Breaking News: Royals set to reinstate starting pitcher for pivotal appearance in the battle for a wild-card berth.
Kansas City Royals pitcher Michael Lorenzen is set to return from the 15-day injured list on Wednesday and will start the second game of the series against the Washington Nationals, according to team reporter Jaylon T. Thompson. The Royals will need to make a corresponding roster move to accommodate his return.
This start is pivotal as Kansas City vies for a playoff spot. The Royals managed to secure a narrow 1-0 victory in extra innings over the Nationals on Tuesday, which keeps them ahead of the Detroit Tigers for the second wild-card spot in the American League, thanks to the tiebreaker. They currently hold a two-game lead over the Minnesota Twins and a 2.5-game lead over the Seattle Mariners.
Lorenzen has been sidelined for over a month due to a left hamstring strain. He was acquired from the Texas Rangers at the trade deadline and posted an impressive 1.85 ERA over 24.1 innings in his first five starts, despite having average strikeout (17%) and walk (10%) rates. His performance has consistently exceeded his underlying metrics over the past seasons, and he holds a 3.43 ERA for the year across 126 innings with both Texas and Kansas City.
Alec Marsh filled Lorenzen’s spot in the rotation while he was injured, recording a 4.50 ERA and striking out over 32% of hitters in four starts. Thompson reports that Marsh will transition to the bullpen to create a spot in the rotation. This season, the 26-year-old right-hander has a 4.65 ERA and a solid 23% strikeout rate across 25 appearances (24 starts). He began the season strong but struggled in July, which led the Royals to option him to Triple-A before Lorenzen’s injury.
While Lorenzen’s return strengthens the pitching staff, manager Matt Quatraro shared concerning news about two relievers. Hunter Harvey and James McArthur have both been ruled out for the remainder of the season. Harvey has been sidelined since mid-August with a back injury, while McArthur sustained an elbow sprain last week.
Quatraro indicated that Harvey is being sent for a second opinion, raising concerns about the possibility of surgery. The 29-year-old righty has faced persistent injury issues throughout his career, including undergoing Tommy John surgery as a prospect and dealing with forearm, lat, and elbow injuries.
At his best, Harvey can be a high-leverage reliever, as demonstrated during his time with the Nationals in 2023-24, when he recorded a 2.82 ERA over 60.2 innings last season. This year, he has a 4.20 ERA across 45 innings, but he did strike out over 26% of batters faced with a 13.4% swinging strike rate. The Royals had high hopes for him as a late-inning option, trading third-base prospect Cayden Wallace and the 39th pick in this summer’s draft to acquire him. However, the return on that trade has been minimal, as Harvey allowed four runs in 5.2 innings before being injured.
The Royals retain control over Harvey for one more year via arbitration. They are likely to offer him a contract if they expect him to return early in 2025, but a significant injury could alter those plans. He is expected to receive a small raise from this year’s $2.325 million salary.
McArthur served as Kansas City’s closer for a period, recording 18 saves but also blowing seven leads. His heavy reliance on ground balls without generating many strikeouts has made him more effective in middle innings than in the ninth. He concludes the year with a 4.92 ERA across 56.2 innings. Currently, the Royals are using Lucas Erceg, a recent acquisition, as their closer, while converted starter Kris Bubic and left-hander Sam Long handle high-leverage situations.
