Royals All-Star Third Baseman Absent From Lineup as Injury Concerns Loom

Kansas City Royals All-Star third baseman Maikel Garcia exited Saturday's game against the Texas Rangers. According to the Kansas City Star's Jaylon Thompson, Garcia said he felt a pop in his right hamstring while rounding second base.

On Sunday, Royals manager Matt Quatraro provided an update on Garcia and the status of his injury.

“He's feeling better. We're not going to IL him right now, we're going to re-evaluate him tomorrow. Have him move around some and see how he is doing,” Quatraro said, according to Thompson.

Maikel Garcia is out of the lineup for Monday's game

May 30, 2026; Arlington, Texas, USA; Kansas City Royals third baseman Maikel Garcia (11) comes up with a leg injury during the seventh inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. Mandatory Credit: Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images | Andrew Dieb-Imagn Images

Kansas City opens a three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds on Monday. The Royals released their starting lineup, and Garcia was not included in the lineup card for the second consecutive game.

There has been no update on Garcia's status following the re-evaluation Quatraro said would take place Monday.

The Royals have been plagued by injuries across the roster this season. From the pitching staff to the lineup, Kansas City has struggled to stay healthy to begin the 2026 campaign.

The hope is that Garcia can avoid a stint on the injured list. The third baseman has been a key piece of the Royals' roster and a consistent contributor to the team's offense.

Up to this point, Garcia is slashing .268/.325/.384 with 21 RBIs in 224 at-bats this season.

The 26-year-old has been squaring up the ball all season, as shown by his 34.9% squared-up rate, according to Statcast.

He has also been one of the Royals' most disciplined hitters at the plate and rarely strikes out. Garcia owns a 22.3% chase rate, a 14.2% whiff rate and a 14.2% strikeout rate. Simply put, he does not have many bad at-bats.

Garcia broke out last season with the best year of his career. He won a Gold Glove Award at third base and finished the season slashing .286/.351/.449.

That performance led to his first All-Star selection and a five-year contract extension with Kansas City during the offseason.

He continued his strong play at the World Baseball Classic, earning the tournament’s MVP while helping Team Venezuela come out on top.

Garcia plays a big role for Kansas City. For a team looking to crawl out of a hole, the Royals cannot afford any more long-term injuries as they continue to navigate the season.

Add us as a preferred source on Google