Royals Post-Deadline Roster Moves: Bobby Witt Jr. Returns, Matt Strahm Gets DFA

Here are the Royals' first roster moves after the trade deadline

Jul 17, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. (7) walks back to the dugout after striking out in the third inning against the San Diego Padres at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Kansas City Royals announced several roster moves Tuesday before opening a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins. The moves included designating multiple players for assignment while also welcoming back a key player from the injured list.

At the top of the list of roster moves, Bobby Witt Jr. was reinstated from the injured list. Witt was placed on the 10-day injured list with low back tightness, an issue that had been lingering before the club decided to place him on the IL.

Along with reinstating Witt, the Royals recalled right-hander Jose Cuas from Triple-A Omaha. The 32-year-old has pitched 6 1/3 innings for Kansas City this season, allowing just two earned runs. He will now get another opportunity to contribute at the major league level.

Paired with those two moves, the Royals designated not one, but two players for assignment.

The first player designated for assignment, and the more notable of the two, was left-handed pitcher Matt Strahm. Strahm's season with Kansas City began with high expectations but quickly turned into one he would rather forget. A deeper look at the season that led to his DFA will be published shortly.

The second player designated for assignment was Andrew Velazquez, whom the Royals signed near the end of June after he was released by the Arizona Diamondbacks. The 32-year-old's stint in Kansas City was brief, as he logged just 15 at-bats in the major leagues and collected only one hit.

These are the Royals' first roster moves after the trade deadline, and they are pretty significant, with Witt back from the injured list and Strahm receiving the DFA decision.