Kansas City Royals right-hander Stephen Kolek received some tough news on Thursday when the team announced that his Wednesday scratch from Cactus League action was due to a left oblique strain.
Kolek was getting ready to pitch two innings in the Royals’ spring training game against the Seattle Mariners at Surprise Stadium when he felt tightness in his left side while warming up and was shut down before he could take the mound.
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The 28-year-old will be sidelined for at least five to seven days, though it could be longer depending on what an additional scan reveals about the severity.
It is a frustrating setback for a pitcher who came into camp healthy and competing for a rotation spot on a Royals team looking to bounce back after going 82-80 last season.
Quatraro Reacts to Kolek’s Injury
Royals manager Matt Quatraro expressed his surprise and concern after the diagnosis on Thursday.
“We’re obviously hopeful it’s not too serious,” Quatraro said.
He went on to explain just how unexpected this setback was, noting that Kolek had done everything right heading into spring training.
“[Kolek] is the guy that probably you would have put near the bottom of the list of guys who might get hurt,” Quatraro said. “His arm’s been healthy, and he’s in great shape. He takes care of himself. And then something like this pops up. It’s just unexpected.”
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It is the kind of thing that is hard to see coming.
Kolek arrived in Arizona healthy and threw two solid innings in the Royals’ Cactus League opener last Friday against the Texas Rangers, allowing one run on three hits while striking out two.
Why Kolek Matters to Kansas City
Even though the Royals have a strong starting rotation with Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Kris Bubic and Noah Cameron all expected to fill the top five spots, Kolek is a big part of Kansas City’s pitching depth.
The Royals acquired him along with right-hander Ryan Bergert from the San Diego Padres at the 2025 trade deadline in exchange for catcher Freddy Fermin, and he looked like a different pitcher in a Kansas City uniform.
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In five starts down the stretch for the Royals last season, Kolek posted a 1.91 ERA with 21 strikeouts and just five walks over 33 innings.
Before the trade, he had gone 4-5 with a 4.18 ERA in 14 starts for San Diego, including a complete-game shutout. For his career, Kolek owns an 8-7 record with a 4.01 ERA across 61 appearances and 19 starts between the Padres and Royals.
The Royals came into 2026 spring training with discussions about possibly running a six-man rotation to preserve their arms over a long season, and Kolek was a key candidate for that sixth spot.
Kansas City saw all five of its 2025 Opening Day starters land on the injured list at some point last year, so having depth like Kolek is not just nice to have. It is a necessity for a team trying to get back to October.
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Looking Ahead
For a Royals club that finished third in the AL Central last season and missed the playoffs after making the postseason in 2024, the timing of this injury is not ideal but also not the worst thing in the world.
Spring training is still in its early stages, and the Royals have over a month before their March 27 opener in Atlanta.
If the scan comes back with good news, Kolek could still have plenty of time to get ramped back up and make a push for a roster spot.
For now, Kansas City will continue to evaluate its other pitching candidates like Ryan Bergert, Bailey Falter and Luinder Avila while keeping a close eye on Kolek’s recovery.
‘ The preceding article may include information circulated by third parties ’
‘ Some details of this article were extracted from the following source sports.yahoo.com ’
