Kansas City Royals Pitcher Continues Comeback From Gruesome Injury, Nearly Ready to Rejoin Rotation
Kansas City Royals pitcher Ryan Yarbrough is nearly ready to rejoin the Royals rotation, continuing a positive comeback from one of the more gruesome injuries you'll see on a baseball field.
Pitching against the Oakland Athletics on May 7, Yarbrough was hit in the face by a line drive, suffering multiple non-displaced fractures. He did not need surgery. You can see that play here, if you desire.
The following update comes from the Rotowire fantasy baseball portal:
Yarbrough (head) struck out six over six scoreless innings Tuesday in his rehab start for Triple-A Omaha. He scattered three hits and issued one walk in the 81-pitch outing.
ANALYSIS
Yarbrough was placed on the 15-day injured list May 8 after suffering multiple head fractures when he was struck by a line drive a day earlier in his start with the Royals. He was later transferred to the 60-day IL, but based on how he's fared thus far during his rehab assignment, Yarbrough looks like he could be ready to rejoin the Royals when he's first eligible for activation this weekend. Between one start in the rookie-level Arizona Complex League and three at Omaha, Yarbrough has stringed together a 2.55 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 20:2 K:BB in 17.2 innings. The Royals have confirmed starting pitchers for the first three games of their four-game set in Cleveland this weekend, but Yarbrough might be called upon to fill the opening Sunday.
The Royals are currently the second-worst team in baseball at 25-62, but none of that matters here. It will just be positive to see Yarbrough take the field again.
While the physical recovery is obviously important, it's also great to see that mentally, Yarbrough is able to get back on the mound again.
The 31-year-old is in his first year with the Royals and has posted a 1-4 record with a 6.15 ERA.
He spent five years previously with the Tampa Bay Rays and helped the Rays make the World Series in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. He won 16 games in 2018 and has a lifetime record of 41-35 with a 4.41 ERA.
The Royals will take on the Guardians on Thursday at 7:10 p.m. ET.
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