Ahead of a huge series with the Detroit Tigers this weekend, the Kansas City Royals have made a roster move.
Starting pitcher Michael Wacha, who would have been in line to start the series opener based on the previous rotation, was placed on the paternity list. As of now, he’s listed as the probable starter for Sunday’s game, via ESPN.
That left an opening both in the rotation and on the roster for early in the series. The Royals are pitching Seth Lugo on four days’ rest on Friday, and though he has not yet been announced as the Saturday starter, Stephen Kolek was recalled from Triple-A, as the team announced Friday.
Best wishes to Wacha and his growing family, and it’s good news for the Royals if and when he’s still able to pitch in this series. The major story, though, is Kolek getting his first action in the big leagues since arriving to the Royals via trade.
It was one of the more surprising moves any team made at the deadline: Kolek and fellow right-hander Ryan Bergert were traded to the Royals on deadline day for catcher Freddy Fermin, who has become the starter for a Padres team that desperately needed one.
From a value perspective, getting two potential starting-caliber pitchers for a catcher who played roughly half the time looked like a win, especially when the Royals already had Salvador Perez. And Bergert, through four starts in a Royals uniform, has looked great so far.
Even though he may only get one chance to show his skills before being optioned back to Triple-A Omaha, it will be intriguing to see what Kolek has in store. The 28-year-old posted a 4.14 ERA in 14 starts this season, striking out 56 batters across 79 innings. In Omaha, he had a 6.63 ERA in 19 innings, but struck out 20.
Will Kolek figure into the pitching mix further down the stretch this year? That may depend how he fares this weekend against a Tigers team that has dominated the American League Central all season.
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