Kansas City Royals DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (eye) left Wednesday's Cactus League game early against the Seattle Mariners due to a laceration under his left eye, the team announced. Perez will continue to be monitored by the Royals. We should have an update on Perez's injury and potentially how much time he'll be forced to miss in camp by Thursday. The fact that it's just described as a laceration, though, leads us to believed that he'll be fine by Opening Day later this month. Although he's now 34 years old, he's still considered a top-five fantasy catcher at RotoBaller after he made his ninth All-Star team in 2024 and slashed .271/.330/.456 with 27 home runs, 104 RBI and 58 runs scored in 158 games in his 13th big-league season. Perez has managed 20-plus homers in each of his last eight full seasons. Regression is coming eventually, but the fact that he also has first base eligibility boosts his fantasy value.

Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Adam Frazier (back) is battling a sore back. Frazier has not been in a spring training contest since February 26. Manager Derek Shelton noted that the plan is for Frazier to appear in games "later in the week." Fantasy managers should continue to monitor his stats but seeing the team express optimism is a positive sign. Earlier in the offseason, the Pirates signed Frazier to a one-year contract worth $1.525 million. The 33-year-old spent the majority of his career with the Pirates after being drafted by them in the 2103 MLB Draft. Last summer, he appeared in 104 contests with the Kansas City Royals and posted a .202/.282/.294 slash line with a solid 20.1 percent K rate. When healthy, Frazier will likely have a utility role in the infield and only carry value in deeper formats.

Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (knee) was replaced in Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Cincinnati Reds after getting hit by a pitch on his left knee, according to The Athletic's Fabian Ardaya. It's unclear how severe Smith's left-knee injury is, but it's not the first injury he's dealt with in spring training after being delayed early in camp with ankle soreness. For now, we'll consider the 29-year-old backstop day-to-day until we get further word on his ailment. Most likely, the Dodgers pulled him out of an abundance of caution. An All-Star the last two seasons, Smith slashed .248/.327/.433 last year with 20 home runs, 75 RBI and 77 runs scored in 128 games. It was the third time in the last four years that Smith has reached the 20-homer mark to finish as a top-five fantasy catcher. While he's not an elite fantasy option at the position, he's been extremely reliable and has a safe floor in the best lineup in baseball.UPDATE: Manager Dave Roberts said Smith's exit was purely precautionary.

Kansas City Royals infielder Nick Loftin (wrist) was scratched from Sunday's starting lineup due to right wrist soreness. Fantasy managers should continue monitoring his status throughout the week in case he remains sidelined. Last season, Loftin logged a career-high 57 games at the MLB level. He held a .189/.282/.236 slash line with four doubles and one stolen base. He drew walks at a strong 11.1 percent rate and struck out at an elite 14.1 percent rate. In 58 contests with Triple-A Omaha, the Baylor product posted a .302/.409/.462 slash line with 13 doubles, seven home runs, and four stolen bases. He also showed a strong eye at the plate at this level, with an elite 37:37 BB:K ratio. When he returns to action, fantasy managers should expect Loftin to compete for a utility role in the Kansas City infield.

Kansas City Royals infielder Maikel Garcia will see time in center field during spring training. In the offseason, the Royals acquired Jonathan India from the Cincinnati Reds, which added another bat to their infield. General manager J.J. Picollo noted that the way the team is currently set up, Garcia's "next best spot" is to shift to center field. As a result, this suggests that the team is considering giving Michael Massey the starting nod at second base. Garcia has only seen one start in the outfield throughout his MLB career. However, given the crowded infield, his best option to find consistent playing time may be shifting to the outfield. Last season, Garcia made 157 starts and held a .231/.284/.332 line with 27 doubles and 37 stolen bases. If the 24-year-old were to adjust well to center field in camp, he could push Kyle Isbel to a depth role.