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The Kansas City Royals have been rolling of late after experiencing what could easily be considered the lowest of the lows. Before winning their last four games in a row, the Royals dropped 12 of 15 contests, including a brutal eight game losing streak that left the fanbase in shambles<\/a>. But even with all the positives to take out of the Royals moving to within 2.5 games of top spot in the AL Central, there’s been their fair share of tough breaks mixed in.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n After already entering the game with the unwelcome injury news of Jonathan India undergoing season-ending injury<\/a>, the Royals received a scare mid-game in their series opening victory over the Athletics, as Vinnie Pasquantino was pulled early with what the team later called “low back tightness”<\/a>.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n However, much like Maikel Garcia’s recent injury that saw him hit sit for just their weekend series and return on Tuesday, it doesn’t appear that Pasquantino is heading to the IL according to GM J.J. Picollo. According to Cody Tapp of 96.5 The Fan on Wednesday, Picollo said that the Pasquatch is day-to-day and “he does not expect any IL trip”<\/a> for the first baseman.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n JJ Picollo told us he does not expect any IL trip for Vinnie Pasquantino and that he is day to day<\/p>\n \u2014 Cody Tapp (@codybtapp) April 29, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n <\/p>\n This should come as music to Royals fans’ ears, as Pasquantino has started to put his very slow start behind him during this four game win streak, slashing .364\/.556\/1.000 with a 33.3% walk rate and 273 wRC+ in that span.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Sticking on the injury train, Picollo also provided an update on former closer Carlos Est\u00e9vez, who’s been recovering from an early season foot contusion, when speaking with Tapp.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Est\u00e9vez’s recovery process has seen him put in work down in Arizona. As a result, as he attempts to build his way back up, Picollo offered some encouraging insight into how Est\u00e9vez’s stuff is looking<\/a>, which was a major area of concern entering the season, saying “[his] velocity was up closer to what it needed to be”.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Carlos Estevez threw to live hitters in Arizona yesterday and JJ Picollo said he velocity was up closer to what it needed to be<\/p>\n \u2014 Cody Tapp (@codybtapp) April 29, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n <\/p>\n While no definitive timetable was given for his return, Tapp did report that Est\u00e9vez would be throwing to live hitters again this week<\/a> with the next step in the return process being a formal rehab assignment.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Est\u00e9vez getting back to an arm closer to the form he was during his 2025 MLB saves leading season would be ideal for this bullpen, even if he isn’t the closer moving forward. While Erceg has assumed that aforementioned closer’s role for the Royals this year, as a unit they still sit 28th in baseball in ERA at 5.46.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Rounding things off with an old friend, the New York Yankees made some roster decisions on Wednesday<\/a>, one of which was designating former Royals veteran outfielder Randal Grichuk for assignment.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Yankees have DFA’d Randal Grichuk pic.twitter.com\/ZSTi8SldK8<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 Talkin’ Yanks (@TalkinYanks) April 29, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/figure>\n <\/p>\n\n
Carlos Est\u00e9vez could be on his way to returning to his old self<\/h2>\n
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Yankees DFA former Royals outfielder Randal Grichuk for assignment<\/h2>\n
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