Royals’ starting rotation continues to shrink with Mike Montgomery now on the IL
Royals starting pitchers might be one of the most scarce commodities on the planet right now. If not, it sure seems like it.
With the two primary workhorses of last year’s rotation, Jakob Junis and Brad Keller, still on the injured list and building their way back up to where the organization hopes they can be their most effective, the rotation suffered another loss with left-handed starter Mike Montgomery going on the injured list after a brief first start of the season Monday night in Detroit.
Montgomery went on the injured list with a lat strain in his back before Tuesday night’s game against the Tigers. Three of the four established starters the Royals entered the season with in their rotation are now sidelined, leaving just opening day starter Danny Duffy as the remaining member of the quartet.
“I felt like I did everything I could to give myself a chance going into last night,” said Montgomery, who said he was not aware of a definite timetable for his return. “I know the rotation is obviously short. It’s not the outcome that I wanted, but I know we’ve got some other guys that will step up.
“For me, I’m going to be able to help this team if I’m healthy. That’s where I’m at. There’s a lot of good arms in there, and I’m pretty confident they’ll step it up.”
The Royals were scheduled to use relief pitcher Kyle Zimmer as the “opener” for Tuesday night’s game. Duffy is slated to start Wednesday followed by Brady Singer Thursday. Manager Mike Matheny has not named a starter for any game beyond Thursday.
Montgomery stressed that he did not view the injury as serious. He’d been dealing with the issue for more than a week going back to before his exhibition start against the Houston Astros on July 20.
Initially, he thought it was “normal soreness” that would go away. He suggested that in a typical six-week spring training he might have been able to pitch through it. However, the three-week buildup of spring training 2.0 that led into this 60-game season didn’t allow for that.
“I don’t think it’s too far off, but it just wasn’t where it needs to be, so I think at this point just get it right. It’s four games into the season,” Montgomery said. “Get myself as healthy as possible; that way I can come back and help the team.”
Montgomery pitched two innings Monday night. He allowed five runs on five hits (one home run) and struck out one batter. He threw 46 pitches.
Montgomery said he didn’t expect a drawn-out recovery time. The idea, as Montgomery explained it, was to take the time now in order to allow him to get to full strength when he returns to the active roster.
“Last night, it just wasn’t right,” Montgomery said. “I think talking to Mike and (head trainer) Nick (Kenney), they were just kind of saying we don’t want you to basically start grinding through it right out of the gate, right out of the chute.”
Matheny identified recently acquired right-handed pitcher Ronald Bolaños, obtained from the San Diego Padres along with outfielder Franchy Cordero in the Timmy Hill trade, as the most likely option to fill one of the Royals’ vacant rotation spots.
Bolaños, who served as the opener Sunday and allowed two unearned runs in two innings, has started in the majors before. Matheny had expressed confidence in Bolaños’ ability to be stretched out as a starter even before Montgomery’s start.
“I’d say absolutely,” Matheny said Monday of potentially having Bolaños as a starting option down the road. “With what I saw (Sunday), I was really impressed with how this kid got ready in a short amount of time.
“He had his own three-ring binder with information that he had on his own, not even the stuff that we had available to him, things that he had learned or scouted with some of these other players with the Indians. He came in with a real clear idea of what he wanted to do. In between innings, he was talking through like a starter. And the stuff just looked fantastic.”
Bolaños could end up filling Montgomery’s spot in the rotation since Matheny and his coaching staff want to avoid going back-to-back games with an opener and heavy reliance on the bullpen, even with an expanded roster.
The Royals also announced the signing of former New York Mets ace Matt Harvey Tuesday. Though Harvey will report to the club’s alternate training site at T-Bones Stadium in Kansas City, Kan., he’s expected to initially be an option for shorter outings, at least until he’s ready handle the load of a starting pitcher. Matheny said they’d have to get him into camp before a clear determination would be made about him.
With Montgomery and left-handed starter/reliever Foster Griffin both going on the IL Tuesday, the Royals recalled right-handed relief pitcher Jake Newberry and outfielder Nick Heath.
This story was originally published July 28, 2020 at 6:02 PM with the headline "Royals’ starting rotation continues to shrink with Mike Montgomery now on the IL."
