Royals Lose Michael Wacha To Mysterious Off-Field Accident At Worst Possible Time

The last thing the Royals could afford...

Aug 6, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha (52) delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images | Paul Rutherford-Imagn Images

The situation is quickly becoming dire for the Kansas City Royals.

At the conclusion of play on Tuesday, the Royals were four games out of wild card position, their biggest deficit since Aug. 25. They've dropped the first two games of a showdown series with the Cleveland Guardians, having been shut out 2-0 in a lackluster performance on Tuesday night.

A win on Wednesday is absolutely critical to any fleeting playoff hopes the Royals might have. But in a stroke of brutal fortune, they won't be able to call upon the reliable veteran that was supposed to start the game on the mound.

Michael Wacha hits 7-day concussion IL

Aug 18, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Michael Wacha (52) pitches during the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images | Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

On Tuesday, Royals beat writer Anne Rogers of MLB.com reported that right-hander Michael Wacha would be unable to make his scheduled start on Wednesday, and was being placed on the seven-day concussion injured list.

According to manager Matt Quatraro, Wacha sustained the injury during an off-field accident. The skipper declined to give further details about how the accident occurred.

"(Wacha) had an off-field accident that resulted in a concussion,” Quatraro said, per Rogers. “Nothing overly serious, we don’t think, but something that’s going to keep him from pitching a minimum of seven days. So he’ll go back to Kansas City and get evaluated by the doctors.”

Wacha has a 9-11 record and 3.45 ERA in 28 starts this season, giving the Royals exactly what they expected when they inked him to a three-year extension. He'll be eligible to return in time for next week's critical series against the Seattle Mariners.

In the meantime, the Royals announced that reliever Jonathan Bowlan would get the start on Wednesday, likely signaling a bullpen game. The Royals still have two games to go in this series against the Guardians, who they now trail by 1 1/2 games in the overcrowded wild-card race.

Every member of the Royals' five-man opening day rotation (Wacha, Seth Lugo, Cole Ragans, Kris Bubic, Michael Lorenzen) has now spent time on the injured list at some point this season. Kansas City is doing an admirable job of remaining in the race, but it looks to be on its last legs.

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