The Royals will place pitcher Seth Lugo on the 15-day Injured List with lower back tightness, according to MLB.com reporter Anne Rogers. Stephen Kolek will be recalled to make the start on Saturday against the Twins.
The Royals announced a shuffle in the rotation yesterday, with Noah Cameron now going in the series finale tonight against the Angels, with Michael Wacha bumped to Friday against the Twins, and Lugo scratched from Saturday’s start. Lugo has been battling ineffectiveness for several starts
now, with a concerning lack of command from the 2024 All-Star. He has allowed 28 runs in 26.2 innings over his last six starts, walking 18 batters and giving up eight home runs with a 9.11 ERA. Lugo signed a two-year, $46 million contract extension just before this run of bad starts, which preempted any possibility of him being traded at the deadline.
Stephen Kolek was acquired by the Royals at the deadline from the Padres with Ryan Bergert in a deal for catcher Freddy Fermin. He was called up last week and gave up just one run in six innings in a win over the Tigers. In 15 starts this year with the Padres and Royals, he has a 3.99 ERA with 59 strikeouts in 85.2 innings.
