Kansas City Royals

Steven Cruz

RP

By rule, Cruz will miss the next 1-to-3 games while welcoming a new baby, so he should be back for Sunday's season finale, at minimum. Cruz has registered three of the past four saves for the Royals, which includes his eighth save of the season in Wednesday's win over the White Sox. While Cruz is away, the Royals could turn to Nate Pearson for save chances.

Tony Gonsolin

SP

James McArthur (elbow) was reinstated to take Gonsolin's spot on the active roster for the final day of the regular season. Gonsolin spent most of the year on the mend from Tommy John surgery with an internal brace, returning for a lone big-league appearance Sept. 22, when he allowed five runs on four hits and three walks while striking out five over 2.2 innings against the White Sox.

Nick Loftin

3B

Loftin extended his modest hitting streak to four games and blasted his first long ball since Sept. 1 on Tuesday. The 27-year-old launched a solo shot off Anthony Kay in the third inning to cut the lead. This year, Loftin is batting .240/.323/.387 with eight homers and 45 RBI over 422 plate appearances.

Connor Seabold

RP

Entering in the eighth inning, Seabold retired the side in order on just 10 pitches (seven strikes). The right-hander has yet to allow a run across three innings with Triple-A Omaha while working back from a right lat strain. At the big-league level in 2026, Seabold owns a 5.25 ERA, 1.71 WHIP and 20:11 K:BB in 24 innings.

Beck Way

RP

Way hit the injured list July 28 with low-back spasms and tightness but progressed to a rehab assignment before developing right shoulder discomfort. The right-hander was prescribed three-plus weeks of rest, effectively ending his 2026 campaign. In 19 big-league appearances this season, Way posted a 3.86 ERA, 1.59 WHIP and 21:10 K:BB over 23.1 innings.

Carlos Estevez

RP

Estevez began throwing in bridge league games at the Royals' complex in Arizona last week but wasn't making much progress, so the team will shut him down for the season, and the right-hander will go under the knife to address his strained rotator cuff. The 33-year-old appeared in just one game for the Royals this year, during which he gave up six earned runs while recording just one out. Kansas City is likely to decline his $13 million club option for next season.

Nick Mears

RP

Mears has been sidelined since May 29 due to a right shoulder impingement and dealt with multiple setbacks during his rehab, including a right lat strain revealed in mid-July. After progressing to mound work, the right-hander experienced renewed discomfort last week, with subsequent testing revealing thoracic outlet syndrome. Mears will finish his injury-marred first season with the Royals having posted a 5.12 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 15:11 K:BB across 19.1 innings.

Mitch Spence

RP

Spence's move to the IL represents yet another hit to the Royals' starting pitching depth, as the organization has already lost Cole Ragans, Stephen Kolek, Luinder Avila, Ryan Bergert and Ben Kudrna to season-ending elbow surgeries. The 28-year-old righty has been part of the Royals' 40-man roster throughout the 2026 campaign, logging a 5.35 ERA and 1.41 WHIP over 16 starts with Omaha and yielding 22 earned runs in 9.1 innings over three appearances at the big-league level.

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.

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

Ryan Bergert

SP

Bergert was removed from his start at Triple-A Omaha on April 7 due to an elbow injury, and after receiving a second opinion, he ultimately decided to go under the knife to address the issue. The Royals didn't give a timeline for the right-hander's return, but he'll almost certainly miss the rest of the 2026 campaign.

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.