KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals announced several roster moves this morning to finalize their Opening Day roster.
The Royals have placed four players on the Injured List, retroactive to March 25, including righthanded pitcher Carlos Hernández (right shoulder impingement), left-handed pitchers Jake Brentz (left hamstring strain) and Josh Taylor (left arm/biceps nerve injury) and infielder Michael Massey (low back strain).
Pitchers Kris Bubic (left elbow surgery) and Kyle Wright (right shoulder surgery) were placed on the 60-day Injured List on Feb. 23 and Feb. 17, respectively.
The Royals have 40 players on the Major League Reserve List.
Kansas City’s 26-man roster includes only seven players who made the Royals Opening Day roster last season, including pitchers Jordan Lyles and Brady Singer, catcher Salvador Perez, infielders Vinnie Pasquantino and Bobby Witt Jr. and outfielders Kyle Isbel and MJ Melendez.
Nine Royals made the Opening Day roster this season for the first time, including pitchers Alec Marsh, James McArthur, Matt Sauer and Angel Zerpa, catcher Freddy Fermin, infielders Maikel Garcia and Nick Loftin and outfielders Dairon Blanco and Nelson Velázquez.
Nine players will make their Royals debut with their 1st appearance this season, including pitchers Nick Anderson, Seth Lugo, Sauer, Chris Stratton, John Schreiber and Michael Wacha, infielders Adam Frazier and Garrett Hampson and outfielder Hunter Renfroe.
Cole Ragans will make his 1st career Opening Day start. The 26-year-old will be the second-youngest left-handed Opening Day starting pitcher in franchise history, older only than 25-year-old Danny Jackson in 1987. Ragans’ 21 career starts will be the 4th fewest by any Opening Day starter in Royals history, more than only Brad Keller (20, 2019), Runelvys Hernández (12, 2003) and Royals Hall of Famer Steve Busby (5, 1973).
Will Smith is entering his 12th season in the Majors and 2024 marks his 10th Opening Day roster.
He’s made an Opening Day roster every season since 2014, except for the 2017 season when he missed the year due to injury. This marks his second stint with Kansas City, after pitching his first two seasons in the Majors with the Royals from 2012-13. He will be the 34th different player in franchise history to appear for the Royals, leave the organization and return to play for the team.
Salvador Perez is making his 10th career Opening Day start at catcher, extending his franchise record for the position. His 10 career Opening Day starts (at any position) are tied with Willie Wilson
for the 6th most in franchise history behind George Brett (18), Frank White (15), Alex Gordon (13), Hal McRae (13) and Amos Otis (12).
Below is the roster, in alphabetical order:
63 Anderson, Nick RHP
44 Blanco, Dairon OF
59 Brentz, Jake 15IL LHP
50 Bubic, Kris 60IL LHP
34 Fermin, Freddy C
26 Frazier, Adam IF
11 Garcia, Maikel IF
2 Hampson, Garrett IF
43 Hernández, Carlos 15IL RHP
28 Isbel, Kyle OF
12 Loftin, Nick IF
67 Lugo, Seth RHP
24 Lyles, Jordan RHP
48 Marsh, Alec RHP
19 Massey, Michael 10IL IF
66 McArthur, James RHP
1 Melendez, MJ OF
9 Pasquantino, Vinnie IF
13 Perez, Salvador C
55 Ragans, Cole LHP
16 Renfroe, Hunter OF
65 Sauer, Matt RHP
46 Schreiber, John RHP
51 Singer, Brady RHP
31 Smith, Will LHP
35 Stratton, Chris RHP
38 Taylor, Josh 15IL LHP
17 Velázquez, Nelson OF
52 Wacha, Michael RHP
7 Witt Jr., Bobby IF
30 Wright, Kyle 60IL RHP
61 Zerpa, Angel LHP