Kansas City Royals closer Carlos Estévez was placed on the 15-day injured list Wednesday with a left foot contusion.
Estévez, 33, was injured last Saturday against the Atlanta Braves. He was hit by a line drive in the ninth inning of the Royals’ 6-2 loss.
The Royals evaluated Estévez earlier this week. As Estévez recovers, the plan is to continue throwing while he is sidelined.
“He’s going to continue to throw, probably at 60-75 feet, so he doesn’t have to put too much tension on it or pressure on it, as I should say,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “And then, as the symptoms resolve, he’ll get on the mound and then he’ll build up a progression. He’ll have to go out and pitch.”
The Royals recalled right-handed pitcher Steven Cruz from Triple-A Omaha. Cruz recorded a 3.74 ERA in 47 appearances last season.
“We really like Cruzy,” Quatraro said. “I mean, that was a really tough decision for us to send him down. We think he is a big part of this team going forward. The growth he’s had since the time we acquired him has been phenomenal.”
Cruz can fit a variety of roles. The Royals will insert him into a reshuffled bullpen against the Minnesota Twins. It’s likely right-hander Lucas Erceg will get the first shot at potential save opportunities.
Other late-inning candidates include John Schreiber, Alex Lange, and Matt Strahm.
“We really like Lucas in the back end,” Quatraro said. “But if there is a huge spot in the eighth, you know, he’s going to be in there for that as well. He’s well aware of that.”
Estévez has a chance to regain his form. He dealt with low velocity this spring — averaging 90-92 mph with his fastball — and looked out of sync. The Royals will work alongside Estévez to refine his pitching mechanics in hopes of restoring his velocity.
“Carlos needs to pitch,” Quatraro said. “He’s a guy that likes to throw. He throws a lot, and the more games we get him in, the better he is going to be. … We’re not going to go where we want to go without him being a big part of that bullpen.”
The Royals could utilize Estévez in low-leverage situations when he returns. If he can regain his velocity, the club will have an All-Star reliever back in the fold.
Last season, Estévez led the majors with 42 saves.
“I know what I can do,” Estévez said after his blown save in Atlanta. “I know my stuff. I know it’s a tough game, but at the same time, I’ve done it before. I know how to get back to that. And like I said, I’ve got to pound the strike zone and that’s gonna make it a lot harder for them.”
For now, Cruz will help fill the void. He worked on his slider this offseason and is excited to help the Royals achieve their goal of returning to the postseason.
“Everyone is pulling the same way,” Cruz said via a translator. “(We want to) win and make it back to the playoffs and the World Series.”
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Jaylon Thompson covers the Royals for The Kansas City Star. He previously covered the 2021 World Series and the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Jaylon is a proud alumnus of the University of Georgia.