Injury Updates: Kansas City Royals Confirms More Bad News
At 2:45 PM, the Royals placed Pitcher on the 15-day injured list due to a right elbow sprain and recalled right-hander Steven Cruz in a corresponding roster move.
Earlier, at 11:43 AM, it was reported that he left the previous night’s game with elbow tightness. According to Anne Rogers of MLB.com, McArthur underwent testing to determine the cause and severity of the issue. Initially, it seemed McArthur might have injured his hand while covering first base on an infield single by Zach McKinstry. However, manager Matt Quatraro clarified that this was not the case. McArthur stayed in to pitch after McKinstry reached base but shook his arm after an off-target fastball to Jake Rogers. He prepared for the next pitch, but catcher Salvador Perez signaled for the training staff after noticing McArthur’s arm movement. McArthur acknowledged something felt wrong in his arm and left the game with trainer Chris DeLucia.
McArthur, 27, started the season as Kansas City’s closer and still leads the team with 18 saves, though he’s since lost the role to Lucas Erceg, who was acquired at the trade deadline. Erceg’s strong performances and a midseason slump for McArthur prompted the change. After a few rough outings early in the season, McArthur hit his stride, posting a 3.22 ERA over 36 2/3 innings from April 5 to July 23. However, he struggled in late July, allowing eight runs in two games, leading to the Royals acquiring Erceg. Since then, McArthur has mainly worked in middle relief, posting a 3.77 ERA in 14 1/3 innings, though a bad day at Yankee Stadium inflated his numbers. Overall, McArthur has a 4.92 ERA for the season, though his recent struggles have heavily influenced that figure.
While McArthur hasn’t experienced a significant drop in velocity, his sinker has been slightly slower recently, dropping from an average of 95.1 mph in early September to 94.3 mph over his last few outings. Although McArthur has experienced similar dips throughout the season, any reduction in velocity combined with arm discomfort raises concerns.
The Royals’ bullpen is already dealing with injuries to several key players, including Hunter Harvey (back strain), Will Smith (back spasms), and Chris Stratton (flexor strain). Erceg, John Schreiber, and former starters Kris Bubic and Daniel Lynch IV are among the remaining healthy options in an increasingly depleted bullpen.