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Royals' Nick Loftin: Returns Thursday, as expected
Rotowire
Loftin (thumb) is starting in left field and batting third in Thursday's Cactus League game against the Padres.
Loftin has been sidelined the past couple days due to a jammed thumb, but he's ready to rejoin the lineup Thursday. The 27-year-old is expected to open 2026 in a reserve role for Kansas City after posting a .635 OPS in 67 regular-season games last year.
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Royals' Vinnie Pasquantino: Powers Italy in WBC win
Rotowire
Pasquantino went 3-for-4 with three solo home runs and a walk Wednesday in Team Italy's 9-1 win over Team Mexico in the World Baseball Classic.
Pasquantino had gone 0-for-12 through Italy's first three WBC games, but his bat woke up in the final game of Pool B. The Royals first baseman's solo blasts in the second, sixth and eighth innings were all the offense that Italy needed to dispatch Mexico and advance to the knockout round of the WBC after going a perfect 4-0 in pool play.
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Royals' Nick Loftin: Expected back Thursday
Rotowire
Royals manager Matt Quatraro said Wednesday that Loftin is dealing with a jammed left thumb but should return to the lineup for Thursday's Cactus League game against the Padres, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Loftin was scratched from Tuesday's lineup with the injury, but he's feeling better and is expected back in action imminently. The utility player is competing for a reserve role with the Royals and has had a nice spring, slashing .318/.423/.682.
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Royals' Nick Loftin: Day-to-day with soreness
Rotowire
Manager Matt Quatraro said Loftin was scratched Tuesday due to "general soreness," Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
There was nothing else disclosed in relation to Loftin's status, but more information will be known Wednesday. The outfielder has been having a good spring with a .318/.423/.682 slash line in 26 plate appearances.
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Royals' Michael Massey: Nursing low-grade calf strain
Rotowire
Royals manager Matt Quatraro said Tuesday that Massey has a "low-grade" calf strain and will be sidelined "hopefully just about a week," Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Massey tweaked the calf during a Cactus League game versus the Dodgers this past Friday and the Royals sent him for imaging after he didn't bounce back as hoped. It does not seem at this juncture like an injury that could threaten Massey's Opening Day availability, but he can't afford any setbacks.
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Royals' Nick Mears: Allows three runs in spring outing
Rotowire
Mears allowed three runs on three hits over one inning in Monday's Cactus League loss to the Guardians.
Mears was done in by the long ball, surrendering back-to-back homers to Steven Kwan and Brayan Rocchio with two outs in the fifth inning. After being acquired by the Royals from the Brewers in December, the reliever has made four Cactus League appearances, allowing four runs on four hits and two walks across four innings, with Monday's outing accounting for much of that damage. Coming off a 3.49 ERA and 0.97 WHIP across 56.2 regular-season innings last year with Milwaukee, Mears figures to slot in as a middle-relief option in the Kansas City bullpen for 2026.
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Royals' Steven Cruz: Scoreless spring outing
Rotowire
Cruz allowed no hits or walks across 1.1 scoreless innings in Monday's Cactus League loss to the Guardians.
Cruz entered to record the final out of the seventh inning before retiring the side in order in the eighth frame. Monday marked his third scoreless outing of the spring, though it was the first time the right-hander failed to record a strikeout after punching out a pair in each of his first two appearances. The 26-year-old's fastball, which averaged 98.2 mph last season, sat at 96.6 mph against the Guardians, though velocity dips during spring training are common and not overly concerning unless they persist into the regular season. Cruz will look to continue producing strong results in Cactus League play as he competes for a spot in the big-league bullpen to open the 2026 campaign.
Kolek (oblique) began playing catch from up to 60 feet Monday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Kolek was shut down for more than a week after being diagnosed with a Grade 1 left oblique strain. He will be slowly ramped back up before returning to Cactus League action. The right-hander should be healthy for Opening Day, barring setbacks, but the injury has significantly lessened his chances of obtaining a spot in the Royals' rotation.
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Royals' Jonathan India: Big bop in spring win
Rotowire
India went 2-for-3 with a solo home run in Saturday's Cactus League win over the Reds.
India opened the scoring, driving a Nick Lodolo sinker over the left-field fence to lead off the bottom of the first inning. The second baseman has put together a strong showing at the dish so far in Cactus League play, going 4-for-13 with two extra-base hits, three RBI and five walks through seven appearances. India is looking to bounce back from a lackluster first season with the Royals in 2025, when he slashed .233/.323/.346 with 29 doubles, nine homers and 45 RBI across 136 games.
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Royals' Steven Zobac: Sent to Double-A
Rotowire
The Royals optioned Zobac to Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Saturday.
Zobac was awarded a spot on Kansas City's 40-man roster during the offseason, but he'll return to Double-A to begin the new year. The 25-year-old righty posted a 7.68 ERA and 1.91 WHIP over 36.1 innings at Northwest Arkansas last season but pitched 2.2 scoreless frames this spring.
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Royals' Ben Kudrna: Sent down to Omaha
Rotowire
The Royals optioned Kudrna to Triple-A Omaha on Saturday.
Kudrna gave up 18 earned runs in just 11.1 innings during his first taste of Triple-A action last season. He continued to struggle this spring, allowing eight earned runs in 3.1 frames, and he'll now return to Omaha to right the ship.
Black allowed no hits and two walks over a scoreless inning in Thursday's Cactus League loss to the Rangers. He did not record a strikeout.
The right-hander has worked primarily as a starter in the minors, but Royals manager Matt Quatraro said Thursday that the organization views him as more of a versatile relief arm, per Perla Peredes of MLB.com. After being traded from the Giants in November, a retooling of his repertoire has proven effective thus far in Cactus League play, as Black has tossed five scoreless innings across four appearances. The 26-year-old may open the season with Triple-A Omaha, but he could contribute at the big-league level in 2026.
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Royals' Cole Ragans: Roughed up in spring start
Rotowire
Ragans allowed six runs on five hits, a walk and a hit by pitch over 1.2 innings in Thursday's Cactus League loss to the Rangers. He struck out two.
Ragans was ambushed early, allowing the first three hitters of the game to reach before Jake Burger launched a homer that put the Rangers ahead by four. Kansas City lifted Ragans before sending him back out for the second inning, when he surrendered another home run to Wyatt Langford. While it certainly wasn't a banner outing for the southpaw, his velocity wasn't a concern, as his fastball averaged 96.8 mph and topped out at 98.5 mph. The 28-year-old an injury-riddled and disappointing 2025, as he posted a 4.67 ERA and 1.18 WHIP across 13 starts and 61.2 innings. However, a 2.50 FIP, 14.3 K/9 and a career-worst .354 BABIP are data points that have Kansas City believing Ragans can rebound and regain his 2024 form this season.
Royals' Lucas Erceg: Scoreless frame in spring debut
Rotowire
Erceg (shoulder) allowed no hits or walks across a scoreless inning in Tuesday's exhibition win over Team Cuba. He struck out one.
Erceg made his first appearance of the spring and didn't show any lingering effects from the right shoulder impingement that ended his 2025 season early, an encouraging sign for his health moving forward. The right-hander posted a 2.64 ERA and 1.17 WHIP with 22 holds across 61.1 innings last season, though a diminished 7.0 K/9 and elevated 3.49 FIP are worth noting. Erceg is expected to serve as the primary setup man to Carlos Estevez and could see opportunities in the ninth inning if Estevez falters.
Cameron allowed three runs on six hits, a walk and a hit-by-pitch over 2.2 innings in Monday's Cactus League loss to the Angels. He did not record a strikeout.
Cameron struggled in Monday's outing, allowing plenty of traffic on the basepaths and having difficulty finishing hitters. He's never been overpowering, but the 26-year-old averaged just 90.3 mph on his fastball (topping out at 91.8 mph) against the Angels after sitting at 92.4 mph last season. The southpaw posted a strong 2.99 ERA and 1.10 WHIP across 24 starts and 138.1 innings in 2025, though a 4.17 FIP and 7.4 K/9 point toward potential regression. Cameron is currently tracking toward a spot in the Royals' rotation, but strong depth options such as Stephen Kolek (oblique), Ryan Bergert and Bailey Falter will push him.
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