The Royals had to reshuffle things again Thursday, and the latest move centered on the biggest name in their lineup card. Salvador Perez was out against the Rays at Kauffman Stadium because of left elbow soreness, forcing Kansas City to add some insurance behind the plate and brace for another round of evaluation.
Luke Maile was selected to the 40-man roster and brought up from Triple-A Omaha, giving the Royals a backup option if Carter Jensen needed help during the game. To make the move work, the club optioned outfielder John Rave to Omaha and designated reliever Eric Cerantola for assignment. Kansas City also activated Stephen Kolek from the family medical emergency list so he could start Thursday, while reliever Jose Cuas was sent down to Omaha.
Manager Matt Quatraro said Perez first felt the issue a day earlier.
“Salvy came in yesterday with a little bit of a sore elbow,” Quatraro said. “He was already playing first [base] yesterday, so he was able to manage that. And then today, we had to have some protection in case he’s unable to catch.”
For now, the Royals are still waiting on a clearer read. Quatraro said there wasn’t more information yet on how serious the elbow soreness might be, and Perez is expected to be looked at further after the club’s scheduled off-day Friday. Kansas City returns to The K on Saturday night against the Phillies.
“Right now, we’re trying to gather more information as to what’s going on,” Quatraro said. “He came in yesterday a little sore.
Thought it would loosen up during the day, and it didn’t. … Definitely have some level of concern.”
The timing only adds to a long injury list that already has the Royals juggling 11 players on the IL. That group includes Vinnie Pasquantino, who is recovering from a right hamate bone fracture; Maikel Garcia, out with a left hand muscle strain; and Kyle Isbel, sidelined by left plantar fasciitis. Pasquantino and Isbel are expected to start rehab assignments next week, while Garcia still hasn’t resumed swinging as his hand heals.
The pitching side hasn’t gotten any easier either. The Royals said Thursday that Cole Ragans underwent a UCL repair on his left elbow and will be out until midseason next year.
Kris Bubic remains on the 60-day IL as he works through another shoulder setback. He got a cortisone injection Thursday and will be shut down for the next seven to 10 days, with his return timeline still tied to how he responds once he begins ramping back up.
With Perez unavailable to catch, Jensen is set to handle most of the work behind the plate. Maile returns after rejoining the Royals on a Minor League deal this spring following a 25-game stint with the club in 2025, when he filled third-string catching duties and quickly became a clubhouse favorite. In 28 Triple-A games this season, he has hit .202/.324/.303.
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