Kyle Isbel returns, but Kansas City Royals lose relievers Matt Peacock, Gabe Speier to IL
Kyle Isbel returned to the Kansas City Royals from health and safety protocols, but they had to do more shuffling to avoid a short-handed roster as several more players deal with illness during the road trip.
Prior to Monday’s series opener against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field, the Royals activated Isbel from the injured list and also selected right-handed pitchers Arodys Vizcaino and Jose Cuas from Triple-A Omaha.
Vizcaino and Cuas took the place of relief pitchers Matt Peacock and Gabe Speier. Outfielder Brewer Hicklen was returned to Omaha with Isbel activated. Hicklen remained on the taxi squad.
The club did not provide an injury designation for Peacock or Speier, and they were allowed to replace them with players not currently on the 40-man roster — indicators that the IL stints are COVID-related (which could range from contact tracing to symptoms or positive test results), as was the case with reliever Amir Garrett, who went on the IL along with Isbel on Thursday after their series in Arizona.
The Royals have also been without first base coach/outfield coach Damon Hollins due to illness, and Gold Glove center fielder Michael A. Taylor went on the COVID-related IL during the most recent homestand.
“It ended up being something I ate,” Isbel said on Monday. “But I went to BP, stretched, and felt fine. I felt a little light-headed and hungry, kinda. So I ran back in to grab a sandwich and ate it. Then after that, I didn’t feel good.”
While Isbel spoke with reporters, Royals iron man Whit Merrifield poked fun that Isbel needed four days off because of a “tummy ache.” Merrifield has played in 516 consecutive games, the longest active streak in the majors.
Isbel had started in center field in Taylor’s absence. But he felt ill prior to Tuesday’s game in Arizona, and the Royals scratched him from the lineup prior to that game.
Due to health and safety protocols, Isbel had to stay isolated from his team for several days. The first day, Isbel estimated he threw up 10 or 11 times. But after the first night he “felt back to normal.” He described it as “weird” to be watching his teammates on television.
He remained in Arizona, where he spent the offseason, and joined the team in Cleveland. He actually arrived in Cleveland before the club arrived from Minnesota.
While home in Arizona, Isbel said he was able to work out and hit off a machine in his home batting cage.
“It was fortunate that I was there, I wish it wouldn’t have happened but, obviously, that was a best-case scenario because I was able to go home rather than stay in a hotel,” Isbel said.
Isbel said he wished he would’ve come back sooner despite not testing positive for COVID, but protocols didn’t allow him to rejoin the club any faster than he did.
He was not in the starting lineup on Monday night. He entered the day batting .276 with a .295 on-base percentage in 23 games (58 at-bats) this season.
Vizcaino had a 1.76 ERA with a 1.17 WHIP, 19 strikeouts and six walks in 15 1/3 innings at Triple-A this season. He recorded seven saves in seven chances.
Cuas posted a 1.74 ERA with a 1.06 WHIP, 18 strikeouts and six walks in 20 2/3 innings. He registered three saves in four chances.
Due to MLB rules governing COVID-related outbreaks on teams, the Royals were allowed to add Cuas and Vizcaino to the active roster despite neither being on the 40-man roster.
Both will be able to be returned to Triple-A without being subject to waivers, just as Hicklen was. Hicklen had been added as a replacement when Isbel went on the IL.
However, outfielder Dairon Blanco will have to clear waivers before returning to the minors because the Royals had not reached MLB’s threshold of cases when Taylor went on the IL and Blanco came up as his replacement.
“Vizcaino we know, he’s been in the league a little bit,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “He was doing a nice job with the Omaha club. Cuas was a guy I think piqued all of our interest through spring training and has continued to put up great numbers in a tough place to pitch. So both guys have been throwing in leverage and have been doing a great job of limiting damage.
“We never like to see injuries happen or like to see illness happen, but guys have opportunities to come in and show what they can do and how they fit in.”
This story was originally published May 30, 2022 at 7:44 PM with the headline "Kyle Isbel returns, but Kansas City Royals lose relievers Matt Peacock, Gabe Speier to IL."
