The Royals took another hit Tuesday night, and this time it was Jac Caglianone who had to leave early.
The right fielder exited before the sixth inning of Kansas City’s home game against the Giants with right-shoulder soreness after a hard landing on a diving attempt in the fifth. Caglianone charged toward the right-field line trying to track down a fly ball off the bat of Giants catcher Jesus Rodriguez, but he came up short and slammed into the ground. He stayed in to finish the inning, then was replaced when the Royals went back on defense in the sixth.
Starling Marte shifted to right field, while Isaac Collins entered in left.
It was another unwelcome turn for a Royals club that has been dealing with injuries all season. Just two days into the homestand - Kansas City’s first games after the MLB All-Star break - Caglianone became the latest player to leave a game early. On Monday, shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. exited with tightness in his lower back and is considered day-to-day.
Caglianone has been one of the brighter stories for Kansas City this year. He came into Tuesday hitting .260 with 16 home runs and 37 RBIs, and he took part in the 2026 Home Run Derby last week during Major League Baseball’s All-Star festivities.
The Royals are still shorthanded in several spots. Former All-Star pitchers Cole Ragans, Kris Bubic and Carlos Estévez, among others, remain sidelined. Pitcher Stephen Kolek is seeking a second opinion on his strained right flexor, and outfielder Kyle Isbel is on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha.
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The Royals have already had to navigate plenty of injury trouble this season, and Witts absence only adds to the uncertainty around a lineup that leans heavily on his presence. Tyler Tolbert is starting at shortstop in his place, while Witt is being treated as day-to-day, leaving Kansas City to wait and see how quickly its star can get back on the field. [Read more 🡒]
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