The Kansas City Royals placed pitcher Michael Wacha on the injured list on Sunday with a “small, non-displaced” fracture in his left foot, per manager Matt Quatraro. Lefty Daniel Lynch IV will be called up from Triple-A to take Wacha’s spot in the rotation.

“We don’t think it’s worth pushing him out there.”#Royals SP Michael Wacha is heading to the IL today with a non-displaced left foot fracture.#WelcomeToTheCity
🔗 https://t.co/76FWOFMj7f pic.twitter.com/l1AfgtEdpN

— MLB Network Radio on SiriusXM (@MLBNetworkRadio) June 2, 2024

There is not yet a timetable for Wacha’s return to action. But Quatraro told reporters that his absence will be determined by how the soreness in his foot progresses. Wacha will continue working out his arm by taking a knee while playing catch. However, a full return to action will depend on how he can manage the pain in his foot.

Kansas City Royals Place Michael Wacha On Injured List

Kansas City signed Wacha this winter to a two-year, $32 million deal as part of a rotation restructuring. The offseason aggression has paid off, as the Royals have ridden a strong pitching rotation, including Wacha, to great success this season.

Wacha is not an ace, but he is providing quality mid-to-back of-the-rotation innings that Kansas City expected. The 32-year-old has pitched better this season than his overall numbers suggest. Wacha has posted a 4.24 ERA (97 ERA+) in 68 innings across 12 starts. He doesn’t strike many out but relies on limiting walks and inducing poor contact.

Plus, his numbers would look better if not for a below average strand rate (68.7 percent). In other words, when he leaves games with runners on base, Royals relievers fail to strand them more often than not. The relievers gave up the run scoring walks/hits, but the runs get charged to Wacha.

Daniel Lynch IV

With Wacha on the injured list, the Royals will turn to a former top prospect in Lynch. Part of the reason why Kansas City added so many veteran pitchers this winter is due to a failure to develop young arms. Lynch represents one of those failed pitching prospects.

Entering this season, Lynch has struggled to a 5.18 ERA and in 51 starts across three big league seasons. The organization wanted to win in the majors again and just could no longer promise innings to young pitchers that just were not improving.

Daniel Lynch was fantastic on Sunday. The secret? More spin and movement from his arsenal — especially the slider.

Lynch has always averaged 2000-2100 on his FF and SL. On Sunday, he touched 2300 inconsistently with the heater and averaged 2286 on the slider. pic.twitter.com/FrluEi3wXM

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— Preston Farr (@royalsminors) May 21, 2024

And while he’s looked good in three MLB outings this season (a 1.50 ERA in 12 innings), Lynch has not pitched that well in the minors. In nine starts, Lynch produced a 4.76 ERA in 45 1/3 innings with below average strikeout rates. The 27-year-old has shown promise with intriguing stuff but has not put it all together in a consistent manner.

That said, it seems that the Royals expect Wacha to spend minimal time on the injured list. Though the organization likely still views its former 34th overall pick in positive light, Lynch just needs to provide league-average production until Wacha return.

Main Photo Credits: Jonathan Dyer-USA TODAY Sports

Stephen Miller is ready to start his official visits this upcoming weekend and the Jayhawks will get a chance to make a strong first impression.

Miller, a safety, from Greene County High, has been talking with Kansas defensive coordinator and safeties coach Brian Borland.

Borland made the trip to Georgia to watch Miller practice and has been targeting him as one of the top defensive backs on the recruiting board.

“Getting to know Coach Borland has been great,” Miller said. “Coach Borland is a good guy. He’s been good to communicate with and really just to learn things about.”

Miller said Borland watched their entire practice and the two had a chance to visit after it was over.

“Me and Coach Borland have a good relationship,” Miller said. “I’ve been talking to him since day one, since I got an offer from Kansas. And our relationship has been great. He came down and visited my school. He stayed the whole practice, and we chatted it up after practice and everything.”

During the spring there are a lot of times when college coaches stay for a portion of practice and then move on to their next stop. It meant a lot to Miller that Borland stayed for the whole practice and talked with him later.

“For him to come down and watch it all that meant a lot,” Miller said. “That’s how I know he cares about me a lot. He stayed the entire time so that just meant a lot and let me know a lot it’s a real thing between us.”

He is looking forward to taking his first official visit and starting a busy month with the Jayhawks.

“I look forward to seeing a lot of things and I know it will be great,” Miller said. “I’m looking to see what they have to offer. I want to get up there and really make a bond with other coaches I haven’t talked to yet. I’m just looking to have a good time and looking forward to seeing a place I could call home one day.”

Miller will visit Mississippi State after Kansas and follow that with a trip to West Virginia on June 21. He said a midweek visit could take place with North Carolina State the week of the West Virginia visit.

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KAIT) – In his previous seven starts, Hagen Smith gave up five runs combined. The junior left-hander surrendered six Saturday night over five innings of work as the Razorbacks (44-15) lost 7-6 against Kansas State (34-24) in the NCAA Fayetteville Regional at Baum-Walker Stadium.

The Razorbacks will face SEMO once more, this time in an elimination game Sunday afternoon at 1:00 p.m. on ESPN+. The winner of that matchup will face Kansas State in the championship game Sunday night at 6:00 p.m. and must defeat the Wildcats twice to punch their ticket to the super regional round.

After the Diamond Hogs beat SEMO 17-9 and the Wildcats beat Louisiana Tech 19-4 to advance to this game, the two teams were scoreless through four innings of play. Arkansas broke through first in the top of the fifth, with Ty Wilmsmeyer scoring on a wild pitch. Hudson White would deliver an RBI single in the same at-bat to make it 2-0.

But the Wildcats answered in their half of the fifth. Smith gave up two walks, both on a full count, to lead off the frame. After a sac bunt, singles by Chuck Ingram, Brendan Jones, and another sac bunt, Kaelen Culpepper blasted a 3-run HR as Kansas State took the 6-2 lead.

It’s the first time since last year’s Fayetteville Regional Championship that Hagen Smith gave up 6 or more runs in a start. Smith gave up 8 nearly a full calendar year ago on June 4, 2023 as the Diamond Hogs lost 20-5 against TCU. Hagen only allowed 4 hits and struck out 7, but walked 4 in today’s outing.

The Diamond Hogs attempted to mount a comeback in the late innings with a Jared Sprague-Lott home run in the 7th. Hudson White had an RBI double with 1 out in the 8th inning to cut the lead to 6-4. But Tyson Neighbors forced a pop out and a strikeout to keep the tying run on second.

Nick English provided an insurance run with a solo home run in the bottom of the eighth.

Peyton Holt gave Arkansas one last gasp with a 2-run home run in the ninth to cut the lead to one, but Neighbors settled in, striking out 2 of the final 3 batters to close the door.

The Diamond Hogs outhit the Wildcats 13-5 and had five batters with multiple hits, but Arkansas left 13 men on base in the loss.

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