Royals place starter Stephen Kolek on 15-day injured list

Injuries have derailed the Kansas City Royals this season. And on Sunday, the club was dealt another serious blow.

Royals starter Stephen Kolek was placed on the 15-day injured list with a right flexor strain. He sustained the injury while pitching with Triple-A Omaha on Saturday.

Kolek made the minor-league start in preparation to return from the Restricted List/Family Medical Leave List. He allowed two runs in 2 ⅔ innings before exiting the game.

“He said he didn’t feel well playing catch,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “But then, as he got on the mound, he felt better. The first couple of innings were pretty good. The third inning, he felt more aggressive discomfort. So thought it was best to get him out of there.”

Kolek is the latest starter to hit the injured list. He joins Cole Ragans (UCL surgery), Kris Bubic (shoulder soreness), Ryan Bergert (Tommy John surgery) and Ben Kudrna (olecranon stress fracture fixation surgery).

The Royals will have Kolek undergo more testing. He is expected to get an MRI on Monday to get more clarity regarding the injury.

“You know, guys have battled stuff all the time,” Quatraro said. “I mean, you have little symptoms here and there. But this was something that we were not expecting.”

Kolek last started on July 2 against the Tampa Bay Rays. He allowed three runs in two innings as he returned following the birth of his daughter.

The Royals have utilized Kolek to fill a rotation spot. He responded with a 4.50 ERA in 10 starts — which included a complete-game shutout on May 23 against the Seattle Mariners.

Now, the Royals must cobble together their rotation. The remaining healthy starters are 2026 All-Star Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo, Luinder Avila and Noah Cameron. The club has utilized a bullpen game for the fifth spot.

It’s possible that will continue while Kolek is sidelined. The Royals used right-hander Randy Dobnak in Saturday’s 6-1 win over the San Diego Padres. He tossed 4 ⅓ innings in his first start since the 2021 campaign.

Meanwhile, Bubic is the closest starter on the mend. He received a cortisone injection on July 2 and could begin a new throwing program this week.

This leaves the Royals in an interesting spot. With the Major League Baseball trade deadline approaching on Aug. 3, the club is in dire need of pitching. The overall depth has been ravaged with injuries and underperformance.

It’s possible the Royals will operate as sellers at the trade deadline. But they could also buy low on fresh arms just to finish out the 2026 campaign.

The front office made a similar move by acquiring right-hander Easton McGee from the Milwaukee Brewers earlier this week. McGee was designated for assignment and the Royals got him for cash considerations.

For now, the Royals will move forward with their current group. And there is hope Kolek won’t miss extended time pending his test results.

“We think flexor, but we are going to get him checked out more these next couple of days and get an exam and see how he is doing,” Quatraro said.