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June 7: LHP Kris Bubic's rehab assignment extended as he returns from Tommy John surgery
In a normal situation, Bubic's rehab assignment should have been over on Wednesday, which marked 30 days from when the assignment started -- the maximum number of days allowed for a pitcher on a rehab assignment before he needs to be activated from the injured list and either rejoin the Major League team or optioned to the Minors. But there's an exception to this rule with pitchers who are recovering from Tommy John surgery.

A rehab assignment can be extended 10 days and must be approved by the player and MLBPA, according to a Royals official. This 10-day extension can happen up to three times, totaling 30 extra days, but must be approved at the end of each 10-day window. Thursday was the first day of the extension, so the Royals and Bubic will revisit the situation on June 15 to decide whether another 10-day extension is needed.

Bubic has made seven rehab starts, posting a 3.38 ERA in 16 innings. He threw four scoreless innings on Tuesday with Triple-A Omaha, needing 73 pitches (48 strikes) with one walk and four strikeouts. Even though Bubic could be available out of the bullpen at some point this season, the Royals are building him back up to be a starter, and he needs more innings and reps before returning to the Majors. The 26-year-old hasn't pitched in a Major League game since April 2023.

"He's been doing great," manager Matt Quatraro said. "He's had no setbacks and has progressed every step of the way. He's been building up endurance, his pitches, and he's been really positive in any conversations I've had with him. And he's willing to do whatever to help the team win."

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INACTIVE LIST

RHP Jordan Lyles (personal matter)
Expected return: TBD
The Royals placed Lyles on the inactive list on April 20. The team is not disclosing the reason for Lyles’ absence other than describing it as a “personal matter.” There’s no timeline for his return.

Because of the type of inactive list Lyles was placed on, it opened a 40-man roster spot for the Royals, which they utilized on April 22 by promoting righty reliever Tyler Duffey. (Last updated: April 22)

10-DAY/15-DAY INJURED LIST

RHP Michael Wacha (left foot fracture)
Expected return: End of June
Wacha was hit in the middle of his foot by a comebacker in the first inning of his May 31 start against the Padres, but he stayed in the game and pitched 5 1/3 innings that night, saying he didn't feel any pain while on the mound because of adrenaline. But it settled in postgame, and imaging taken the next day showed a non-displaced fracture, leading to his placement on the IL retroactive to June 1. Wacha is still in a walking boot as of June 7, but has been able to keep his arm moving by playing catch and doing conditioning drills. The next steps are for him to be weight-bearing on his foot, which then will lead to a more intense ramp-up before he returns. (Last updated: June 7)

2B Michael Massey (low back ligament sprain)
Expected return: End of June/early July
Massey, who was removed from the game on May 24 after hitting a three-run homer, was placed on the 10-day injured list on May 26 with a low back ligament sprain. He dealt with a similar issue at the end of Spring Training, which delayed his season debut until April 19.

Massey saw a back specialist and received an injection on May 31. He underwent an MRI on June 4, which showed more herniation in his low back than before, so he'll be on the slower end of his rehab process. It took him three-to-four weeks to return the last time he had a back issue, and it could be a similar timeframe again this time. (Last updated: June 5)

3B Cayden Wallace, Royals No. 2 prospect (right oblique strain)
Expected return: July
Wallace was placed on the 7-day Minor League injured list on May 22 after exiting his Double-A game in the first inning. He was replaced by a pinch-runner after hitting a single in his first plate appearance on May 21 as he dealt with what the Royals described as right side tightness.

Further testing revealed an oblique strain for the Royals' second-round pick in the 2022 MLB Draft. The recovery timeframe was six weeks from the time of injury, which puts his return sometime in July. Wallace is slashing .282/.350/.427 with three homers and 16 RBIs through 34 games with Double-A Northwest Arkansas this season. (Last updated: June 4)

60-DAY INJURED LIST

LHP Kris Bubic (left elbow surgery)
Expected return: July
Bubic opted for full ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction surgery in April 2023 and has had a smooth recovery so far, targeting the middle of 2024 as a potential return date. He was back to throwing bullpens in Spring Training and began his rehab assignment on May 7, first pitching in the Arizona Complex League, then Double-A Northwest Arkansas before being transferred to Triple-A Omaha on May 27.

On June 4, he threw four scoreless innings for the Storm Chasers, allowing three hits and one walk. He struck out four and needed 73 pitches (48 strikes). Bubic's rehab was extended to at least June 15, a rule that allows pitchers recovering from Tommy John to spend more than the maximum of 30 days on a rehab assignment if approved by the player and union. On June 15, the Royals and Bubic will revisit his build-up and decide whether his rehab assignment should be extended again. Bubic could pitch out of Kansas City's bullpen at some point this year, but the team wants to build him back up as a starter and not rush him as he gets more reps. (Last updated: June 7)

LHP Josh Taylor (left arm/biceps nerve injury)
Expected return: Second half of the season
Taylor felt soreness when he was warming up for his March 17 Cactus League outing and was shut down afterward with left biceps soreness. The lefty reliever was diagnosed with a musculocutaneous nerve injury, and his timeline to return is unknown, as he'll be shut down from throwing until he regains strength.

Taylor was transferred to the 60-day IL on April 7 to make room for Colin Selby on the 40-man roster. (Last updated: April 7)

RHP Kyle Wright (right shoulder surgery)
Expected return: 2025
The Royals traded for Wright in November in exchange for Jackson Kowar knowing Wright was coming off shoulder surgery after the 2023 season. They made the move thinking ahead a year, foreseeing how Wright, who will be 29 in '25, could help after he led the Majors with 21 wins and posted a 3.19 ERA in '22.

Pitchers who have this procedure typically take a year to return, and Wright is rehabbing in Kansas City with the goal of having a normal, non-rehabbing offseason later this year. Wright was placed on the 60-day IL on Feb. 17 to make room for reliever John Schreiber on the 40-man roster. (Last updated: March 28)

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