Michael Lorenzen, Michael Massey, Mark Canha rehab assignments

The Kansas City Royals are gearing back up to see hopefully see some familiar names return to the major league mix from injury.

While fans eagerly await news on when major names like Cole Ragans and Jac Caglinaone will make their return, there are a couple of names currently out on rehab assignment who are interesting to watch.

Starter Michael Lorenzen is in the midst of working back from an oblique strain in Double-A Northwest Arkansas at the moment. Then positional names in Michael Massey and Mark Canha have all had rehab assignments begin in recent days.

Royals Injury Update: Michael Lorenzen continues string of mixed results in Double-A rehab

Lorenzen made his first rehab outing on Tuesday and it didn’t seem to go to plan. He threw 3.0 innings of four-hit, four-run ball surrendering two homers and walking three.

The 33-year-old veteran had a chance to make up for things in his next outing on Sunday, but unfortuntately, desipite pitching later into the game, he still didn’t look the sharpest for the Naturals.

In 5.2 innings of work, Lorenzen threw 5.2 innings of three-run ball, on seven hits, three walks and one hit batsman.

The Royals aren’t in a place where they desperately need him at the moment, with Bailey Falter and Ryan Bergert being added to fill out the Royals’ rotations. So they can afford to allow Lorenzen to work out his problems in the minor league ranks for the time being.

Royals Injury Update: Michael Massey gets back on track with successful weekend in Omaha

After being sidelined from a rehab assignment again last weekend with a back flare up, Michael Massey has made his return to Triple-A Omaha and has looked strong again.

He was initially placed on the injured list back on June 10 (retroactive June 8) with an ankle sprain, but an illness, a wrist injury and of course the aforementioned back flare ups have haulted his rehab process.

He got back in the batters box this weekend though and looked strong in his first two games, going 4-for-9 with a walk and two RBI.

In his overall collection of rehab outings since initially landing on the shelf, Massey has looked night and day from what he was when he was in the majors this season. In 56 games with the Royals, he was slashing just .202/.221/.258 with a 25 wRC+, but in 14 games with the Storm Chasers he’s slashing .271/.340/.438 with an above average 104 wRC+.

Where he fits into the fold, now that India is largely occupying second and the likes of new additions like Mike Yastrzemski, Randal Grichuk and Adam Frazier are all now adding to the fold of places he can play, remains to be seen, but if he can be the type of hitter he is in Omaha, then he’d be a valued addition to this offense.

Royals Injury Update: Mark Canha got off to torrid start in Northwest Arkansas rehab

Finally, we wrap with Mark Canha, who’s been on the injured list since July 8 with left elbow epicondylitis.

The veteran OF/1B started off his rehab assignment this weekend with a bang, with a 2-for-4 performance highlighted by a grand slam.

While Canha looked strong in his opener, an 0-for-5 game on Saturday followed by a 1-for-2 outing on Sunday sort of brought him back down to earth.

Like Massey, the opportunities to play the outfield, as well as first base with Vinnie Pasquantino, Salvador Perez and eventually Jac Caglinaone, are running dry, so where or when we see him back in the Royals dugout remains up in the air.