The Royals are having a hard time keeping pitchers on the roster in the dog days of summer. The team had a 5.60 ERA during the month of June, third-worst in baseball. Today the continued the roster churn, calling up veteran relievers José Cuas and Randy Dobnak from Triple-A Omaha. The team optioned Eric Cerantola to Omaha and placed pitcher Connor Seabold on the Injured List.
Cuas pitched for the Royals in 2022 and 2023, appearing in 92 games with a 4.08 ERA. The former infielder-turned-pitcher brings
a sidearm delivery that generates high groundball rates, although he has struggled with walks at times. The Royals traded him in 2023 to the Cubs for outfielder Nelson Velázquez, and he has bounced around the league since then, pitching in the Blue Jays, Phillies, and Braves organizations. The Royals signed him to a minor league contract last winter and he had a 3.31 ERA with 33 strikeouts and 19 walks in 32.2 innings for Omaha.
The Royals acquired Dobnak from the Mariners for cash considerations two weeks ago. The 31-year-old right-hander had a terrific debut in a limited sample with the Twins in 2019, but has struggled since then. He has pitched in just six big league games since 2021 despite signing a guaranteed long-term contract with the Twins. He had a 4.24 ERA in 13 starts at Triple-A with the Mariners this year, but had an “upward mobility” clause in his minor league contract that required them to offer him to other teams to be placed on another 40-man roster.
Cerantola has been up in a few stints with the Royals, but struggled mightily in the loss to the Rays Tuesday night, walking six of the nine batters he faced. In four games with the Royals, he has allowed six runs and 10 walks in 5.1 innings. Seabold exited yesterday’s game in the fifth inning and was diagnosed with a right lat strain. In five games with the Royals, he has allowed six runs (five earned).
To make room on the 40-man roster, the team transferred Kris Bubic to the 60-day Injured List. Bubic was to make a rehab start for Omaha tonight, but was scratched and will return to Kansas City for more observation. His stint on the Injured List backdates to May 15, so he would still be eligible to be activated by July 15, if he is healthy.
