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Royals manager Matt Quatraro said prior to Sunday's game against the Yankees that Perez could see more of his starts at designated hitter over the next few days since the veteran backstop has been dealing with a sore hip of late, Joel Goldberg of Bally Sports Kansas City reports.
Perez will be in the lineup at DH for the series finale Sunday, one day after he received his first day off of the season in what Quatraro termed as a "mental breather." Though Perez suggested in a post on social media Saturday that he didn't agree with Quatraro's assessment, the skipper said that the two talked Sunday and have put any potential discord behind them. Perez appears set to get a break from catching for the next few games but should remain a near-everyday player for the Royals, despite getting off to a rough start to the season. Over 81 plate appearances, the 36-year-old is currently sitting on a .517 OPS, which would be the lowest mark of his career by 175 points.
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Royals' Tyler Tolbert: Sent to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Royals optioned Tolbert to Tripel-A Omaha on Sunday.
Tolbert made Kansas City's Opening Day roster but totaled just five plate appearances in eight games during the first three-plus weeks of the season. He if he rejoins the big club later this season, the 28-year-old isn't likely to serve as much more than a pinch runner and defensive replacement.
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Royals' Kyle Isbel: Idle Sunday
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Isbel is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Yankees.
The Royals will stock up some extra right-handed bats to counter Yankees southpaw Ryan Weathers, so Isbel will hit the bench along with fellow left-handed hitters Carter Jensen and Jac Caglianone. Isbel had started each of the last four games but went 1-for-10 at the dish, bringing his season average down to .265.
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Royals' Jac Caglianone: Taking seat versus lefty
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Caglianone is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Yankees.
After a stretch of four consecutive starts, the left-handed-hitting Caglianone will exit the lineup Sunday while the Yankees send a southpaw (Ryan Weathers) to the bump. Starling Marte will take Caglianone's spot in right field and will bat sixth.
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Royals' Starling Marte: Handling limited platoon role
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Marte will start in right field and bat sixth in Sunday's game against the Yankees.
Marte will crack the Royals' starting nine for just the sixth time in the team's first 22 games of the season. All but one of those starts have come against left-handed pitching, so the Royals seemingly view the 37-year-old primarily as a platoon option in the outfield.
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Royals' Jonathan India: Left out of lineup vs. lefty
Rotowire
India is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Yankees.
On the bench for three of the Royals' previous four matchups with right-handed starting pitchers, India's playing time had already been tailing off, but the veteran infielder will now remain out Sunday despite a southpaw (Ryan Weathers) taking the hill for the Yankees. The Royals will go with the left-handed-hitting Michael Massey at second base instead of India, who has mustered a lowly .167/.310/.313 slash line across 58 plate appearances thus far during his second season with Kansas City.
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Royals' Mitch Spence: Heading back to Triple-A
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The Royals optioned Spence to Triple-A Omaha on Sunday.
Spence wasn't going to be available for at least a few days after he yielded six earned runs on four hits and five walks while covering four innings and tossing 84 pitches in long relief during Saturday's 13-4 loss to the Yankees, so Kansas City will send him to the minors in exchange for a fresh arm. Mason Black was recalled from Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move and will give the Royals another right-handed arm capable of covering multiple innings out of the bullpen.
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Royals' Mason Black: Called up Sunday
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The Royals recalled Black from Triple-A Omaha on Sunday.
Black was unable to crack Kansas City's Opening Day roster but will now get a look in the big-league bullpen. The 26-year-old has a 3.86 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 6:5 K:BB over 11.2 innings (seven appearances) with Omaha this year, and he'll provide the Royals with some bullpen depth after Mitch Spence covered four relief innings Saturday.
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Royals' James McArthur: Shifts to 60-day IL
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The Royals transferred McArthur (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Sunday.
McArthur missed the entire 2025 season while completing his recovery from surgery to address an olecranon fracture in his right elbow, and though he was considered healthy heading into spring training, he experienced a minor setback before the end of camp. The right-hander resumed throwing bullpen sessions just over a week ago, but his move to the 60-day IL indicates that the Royals aren't expecting him to complete his rehab program until at least late May. The transaction will remove McArthur from the Royals' 40-man roster and free up a spot for catcher Elias Diaz, who was called up from Triple-A Omaha.
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Royals' Elias Diaz: Moves up to majors
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The Royals selected Diaz's contract from Triple-A Omaha on Sunday.
The 34-year-old Diaz posted a mediocre .536 OPS over 35 plate appearances at Omaha, but he'll join the big club nonetheless to provide Kansas City with a third option behind the plate. With Carter Jensen receiving an afternoon off and Salvador Perez serving as the Royals' designated hitter in Sunday's game against the Yankees, Diaz will enter the starting nine right away at catcher and as Kansas City's No. 9 hitter.
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Royals' Carter Jensen: Receiving rest Sunday
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Jensen is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Yankees.
After starting each of the last eight games at either catcher or designated hitter and going 7-for-27 (.259 average) with two home runs, six RBI and three runs, Jensen will get a breather for the series finale in New York. Salvador Perez will return to the lineup Sunday as Kansas City's DH, while new call-up Elias Diaz makes his first start for the Royals behind the plate.
Diaz is expected to have his contract selected and to be promoted to the majors Sunday, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of ElExtraBase.com reports.
Diaz signed with Kansas City in late February and has spent the start of the regular season with Triple-A Omaha. He is hitting only .226 with one double across 34 plate appearances, but he'll still make his way back to the majors. Diaz's immediate role is unclear, and his promotion is not yet official.
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Royals' Noah Cameron: Hammered by Yanks
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Cameron (1-1) took the loss Saturday, surrendering seven runs (five earned) on seven hits and two walks over four innings as the Royals were routed 13-4 by the Yankees. He struck out three.
Three of the hits off Cameron left the yard, and all three came in a disastrous third inning that saw Kansas City fall into a 5-0 hole they couldn't escape. It marked the second straight outing in which the southpaw served up multiple homers, and through four starts and 20 innings he's saddled with a 5.40 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 17:6 K:BB. Cameron will look to bounce back in his next trip to the mound, which lines up to come at home next weekend against the Angels.
Collins (knee) will serve as the designated hitter and bat seventh during Saturday's game against the Yankees.
Collins missed the Royals' last three games after bruising his right knee during Tuesday's contest, but he was available off the bench Friday and will make his return to the starting nine Saturday. He'd been in a bit of a cold spell before getting hurt, going 3-for-18 at the plate over his last seven games.
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Royals' Salvador Perez: Idle Saturday
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Perez isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Yankees.
Perez will catch a breather Saturday after going 0-for-4 with a pair of strikeouts in Friday's series opener. Carter Jensen will handle catching duties for the Royals instead while Isaac Collins starts as the DH and Lane Thomas patrols left field.
Pasquantino went 2-for-4 with a home run and two RBI in Friday's 4-2 loss to the Yankees.
Pasquantino provided the only offense for the Royals, driving in a run on a groundout in the sixth inning before tying the game with a solo shot in the eighth. After a slow start, the first baseman has recorded hits in three straight contests, highlighted by back-to-back games with home runs. For the year, he's slashing .173/.256/.293 with four extra-base hits, 10 RBI and six runs scored across 86 plate appearances.
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Royals' Michael Wacha: Strikes out six in no-decision
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Wacha did not factor into the decision in Friday's 4-2 loss to the Yankees, allowing two runs on three hits and three walks with six strikeouts over six innings.
Wacha surrendered a two-run homer in the fourth inning but otherwise kept the Yankees in check. It actually marked a season high in runs allowed for the 34-year-old, and he's now 4-for-4 in quality starts to open the campaign. He'll carry a sterling 1.00 ERA, 0.78 WHIP and 23:8 K:BB over 27 innings into a home matchup against the Orioles next week.
