The Royals’ infield took a hit Tuesday, and the club responded by reaching into both the roster and the bullpen.
Michael Massey was placed on the 7-day Injured List with a concussion after he hit his head on the turf while losing his balance on a play on Tuesday. Kansas City brought up infielder Josh Rojas to fill his spot, and also added left-hander Anthony Gose to the bullpen while sending Mason Black to Omaha.
Massey’s absence comes with a tough blow attached: he’s in the middle of the best season of his career. In 110 games, he’s hit .276/.310/.444 with 11 home runs, and he’s also been excellent defensively with +8 Outs Above Average.
That combination has made him worth 2.3 rWAR. Rojas has already had a look with the Royals this year, batting .224/.253/.303 in 29 games.
Gose’s path to Kansas City has been anything but ordinary. A second-round pick by the Phillies in 2008 as an outfielder, he played 372 games in the outfield for the Blue Jays and Tigers from 2012 to 2016.
He switched to pitching in 2017, reached the majors with the Guardians in 2021, then went through Tommy John surgery and missed all of the 2023 season before returning for three games in 2024. This year, he was pitching in the Mexican League before the Royals signed him.
At Omaha, he made 39 appearances, struck out 58 in 46 innings, and posted a 4.89 ERA.
The move to bring in Gose - along with 38-year-old Craig Kimbrel - stands out for a club that is well out of contention and, on the surface, should be using this stretch to evaluate younger arms like Lucas Braun or Ryan Ramsey. But there’s another layer here: with a work stoppage looming, every player Kansas City adds to the 40-man roster is one more player who could be unavailable for offseason workouts and, potentially, spring training or regular-season games next year if there is a lockout.
The Royals also announced that reliever Beck Way has been returned from his rehab assignment. Way had been out for a month with a lower back issue and had only appeared in two games during the rehab stint.
In Other News...
Jac Caglianone Is Crashing A Royals Race Few Saw Coming
Bobby Witt Jr. has spent much of the 2026 season drawing the familiar MVP buzz, even in a year that some around the league might call a down one by his standards. For the Royals, though, the more surprising individual push has come from Jac Caglianone, whose power production has moved him into the conversation for an American League outfield Silver Slugger spot. In a race shaped by offensive output and slugging, Kansas City suddenly has more than one player forcing voters to pay attention.
Caglianones case is built on the kind of hard contact and home-run total that stands out when compared with the other top AL outfielders. The award is voted on by league managers and coaches, with offense carrying the day, and that gives the Royals first baseman-turned-outfielder a real opening if his numbers keep holding. For a club already tracking Witt as its star, the possibility of another bat rising into award territory adds another layer to a season that has been anything but ordinary. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Infield Could Put Jose Alguacil In The Spotlight Again
Jose Alguacil has spent enough time around Kansas Citys infield to know how much attention elite defense can bring, and this group is drawing plenty of it again. The Royals have four infielders ranked among the top three in the American Leagues Society For American Baseball Research Defensive Index, a strong sign that Vinnie Pasquantino, Michael Massey, Bobby Witt Jr. and Nick Loftin are in the mix for Gold Glove recognition.
Witt has already built a reputation as one of the sports best defenders, with two Gold Gloves and a 2025 Platinum Glove to his name, while Maikel Garcia added a Gold Glove last season to the clubs growing case as a defense-first infield. For Alguacil, the larger question now is how many awards this unit can actually turn into when the seasons hardware is handed out. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Are About To Show Which Young Talent They Trust
September is almost here, and with it comes the Royals chance to add two players to the major league roster and get a closer look at the young talent waiting in the wings. For a club still sorting out its long-term picture, this is one of those stretches that says as much about the organization as it does about the immediate standings. The next wave of decisions will show which arms and bats the front office believes are ready for a taste of the big leagues.
Several candidates from the Royals minor league system and 40-man roster are in the mix, giving the club some flexibility on whether to lean toward pitching depth, a position player boost, or a little of both. No official call-ups have been announced yet, but the approach of the roster expansion has turned the spotlight onto the players who could get their first real chance to prove they belong in Kansas City. [Read more 🡒]