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Royals to Mix and Match in Ninth With Lucas Erceg Struggling
Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro said that he will match up the ninth inning based on availability and situations moving forward in the short term, but he still views right-handed reliever Lucas Erceg as a ninth-inning option in the long term, according to Royals broadcaster Joel Goldberg. Erceg has been the team's primary option for saves since veteran Carlos Estevez (shoulder) went down due to injury after his first appearance of the year in late March, but the 31-year-old blew his sixth save of the season on Tuesday and has a rough 6.45 ERA, 1.97 WHIP, and 20:15 K:BB along with his 11 saves in 22 1/3 innings pitched so far in 2026. The Royals called upon Alex Lange to close out the win over the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday, and he, Daniel Lynch, and Matt Strahm could start seeing more chances in the ninth inning with Erceg struggling for consistency. Once Estevez returns from the injured list, whenever that may be, he could be the favorite for saves in KC the rest of the way, making him a stash candidate now for fantasy managers in need of saves options.
Source: Joel Goldberg
Source: Joel Goldberg
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