Kansas City Royals DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

Kansas City Royals second baseman Michael Massey exited Friday night's game against the Tampa Bay Rays with low back tightness according to the team. Massey was replaced in the bottom of the 6th inning after going two-for-three with a three-run home run in the Royals 8-1 victory. Massey had been having a very solid month of May for the upstart Royals, hitting for a .906 OPS. The lefty should be considered day-to-day until more info is released on the seriousness of his back tightness. If Massey is forced to miss much time, Adam Frazier should be expected to pick up playing time against righties while Garrett Hampson should find time against lefties.

The Kansas City Royals reinstated right-hander Carlos Hernandez (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list on Friday and designated right-hander Tyler Duffey for assignment in a corresponding move. Hernandez will be making his 2024 debut when he gets into a game after suffering a pinched nerve in his right shoulder at the beginning of spring training. The 27-year-old went on an eight-game minor-league rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha and will now rejoin KC's bullpen this weekend. The Venezuelan hurler had his first four career saves and 17 holds in 2023 in his fourth year with the team but also had a 5.27 ERA (4.28 FIP) and 1.33 WHIP with 31 walks and a career-high 77 strikeouts in 67 outings (four starts) covering 70 innings.

Kansas City Royals third basemanMaikel Garciawent 2-for-5 with two runs scored on Wednesday as the red-hot Royals won their sixth straight game at home to finish their sweep of the Tigers 8-3. After a monster game Tuesday night (4-for-5, three Runs), Garcia kept the good times rolling during the finale, extending his hitting streak to 10 games and chipping in a stolen base for good measure. Hitting over .300 for May, Garcia, a late-round sleeper in most drafts before the season, is making anyone who took a flier on him look pretty smart right about now. The young speedster is pacing towards a 15 HR/40 SB campaign, but withBobby Witt Jr.andSalvador Perezbatting behind him, don't be shocked if he finishes the year in the triple digits in runs scored.

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Cole Ragans looked impressive during Wednesday's outing against the Detroit Tigers. The left-hander recorded 12 strikeouts over six scoreless innings during Wednesday's win. Ragans allowed only one hit while walking three batters during this outing. He'll carry a 3.34 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 76/12 K/BB ratio across 11 starts this season. His next start will be against the Minnesota Twins on Tuesday.

Kansas City Royals outfielder Hunter Renfroe will head to the bench for Wednesday's contest as the Royals go for the sweep against the visiting Detroit Tigers in the series finale. Renfroe has gone 6-for-24 (.250) with a homer and five RBI in his last seven games since May 12, but overall he's been bad this year with a .160/.236/.282 slash line with four home runs, 18 RBI and 15 runs scored in 144 plate appearances over 43 games played in his first year in KC. With Renfroe on the bench, Dairon Blanco is getting the start in right field and will bat seventh against Tigers left-hander Tarik Skubal. Blanco has three hits and two RBI in six career at-bats against Skubal. The 31-year-old Cuban outfielder has been useful for his speed this year in AL-only leagues, as he has 11 thefts in just 44 at-bats in 2024.