Kansas City Royals

Maikel Garcia

3B

Garcia has been battling through a left hand muscle strain that caused him to go on the 10-day injured list in late June. He was cleared to embark on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday, but he was pulled from that assignment after feeling renewed pain in his left hand. Garcia's recovery timeline should become more clear once he is evaluated by a specialist next week.

Stephen Kolek

SP

Kolek emerged out of his rehab start with Triple-A Omaha on July 18 with a right forearm strain, which prompted the Royals to transfer the right-hander to the 60-day injured list July 22. He's eligible to be activated from the IL in early September, but the Royals will have a better sense of Kolek's recovery timeline once he undergoes more tests.

Bobby Witt Jr.

SS

Witt is scheduled for a full workout Saturday, and as long as that goes well, then the star shortstop should be back in action for the Royals for the start of their home series Tuesday. Witt landed on the 10-day IL on July 22 due to back soreness, but with his impending return, both Andrew Velazquez and Tyler Tolbert will see their reps at shortstop dry up. Prior to his injury, Witt was slashing .279/.350/.450 with 30 steals, 13 homer runs and 39 RBI across 414 plate appearances.

Vinnie Pasquantino

1B

Pasquantino was lifted in the ninth inning of Tuesday's 3-2 loss after dealing with soreness in his right hand, the same one he had surgery on in mid-June to address a hamate fracture. Per MLB.com, the Royals planned to evaluate Pasquantino further Wednesday, but it's not yet clear if he'll need to miss more than one start. Salvador Perez will fill in for Pasquantino at first base.

Nick Mears

RP

Mears has been sidelined since May 29 due to a right shoulder impingement and has dealt with multiple setbacks in his recovery, including a July 10 scan that revealed a right lat strain. Resuming throwing is a positive step, though the right-hander still has many boxes to check before a return from the injured list becomes a realistic possibility. Prior to hitting the shelf, Mears posted a 5.12 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 15:11 K:BB across 19.1 innings.

Beck Way

RP

Way last pitched Friday as an opener versus the Tigers, and it seems he came out of that appearance with a back issue. His spot on the roster and in the bullpen will be taken by Easton McGee.

Kris Bubic

SP

Bubic had been shut down from throwing since the beginning of July due to shoulder soreness, which cropped up while he was rehabbing from left elbow soreness that landed him on the injured list May 18. Resuming a throwing program is a positive sign, though the southpaw still has many hurdles to clear before returning to game action at the big-league level. Before hitting the shelf, Bubic posted a 3-2 record with a 4.11 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and 51:26 K:BB across 50.1 innings (nine starts).

Kyle Isbel

CF

Isbel led off and played three innings in center field during his first rehab game after landing on the injured list June 10 with a Grade 3 tear of a portion of his left plantar fascia. Returning to game action is a notable step in the right direction, though how the 29-year-old's foot responds throughout the rehab assignment will determine when he's ready to return to the big-league club. Before landing on the injured list, Isbel slashed .244/.298/.354 with three home runs, 11 RBI, 16 runs and five stolen bases across 56 games.

Carlos Estevez

RP

Estevez had been shut down since receiving an injection July 1 for a right rotator cuff strain. While it's a positive sign to see the veteran back throwing, the extent of his activity is unknown and figures to be limited, with the Royals expected to proceed cautiously given the series of setbacks the right-hander has faced since landing on the injured list April 1, originally due to a left foot contusion. An exact timeline remains unclear and will depend on how he responds to the throwing progression, but Estevez likely won't be nearing a return to the big-league roster until later in August.

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.

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.

Jonathan India

2B

no

James McArthur

RP

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.

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.