LATEST NEWS

June 2: OF Kyle Isbel exits game after collision with SS Bobby Witt Jr.
Eight days after he fouled a ball off his face and suffered small facial fractures and bruising, Isbel was hit with another blow Sunday when Witt’s knee collided with the side of Isbel’s face in the top of the fifth inning against the Padres. The Royals later announced he left with a non-concussive head and neck injury.

José Azocar hit a bloop into shallow left-center field, causing Witt to range back and Isbel to sprint forward. It didn’t look like Witt was going to get it, so he tried getting out of the way while Isbel dove for the ball, only for Witt’s left knee to crash into the side of Isbel’s head.

Isbel was shaken up for a few minutes as manager Matt Quatraro and a trainer checked on him, but he stayed in the game to finish the frame. Garrett Hampson took over in center field the next inning, though, sending Isbel into the clubhouse to get checked out by the Royals’ medical staff.

Isbel doesn't have a concussion, but Quatraro said he'll "probably be pretty sore." As of Sunday evening, though, the Royals "feel OK with where he's at," Quatraro said.

June 2: RHP Michael Wacha placed on 15-day IL with left foot fracture; LHP Daniel Lynch IV recalled from Triple-A Omaha
Lynch never made it back to Omaha after being optioned postgame Thursday after his spot start against the Twins, opting instead to work out and throw in Kansas City rather than fly to Indianapolis where the Storm Chasers are wrapping up their series. Now, Lynch will be here for a little longer.

The 27-year-old will be inserted into the rotation as Wacha recovers from a left foot fracture he sustained Friday night against the Padres, when a comebacker hit the middle of his foot in the first inning. Wacha stayed in the game and ended up throwing 5 1/3 innings that night, saying his foot didn't bother him while pitching. Postgame, though, it became tender and sore, leading to imaging that showed a "small, non-displaced fracture," according to manager Matt Quatraro.

The timeline is unclear for Wacha's return, as it'll depend on when the soreness subsides and he's able to put full weight on his landing foot during his delivery. For now, he's able to play catch on a knee to keep his arm moving.

• All Royals transactions

INACTIVE LIST

RHP Jordan Lyles (personal matter)
Expected return: TBD
The Royals placed Lyles on the inactive list on April 20. The team is not disclosing the reason for Lyles’ absence other than describing it as a “personal matter.” There’s no timeline for his return.

Because of the type of inactive list Lyles was placed on, it opened a 40-man roster spot for the Royals, which they utilized on April 22 by promoting righty reliever Tyler Duffey. (Last updated: April 22)

10-DAY/15-DAY INJURED LIST

RHP Michael Wacha (left foot fracture)
Expected return: End of June
Wacha was hit in the middle of his foot by a comebacker in the first inning of his May 31 start against the Padres, but he stayed in the game and pitched 5 1/3 innings that night, saying he didn't feel any pain while on the mound because of adrenaline. But it settled in postgame, and imaging taken the next day showed a non-displaced fracture, leading to his placement on the IL retroactive to June 1. There's no timeline yet for his return, as it'll depend on when the soreness subsides, but it could be up to four weeks. Wacha is still able to play catch on a knee to keep his arm moving. (Last updated: June 2)

2B Michael Massey (low back ligament sprain)
Expected return: June
Massey, who was removed from the game on May 24 after hitting a three-run homer, was placed on the 10-day injured list on May 26 with a low back ligament sprain. The 26-year-old second baseman dealt with a similar issue at the end of Spring Training, which delayed his season debut until April 19.

Massey isn't back to full baseball activity yet, and he saw a back specialist on May 31. He has also received an injection to help the recovery process. Massey's timeline depends on how he feels; he could head on a rehab assignment as soon as his back loosens up and he feels good enough to swing. (Last updated: May 31)

3B Cayden Wallace (right side tightness, No. 2 on Royals Top Prospects list)
Expected return: TBD
Wallace was placed on the 7-day Minor League injured list on May 22 after exiting his Double-A game in the first inning. He was replaced by a pinch-runner after hitting a single in his first plate appearance on May 21 as he dealt with what the Royals described as right side tightness.

“We will know more after some further evaluations, but he is going to be out for at least the seven-day minimum on the Minor League side,” said director of player development/field coordinator Mitch Maier. “... We will know more once we get some imaging and further develop a plan, but it looks like it’s an oblique [injury], and we will go from there.”

The former second-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft was slashing .282/.350/.427 with three homers and 16 RBIs through 34 games with Double-A Northwest Arkansas this season. (Last updated: May 22)

60-DAY INJURED LIST

LHP Kris Bubic (left elbow surgery)
Expected return: July
Bubic opted for full ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction surgery in April 2023 and has had a smooth recovery so far, targeting the middle of 2024 as a potential return date. He was back to throwing bullpens in Spring Training and began his rehab assignment on May 7, first pitching in the Arizona Complex League, then Double-A Northwest Arkansas before being transferred to Triple-A Omaha on May 27.

On May 29, Bubic threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings of one-hit ball with one walk and seven strikeouts. He'll continue his recovery and ramping up his pitch count and innings in Omaha until he's ready to return to Kansas City. (Last updated: May 31)

LHP Josh Taylor (left arm/biceps nerve injury)
Expected return: Second half of the season
Taylor felt soreness when he was warming up for his March 17 Cactus League outing and was shut down afterward with left biceps soreness. The lefty reliever was diagnosed with a musculocutaneous nerve injury, and his timeline to return is unknown, as he'll be shut down from throwing until he regains strength.

Taylor was transferred to the 60-day IL on April 7 to make room for Colin Selby on the 40-man roster. (Last updated: April 7)

RHP Kyle Wright (right shoulder surgery)
Expected return: 2025
The Royals traded for Wright in November in exchange for Jackson Kowar knowing Wright was coming off shoulder surgery after the 2023 season. They made the move thinking ahead a year, foreseeing how Wright, who will be 29 in '25, could help after he led the Majors with 21 wins and posted a 3.19 ERA in '22.

Pitchers who have this procedure typically take a year to return, and Wright is rehabbing in Kansas City with the goal of having a normal, non-rehabbing offseason later this year. Wright was placed on the 60-day IL on Feb. 17 to make room for reliever John Schreiber on the 40-man roster. (Last updated: March 28)

• More injury news