The Royals put right-hander Michael Wacha on the 15-day injured list on Sunday because manager Matt Quatraro said Wacha has a “small, non-displaced” fracture in his left foot, according to MLB.com’s Anne Rogers.
To fill Wacha’s spot in both the active roster and starting rotation, Kansas City brought up left-hander Daniel Lynch IV. There is no definite timeline for Wacha’s return as his recovery depends on how quickly the soreness in his foot goes away. Wacha will continue some light activity by playing catch on his knee to keep his arm in shape.
It’s an unfortunate setback for the Royals as Wacha, a 32-year-old veteran, has been performing well since joining the team on a two-year, $32 million deal in December. Despite having a 4.24 ERA in 12 starts, slightly below the league average (97 ERA+), Wacha has shown good peripheral stats but has struggled with a low strand rate of 68.7%. His strikeout rate is down slightly from his previous season with the Padres, but he has shown good control with a low walk rate and limited hard contact from batters. Wacha has a solid 3.62 FIP and a 3.54 xERA.
The Royals have had strong performances from the rest of their rotation, with a combined 3.13 ERA, ranking third in the Major Leagues behind the Yankees and Phillies. Seth Lugo, Cole Ragans, and Brady Singer have all been impressive, with Alec Marsh also contributing effectively.
Daniel Lynch, who was the 34th overall pick in the 2018 draft, will step in for Wacha. Lynch has struggled in his previous big league appearances but has shown promise this season despite some shaky underlying statistics. The Royals, with a strong 35-25 record, are firmly in contention for a Wild Card spot in the AL, with Lynch aiming to maintain their success in the fifth starter role.
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