Kansas City Royals Send Veteran Zack Greinke to Injured List With Elbow Soreness

The Kansas City Royals have sent starting pitcher Zack Greinke to the 15-day injured list due to right posterior elbow soreness, the team announced Tuesday.

Greinke last pitched Sunday against the Philadelphia Phillies, allowing five earned runs and two home runs in 4.0 innings of work. It was Greinke's fourth start since returning from his previous stint on the injured list, as right shoulder tendinitis kept him out from July 5 to 19.

On the season, the 39-year-old Greinke is 1-12 with a 5.53 ERA, 1.274 WHIP and 4.87 strikeout-to-walk ratio. Greinke owned a 4.19 ERA, 1.139 WHIP, .257 batting average against and .703 OPS against through the end of May, but he posted a 7.26 ERA, 1.448 WHIP, .322 batting average against and .924 OPS against in his next 10 starts.

The Royals recalled left-handed pitcher Taylor Hearn from Triple-A Omaha to take Greinke's place.

Greinke will be eligible to return Aug. 23, but it isn't as if the 36-78, last-place Royals will be in a drastically different spot by then.

We have made the following roster moves: pic.twitter.com/KtWw6C8iuv
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) August 8, 2023

It's been a long road for Greinke over the past 20 years, with his journey starting all the way back in 2002 when the Royals picked him No. 6 overall in the MLB Draft. Greinke made it to the majors in 2004, finishing fourth in AL Rookie of the Year voting.

Greinke made his first All-Star Game in 2009, also locking up the AL Cy Young award. The Royals shipped Greinke to the Milwaukee Brewers ahead of the 2011 season, and then the Brewers flipped him to the Los Angeles Angels at the 2012 trade deadline.

Over the next nine years, Greinke racked up All-Star appearances, Gold Gloves and Cy Young votes out west, starting with his stint as a member of the Los Angeles Dodgers. Greinke eventually signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks, who would then trade him to the Houston Astros in 2019.

Greinke re-signed with the Royals prior to last season, bringing him back to his roots at age 38.

Greinke was one of the Royals' most accomplished starters in 2022, as only he and young right-hander Brady Singer had ERAs under 5.00. The veteran and the fresh face boasted ERAs of 3.68 and 3.23, respectively.

With his contract set to expire at the end of this season, Greinke has tossed 2,955 strikeouts in his career. Greinke will likely have time for a handful of starts in September if he can manage to heal quickly, but the future Hall of Famer might need to return to the majors in 2024 if he wants to join the exclusive 3,000 strikeout club.

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