initially placed on the injured list April 1 due to a left foot contusion, Estevez began a rehab assignment earlier this month but made just one appearance before being shut down, after he was diagnosed with a rotator cuff strain in his right shoulder. While Estevez looks like he could start playing catch by the end of the week, he'll likely be ramped up slowly during his throwing program and will eventually need to head back out on another rehab assignment prior to being activated. During Estevez's extended absence, the Royals have leaned on Erceg as their closer, but Erceg owns a 5.06 ERA and 1.69 WHIP over 21.1 innings on the season and hasn't made a strong case for keeping the job once Estevez is activated. |
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Genesis Cabrera Genesis Cabrera Lands with Kansas City
Tue, May 26, 2026, 6:22 PM
Cabrera signed a minor-league contract with the Royals on Tuesday.
Analysis: Cabrera had been on the market for about a week and a half after the Phillies released him earlier this month following a brutal outing at Triple-A Lehigh Valley in which he retired just one batter while allowing eight earned runs. The right-hander made 40 appearances in the majors in 2025 across stops with four different clubs, but despite getting another opportunity in the Royals organization, Cabrera has some work to do in the minors before getting another look in the big-league bullpen. He posted a 10.38 ERA and 1.81 WHIP over 17.1 innings with Lehigh Valley prior to being cut loose. |
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Elias Diaz Elias Diaz Clears waivers
Tue, May 26, 2026, 6:18 PM
The Royals outrighted Diaz to Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday.
Analysis: Diaz will have the ability to elect free agency, but assuming he accepts his outright assignment to the minors, he'll remain part of the Royals organization as catching depth. The 35-year-old backstop recently wrapped up a month-long stint on the big-league roster, appearing in 10 games while batting .227 with two home runs and five RBI. |
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Michael Massey Michael Massey Exiting lineup Tuesday
Tue, May 26, 2026, 6:15 PM
Massey is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Yankees.
Analysis: The left-handed-hitting Massey often sits against southpaws, but he'll hit the bench versus a righty (Cam Schlittler) on Tuesday. Nick Loftin will fill in at the keystone in place of Massey, who has produced an underwhelming .231/.241/.404 slash line with two home runs and one stolen base thus far in May. |
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Isaac Collins Isaac Collins Not starting Tuesday
Tue, May 26, 2026, 6:13 PM
Collins is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Yankees.
Analysis: The Royals will go with Lane Thomas in left field while Collins rests after a stretch of five consecutive starts. After an excellent rookie campaign with Milwaukee in 2025, Collins has taken a step back at the dish during his first season in Kansas City, slashing .218/.335/.320 with three home runs and three steals across 176 plate appearances. |
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Salvador Perez Salvador Perez Goes deep in loss
Tue, May 26, 2026, 11:17 AM
Perez went 1-for-3 with a solo home run, an additional run scored and a walk in Monday's loss to the Yankees.
Analysis: Perez tied the game with a 107.3 mph solo missile off Will Warren in the sixth inning, and the Royals later took the lead in the eighth frame on a Bobby Witt homer, though a bullpen implosion ultimately kept the club out of the win column. Perez has struggled overall, hitting .215 with a .638 OPS, nine homers, 25 RBI and 21 runs across 52 games, but he has swung the bat much better of late. Over his past 11 contests, the veteran slugger is slashing .308/.378/.538 with three homers, seven RBI and six runs. |
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Lucas Erceg Lucas Erceg Blows save against Yankees
Mon, May 25, 2026, 10:28 PM
Erceg (3-2) suffered a blown save and took the loss Monday against the Yankees, allowing two runs on four hits and no walks with zero strikeouts in one inning.
Analysis: Erceg entered in the top of the ninth to protect a 3-2 lead. He got Cody Bellinger to ground out to lead off the inning but then allowed four straight hits to suffer his fourth blown save of the season. The right-hander has now had back-to-back miserable outings after allowing three runs on four hits Sunday against the Mariners. With the two bad outings, Erceg's ERA has ballooned from 3.26 to 5.06 with an 18:13 K:BB across 21.1 innings in 2026. |
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Bobby Witt Jr. Bobby Witt Jr. Launches eighth homer Monday
Mon, May 25, 2026, 8:26 PM
Witt went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Monday's 4-3 loss to the Yankees.
Analysis: Witt briefly gave Kansas City the lead in the eighth inning, crushing a 432-foot solo homer off Jake Bird in one of the game's biggest moments. The superstar shortstop was scorching hot during the first two weeks of May, batting .400 with a .886 slugging percentage over a nine-game stretch, though he has cooled off recently by hitting .250 across his last 10 contests. Even with the slowdown, Witt continues to produce at an elite level, slashing .294/.360/.481 with eight homers, 14 doubles, 24 RBI, 26 runs scored and 16 stolen bases across 239 plate appearances. |
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Michael Wacha Michael Wacha Settles for no-decision vs. Yankees
Mon, May 25, 2026, 7:58 PM
Wacha did not factor into the decision Monday against the Yankees, allowing two runs on five hits and two walks while striking out five over seven innings.
Analysis: Wacha surrendered two runs in the second inning, including a solo homer by Cody Bellinger, but the veteran right-hander settled in afterward. Over his final five innings, Wacha allowed just two hits and closed the outing by retiring 10 straight batters. Monday marked his fifth consecutive quality start and also his fifth outing of at least seven innings this season. He lowered his season ERA to 2.69 while carrying a 1.02 WHIP and 60:22 K:BB across 70.1 innings. Wacha is scheduled to face Cincinnati in his next start. |
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Bailey Falter Bailey Falter Starting Tuesday vs. NYK
Mon, May 25, 2026, 5:49 PM
Falter will start for the Royals in Tuesday's game against the Yankees, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Falter served as the Royals' opener against the Red Sox on May 19, when he tossed two innings and allowed two runs on four hits and three walks while striking out two batters. He was followed by Luinder Avila in that game, and the Royals could deploy that same combination for Tuesday's contest. |
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Cole Ragans Cole Ragans Shut down for 2-to-3 days
Mon, May 25, 2026, 12:31 PM
Royals manager Matt Quatraro said Monday that Ragans (elbow) will be shut down for 2-to-3 days after not bouncing back well from Saturday's rehab start with Triple-A Omaha, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Analysis: Ragans pitched well in the outing, striking out three over 4.1 innings of one-run ball. Quatraro noted that while Ragans' left elbow was not sore during the start, afterward he felt similar symptoms to when he landed on the 15-day injured list earlier this month with an elbow impingement. Ragans had been trending toward rejoining the Royals' rotation this week, but now that he's had a setback, his timetable is up in the air. |
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James McArthur James McArthur Undergoes elbow surgery
Sun, May 24, 2026, 10:55 PM
McArthur (elbow) underwent surgery Friday to help combat continued soreness and inflammation, MLB.com reports.
Analysis: McArthur missed all of 2025 while recovering from right elbow surgery and was considered healthy entering spring training, but he suffered a setback and has remained on the injured list with right elbow inflammation, prompting Friday's procedure. There's no timeline for the right-hander's return to action, as his recovery from the surgery and how he feels in the near future will dictate the next steps in the rehab process. |
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