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• Royals' Will Smith: Throwing, but timeline uncertain

  09/16/2024 • By RotoWire

  Smith recently resumed throwing bullpen sessions, but he's still experiencing back tightness and is without a clear timeline for a return from the 15-day injured list, MLB.com reports. Smith had been contending with back issues for several weeks before the Royals placed him on the IL on Aug. 26. Though it's encouraging that Smith hasn't been shut down from throwing, he'll likely need the soreness in his back to subside a bit more before the Royals are comfortable bringing him back. It's unclear if Smith has a legitimate chance at being activated before the regular season ends Sept. 29.

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• Royals' Will Smith: Placed on IL with back spasms

  08/26/2024 • By RotoWire

  The Royals placed Smith on the 15-day injured list Monday with low-back spasms. Smith had been bludgeoned for 14 runs over 4.2 innings cover his last five appearances. It's not clear how long he might be sidelined. Carlos Hernandez was recalled from Triple-A Omaha to take Smith's spot on the active roster and in the bullpen.

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• Royals' Will Smith: Handed loss Friday

  08/10/2024 • By RotoWire

  Smith (0-4) allowed two runs on a hit and a walk over one-third of an inning, taking the loss Friday versus the Cardinals. Smith put two runners on base and Chris Stratton allowed both of them to score. Prior to Friday, Smith had posted a seven-inning scoreless streak. He has a 3.48 ERA over 10.1 innings since the start of July, but he remains in a low-leverage role even with the overall struggles of the Royals' bullpen. Overall, Smith is at a 4.38 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 24:14 K:BB with one save, eight holds and one blown save across 37 innings this season.

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• Royals' Will Smith: Takes third loss

  06/15/2024 • By RotoWire

  Smith (0-3) allowed an unearned run on two hits and struck out one in one-third of an inning to take the loss Friday versus the Dodgers. Smith gave up a run for the first time since May 22, though it was deemed unearned since Mookie Betts advanced to second base on an error before Freddie Freeman brought him home with an RBI single. After a rough start to the year cost him his high-leverage role, Smith has allowed just three runs (two earned) over his last 14.2 innings, though he has a mediocre 10:3 K:BB in that span. The veteran southpaw is at a 5.40 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and 17:8 K:BB with one save, five holds and one blown save through 21.2 innings overall.

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• Royals' Will Smith: Pulled from save situation

  04/06/2024 • By RotoWire

  Smith was removed from a save situation Friday against the White Sox. He allowed one hit and one walk while striking out one batter in one-third of an inning. Called upon to protect a one-run lead, Smith struck out Yoan Moncada but then allowed a double and a walk to the next two batters he faced. That was enough for manager Matt Quatraro, who replaced Smith with James McArthur. The right-handed McArthur came through with a double play to secure the save, and with that, we may have witnessed a changing of the guard in the ninth inning for Kansas City. There have been no formal announcements in that regard, but Smith already had two losses, one blown save and six earned runs allowed in 2.2 innings this season before Friday's messy outing.

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