Kansas City Royals

Maikel Garcia

3B

After missing nearly two months with a hand injury, Garcia played four games with Kansas City this week only to injure his hamstring running the bases Thursday against the Athletics. It's shaping up as somewhat of a lost season for the 26-year-old, who has appeared in just 73 of 129 games and will miss several more. Nick Loftin figures to get most of the starts at third base for the Royals while Garcia is out.

Beck Way

RP

Way returned to game action as he rehabs from low-back spasms and tightness, though his first rehab outing wasn't particularly sharp. He threw 16 of 24 pitches for strikes and uncorked a wild pitch. In 19 big-league appearances this season, Way has posted a 3.86 ERA, 1.59 WHIP and 21:10 K:BB across 23.1 innings.

Carlos Estevez

RP

Estevez has been progressing in his recovery from a right rotator cuff strain, throwing bullpen sessions that have him on the verge of embarking on a rehab assignment. Given the right-hander's lengthy layoff, the Royals are likely to give him extended time to find his footing in the minor leagues before returning to the big-league roster. The 33-year-old has been out since April 1, initially due to a left foot contusion before suffering the shoulder injury in a rehab outing May 6.

James McArthur

RP

McArthur missed the entire 2025 season while recovering from surgery to repair a fractured right elbow before suffering a setback during spring training. The right-hander ultimately underwent another procedure in late May due to recurring soreness and inflammation in the same elbow. It's a positive sign that McArthur has progressed to a throwing program, though he may be running out of time to return to big-league action in 2026.

Nick Mears

RP

Mears has been sidelined since May 29 due to a right shoulder impingement, with his recovery previously delayed by a right lat strain revealed in a July 10 scan. The 29-year-old had progressed to mound work but has now suffered another apparent setback. Additional testing should provide further clarity on the right-hander's outlook, though the recurring setbacks are certainly concerning. Prior to hitting the shelf, Mears posted a 5.12 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 15:11 K:BB across 19.1 innings.

Tony Gonsolin

SP

Gonsolin, who underwent Tommy John surgery with an internal brace in his right elbow in August 2025, inked a one-year deal with the Royals on Thursday as his recovery nears its final stages. Provided the right-hander doesn't experience any renewed discomfort, Kansas City hopes to send him on a rehab assignment soon. In 86 career outings with the Dodgers, Gonsolin posted a 3.34 ERA and 1.08 WHIP across 411.2 innings, though injuries have been a recurring issue for the 32-year-old.

Luinder Avila

SP

The 24-year-old was placed on the injured list Sunday due to forearm tightness, but further evaluation apparently revealed a torn UCL. Avila will miss the rest of this year and is also likely to be sidelined for the full 2027 season. He made 21 appearances (12 starts) for Kansas City prior to the injury and had a 5.53 ERA, 1.61 WHIP and 61:42 K:BB over 70 innings this season. Avila will likely be shifted to the 60-day injured list in the near future.

Stephen Kolek

SP

The right-hander headed for a second opinion on his strained right forearm last week and is now set to go under the knife. The full scope of the procedure isn't clear, but if it's standard Tommy John surgery, Kolek will miss the rest of the season and will likely be sidelined for the entirety of the 2027 campaign.

Connor Seabold

RP

Seabold had to be pulled from an appearance Tuesday against the Rays because of the injury. The severity of the strain is unclear, but even a mild one could result in longer than a minimum 15-day absence. Seabold has pitched for three different teams this season, collecting a 5.25 ERA and 20:11 K:BB across 24 frames.

Cole Ragans

SP

It was unknown what type of procedure Ragans would need when the Royals announced last weekend that he was scheduled for surgery. Now confirmed to have undergone UCL repair surgery, the 28-year-old southpaw will officially miss the remainder of the season and is likely to remain out until midway through the 2027 campaign. He'll close the book on 2026 after putting up a 4.84 ERA and 1.42 WHIP alongside a 45:23 K:BB through 35.1 innings over eight starts.

Jonathan India

2B

no

Alec Marsh

SP

Marsh missed all of 2025 due to shoulder problems, and after undergoing surgery in November to address the issue, he's expected to miss the entire 2026 campaign as well. His move to the 60-day IL clears space on the 40-man roster for Mitch Spence, whom the Royals acquired in a trade with the Athletics on Thursday.