Kansas City Royals DVOA, Stats, & MLB Rankings

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Cole Ragans (groin) looked perfectly healthy in Monday's 3-0 win over the White Sox. Ragans was pushed back from his normal rotation due to a groin strain, but he tossed five excellent innings, allowing three hits and two walks with 11 strikeouts. The 27-year-old's ERA has been a little higher than fantasy managers would expect, but he is now 2-1 with a 3.79 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP, and an impressive 14.38 K/9 rate in seven starts and 35 2/3 IP. He will face a tough matchup in his next scheduled start, which will be at home against the Red Sox. Even with the slightly inflated ERA, Ragans' strikeout potential makes him a start in all leagues.

Kansas City Royals infielder Maikel Garcia isn't known for his power, but showed some over the fence pop during Sunday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. Garcia took right-hander Kyle Gibson deep in the second inning. He would later homer again, but this time off reliever Bryan Baker in the sixth inning. Garcia would finish his day 3-for-5 with two solo homers and two RBI in the win. After this game, Garcia is slashing .319/.379/.496 with four long balls, 14 RBI, and seven steals. Garcia is quickly picking up steam in fantasy leagues and is someone worth monitoring in most 12-team formats.

Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Cole Ragans (groin) is slated to start Monday's game against the Chicago White Sox. Ragans was unable to pitch this week due to a groin strain. However, it appears the southpaw will be making a quick return to the bump. This past week, the Royals promoted left-handed pitching prospect Noah Cameron to make his MLB debut as a replacement. He carried a no-hitter into the seventh inning but was sent back to Triple-A Omaha following this outing, suggesting Ragans would be clear to make his next start. Fantasy managers should keep an eye on Ragans in case he faces a setback leading up to Monday's contest. Through his first 30 2/3 innings of work this season, Ragans has posted a 4.40 ERA but flashed elite strikeout potential, tallying 46. If he gets the starting nod on Monday, he will be a popular play in DFS facing the White Sox.

Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (hip) is back in action on Sunday when the Royals continue a series against the Baltimore Orioles. The veteran backstop has been held out of the lineup for the first two games of this series due to a minor hip injury. Perez will serve as the team's DH and bat this afternoon in the cleanup spot. Before his injury, Perez was beginning to heat up at the plate, holding a .400/.419/.633 slash line with seven doubles and six RBI over his last eight contests. Prior to this recent surge, the 34-year-old held an underwhelming .182/.234/.295 slash line with just four doubles and two home runs over his first 23 games of the regular season. Under the hood, Perez has generated an elite .412 xwOBA, which suggests he should continue to produce at the plate. He is a strong option in DFS this afternoon, facing Baltimore right-hander Kyle Gibson.

Kansas City Royals catcher Salvador Perez (hip) remains out of the starting lineup ahead of Saturday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. Perez will miss his second game in a row after exiting early during Thursday's contest due to left hip soreness. The hope is that this is a minor issue and Perez can get back in the lineup within the next few games. In his absence, Freddy Fermin will cover behind the plate and bat eighth versus right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano on Saturday. Fantasy managers should adjust their lineups ahead of first pitch.