The Royals optioned Loftin to Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday.
Loftin fell shy of an Opening Day roster spot despite a 1.052 OPS during Cactus League play. He will play regularly at Omaha while awaiting another chance at the big-league level.
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Royals' Nick Loftin: Moves past illness
Rotowire
Loftin (illness) played three innings at third base and went 1-for-2 in Sunday's 5-2 win over the Brewers in Cactus League play.
Jonathan India drew the start at third base, but Loftin was available off the bench and made his return to action for the first time since Thursday, when he was forced out of a game against the Guardians after coming down with an illness. Now that he's healthy again, Loftin will look to close the spring on a high note with the hope of securing a reserve role on the Royals' season-opening 26-man active roster.
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Royals' Nick Loftin: Exits with illness
Rotowire
Loftin exited Thursday's Cactus League game against the Cubs with an illness.
Loftin returned to the lineup Thursday after missing the previous four days with a wrist issue. He went 0-for-2 at the plate before leaving the game and is now 6-for-13 this spring. Loftin is competing for a utility role after appearing in 57 regular-season games for the Royals last season.
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Royals' Nick Loftin: Back in lineup
Rotowire
Loftin (wrist) will start at third base and bat fourth in Thursday's Cactus League game against the Cubs.
Loftin was a late scratch from the lineup prior to Sunday's contest due to wrist soreness, but he appears to be feeling better after a few days of rest. The 26-year-old has fared well in his pursuit of an Opening Day roster spot, going 6-for-11 with three RBI and two runs scored across six spring games.
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Royals' Nick Loftin: Battling wrist issue
Rotowire
Loftin was scratched from the lineup for Sunday's Cactus League game against the Padres due to right wrist soreness.
Loftin was penciled to bat fifth as the designated hitter but will instead sit out at least one game due to the wrist injury. The 26-year-old is competing for a utility role in spring training after he posted a .518 OPS in 57 regular-season games last year.
Lofton will compete with Cavan Biggio and Harold Castro for a utility role this spring, the Kansas City Star reports. He's 3-for-4 in his first two spring games.
Loftin had a .803 OPS in his first taste of the majors in 19 games in 2023, but he struggled last season with a .518 OPS in 57 games. He still hit .302 with a .857 OPS at Triple-A last season. He can play several positions in the infield and outfield -- he played second base Saturday -- but the Royals may prefer a left-handed hitter in the role (both Castro and Biggio hit lefty). At just age 26 this season, Loftin may have the most upside among the group.
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Royals' Nick Loftin: Returns to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Royals optioned Loftin to Triple-A Omaha on Sunday.
The 25-year-old was called up by the Royals on Thursday but won't stick in the majors long following the additions of veterans Tommy Pham, Robbie Grossman and Yuli Gurriel. Loftin hasn't done much while up in the big leagues this season and has a .518 OPS in 57 games.
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Royals' Nick Loftin: Joining big-league club
Rotowire
The Royals recalled Loftin from Triple-A Omaha on Friday.
Loftin will replace Vinnie Pasquantino (thumb) on the active roster as Pasquantino heads to the injured list. Loftin has been with Omaha since July 30 and has slashed .199/.294/.248 with Kansas City this season, although he has a .358/.436/.494 line at Triple-A in August. The 25-year-old might see plenty of work at first base, though the Royals should also give Salvador Perez opportunities at the position.
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Royals' Nick Loftin: Sent to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Royals optioned Loftin to Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday.
The 25-year-old will lose his place on the big-league roster after the Royals acquired Paul DeJong from the White Sox on Tuesday. Loftin has a .199/.294/.248 slash line with one homer in 55 MLB games this season.
Loftin is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Rockies.
Loftin is on the bench for a second straight game after starting the previous three games. Maikel Garcia will again shift to the hot corner while Michael Massey starts at second base.
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Royals' Nick Loftin: On bench Saturday
Rotowire
Loftin is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Rockies.
Loftin will take a seat Saturday after making three consecutive starts. Maikel Garcia will shift to third base while Garrett Hampson plays second base.
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Royals' Nick Loftin: Not in Tuesday's lineup
Rotowire
Loftin is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Rays.
Loftin had started each of the previous five games at third base but picked up just one hit during that stretch. CJ Alexander will get the call at the hot corner for Tuesday's contest.
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Royals' Nick Loftin: Nabs steal
Rotowire
Loftin went 0-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base in Thursday's 2-1 win over the Guardians.
Loftin has gone just 4-for-41 (.098) with a 5:10 BB:K over his last 14 contests. The versatile infielder got the start at third base for the second game in a row after CJ Alexander was at the hot corner for the two previous contests. The Royals are limiting Michael Massey to designated hitter to ease him in after another back injury, but once he's able to play the field, Loftin's usage is like to decrease. Loftin is slashing just .223/.322/.282 with one home run, one steal, 13 RBI and 14 runs scored over 122 plate appearances.
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Royals' Nick Loftin: Could be on outs for everyday role
Rotowire
Loftin is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Marlins.
Loftin had started in each of the Royals' last six games and served as the club's leadoff hitter in two of those contests, but playing time may be harder to come by for him after Kansas City brought back Michael Massey (back) from the injured list Monday. Massey is serving as the Royals' designated hitter Monday, but he should soon resume regular duties at second base, where Loftin had been seeing most of his playing time over the past month.
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Royals' Nick Loftin: Hitless out of leadoff spot Sunday
Rotowire
Loftin went 0-for-4 in Sunday's 4-0 loss to the Rangers.
Though Loftin didn't provide any noteworthy production Sunday, he occupied the leadoff spot for the Royals for the second time in four games. While Kansas City hasn't yet settled on a permanent option atop the batting order, manager Matt Quatraro seems to have at least temporarily pulled the plug on the slumping Maikel Garcia as the club's leadoff hitter. With Garcia batting seventh and eighth in the final two games of the series in Texas, both Loftin and Adam Frazier received looks in the leadoff spot, though Loftin's assignment Sunday might have been a byproduct of Frazier missing the game with a thumb sprain. Even if Loftin sets the table for Kansas City again Monday versus Marlins, he may not stick in the everyday lineup for long. Michael Massey (back) is nearing a return from the 10-day injured list and likely to take back a regular spot at second base.
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Royals' Nick Loftin: Lifts first big-league homer
Rotowire
Loftin went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run, a walk and an additional RBI in Tuesday's 7-5 loss to the Athletics.
Loftin hit his first career homer off Hogan Harris in the second inning, tying the game at 2-2. While Loftin has seen steady run at second base, he entered Tuesday on an 0-for-14 skid that could jeopardize his playing time. He's slashing .253/.351/.304 with 12 RBI, 13 runs scored and no stolen bases over 95 plate appearances this season. Michael Massey (back) began a rehab assignment Tuesday, so Loftin's time in a starting role -- and potentially in the majors -- could come to a close when Massey is ready to return to the Royals.
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Royals' Nick Loftin: Taking seat Sunday
Rotowire
Loftin is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Dodgers.
He'll give way to Garrett Hampson at second base for the series finale. Loftin had manned the keystone in seven of the Royals' previous eight games and should remain Kansas City's primary option at the position until Michael Massey (back) returns from the injured list.
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Royals' Nick Loftin: Not in Thursday's lineup
Rotowire
Loftin is absent from the lineup for Thursday's contest against the Yankees.
Loftin had started each of the last five games at second base, but he will begin Thursday's contest on the bench. Garrett Hampson will occupy the keystone for the Royals as they try to avoid a sweep.
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