Almonte has made back-to-back appearances out of the bullpen after working predominantly as a starter at Triple-A Omaha during the first three months of the season.
It is unclear if the Royals are simply limiting his workload in the minors with the hope of having him available as a possible replacement in the rotation during the second half, or if he's now being viewed as a piece for the big league bullpen in the near future. In his two relief appearances since the calendar flipped to July, Almonte has allowed one run on three hits over three innings. For the season, he's posted a 5.15 ERA along with a 51:36 K:BB in 50.2 innings, which ultimately may be the driving factor behind the organization's decision.