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Jac Caglianone Leaves Early Wednesday With Ankle Soreness
The Kansas City Royals announced that first baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone (ankle) exited Wednesday night's game early against the visiting Athletics with soreness in his right ankle. Caglianone went 1-for-1 at the plate with a hit-by-pitch before being pulled from the game in the fifth inning at Kauffman Stadium. The extent of the injury is undisclosed right now, so fantasy managers will want to check back on Caglianone's status for the series finale against the A's on Thursday. John Rave replaced the power-hitting left-hander in right field and could be in line for more playing time there if Cags misses more time with his ankle injury. After a somewhat slow start to his first full major-league season in 2026, Caglianone has picked it up with the lumber and entered Wednesday's contest with a .278/.329/.494 slash line, an .823 OPS, 22 home runs, 60 RBI, 58 runs scored, and six stolen bases in his 118 games played. Since the All-Star break, he has been a must-start in fantasy leagues, hitting .330 (35-for-106) with a .949 OPS, seven long balls, seven doubles, 25 RBI, 14 runs scored, and three steals in 28 games across 110 plate appearances.
Source: Kansas City Royals
Source: Kansas City Royals
Maikel Garcia Reinstated From Injured List and Starting on Monday
The Kansas City Royals announced on Monday that they reinstated infielder/outfielder Maikel Garcia (hand) from the 10-day injured list, and he will start at third base and bat cleanup in his return in the series opener at home against the visiting Athletics and right-hander Mason Barnett. Fantasy managers in need of stolen bases should look to scoop Garcia up right away if he is available in your league. The 26-year-old Venezuelan has been injured for much of the year and has not lived up to expectations after hitting 16 home runs and stealing 23 bases in 2025, but he could do some damage for fantasy managers the rest of the way. Garcia will return to a .261/.320/.373 slash line with a .693 OPS, three home runs, 30 RBI, 32 runs scored, and five stolen bases in his 69 games and 294 plate appearances. He racked up 83 stolen bases from 2023 to 2025 with the Royals and is eligible at second base, third base, shortstop, and the outfield in Yahoo leagues. Garcia went 4-for-10 at the plate with a double and a steal in three minor-league rehab games last week with Double-A Northwest Arkansas.
Source: Kansas City Royals
Source: Kansas City Royals
Maikel Garcia Could Rejoin the Royals on Monday
Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro said that infielder/outfielder Maikel Garcia (hand) didn't play in a minor-league rehab game on Sunday, but if he's feeling good, there's a chance he could come off the 10-day injured list to rejoin the big-league club on Monday before their series opener at home against the Athletics. Garcia has gone 3-for-16 at the plate on his rehab assignment after joining Triple-A Omaha on Wednesday, and the 26-year-old could be on the verge of rejoining the Royals for the first time since being put on the 10-day injured list with a muscle strain in his left hand back on June 23. When he's activated, Garcia should take over as the team's starting third baseman, which will push Nick Loftin back to a utility role off the bench. Garcia has just three home runs, 30 RBI, and five stolen bases in 2026 in his fourth full season in the majors, but he did have 16 homers, 74 RBI, and 23 steals in 160 games as a first-time All-Star in 2025, and he had 83 stolen bases from 2023-25. With eligibility in Yahoo leagues at second base, third base, shortstop, and the outfield, Garcia should at least be a versatile speed threat for fantasy managers the rest of the way. He's currently rostered in 76% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Sporting Tribune - Jack Janes
Source: Sporting Tribune - Jack Janes
Gavin Cross Displaying Power Stroke at Triple-A
Kansas City Royals outfield prospect Gavin Cross has an extra-base hit in three consecutive contests for Triple-A Omaha and is now on a mini four-game hit streak, during which time he has gone 7-for-17 (.412), including two doubles and a home run. The Royals' 26th-ranked prospect had been on a tear from late June to late July, hitting .352 while collecting a hit in 26 of 27 games, but despite that and his recent four-game run, the former ninth-overall draft pick is still only batting .249 on the year with a .734 OPS. There is intriguing power and speed in his profile, but the 6-foot-2 slugger owns a high strikeout rate of 28.8 percent which could lead to additional cold spells. Even so, the 25-year-old should get a shot in the majors before the season is out, although there is little reason to stash him in redraft leagues.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Jac Caglianone Stays Hot, Homers Twice in Win Over Cubs
Kansas City Royals first baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone had his fourth multi-homer game of the season in Saturday's 6-3 win over the visiting Chicago Cubs, going a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with two solo home runs, two doubles, and four RBI to raise his season average to .264 and his OPS to an even .800. The 23-year-old former sixth overall pick from the University of Florida in the 2024 MLB draft got off to a slow start in 2026 in his first full season in the majors, but he has come on strong with more experience and is red-hot so far in the month of August, hitting .429 (12-for-28) with three home runs, four doubles, nine RBI, and a stolen base. Caglianone is an emerging young source of power who has been regularly hitting in the heart of the Royals' batting order. That should continue through the remainder of the season. After Cags' strong game to help beat the Cubbies on Saturday at Kauffman Stadium, he's hitting .264 on the season with 20 home runs, 49 RBI, and four stolen bases across his 390 at-bats. Caglianone should be rostered in more than 65% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Maikel Garcia Shut Down for Five Days After Receiving Injection
Kansas City Royals infielder/outfielder Maikel Garcia (hand) felt more discomfort in his left hand during his first minor-league rehab game with Double-A Northwest Arkansas on July 28. He visited with a hand specialist on Tuesday and received a cortisone injection. The Royals will shut Garcia down for around five days and then will ramp up his baseball activities again, according to MLB.com. He's been on the 10-day injured list since June 23 with a muscle strain in his left hand. The 26-year-old should be able to return to the Royals before the end of the season, but he might not be reinstated from the IL until later this month. The Venezuelan right-handed hitter has not lived up to expectations in his fifth MLB season due to injuries, and he's currently hitting .261/.320/.373 with a .693 OPS, only three home runs, 30 RBI, 32 runs, and five stolen bases in 69 games and 294 plate appearances after being named a first-time All-Star in 2025. Garcia will return to regular duties at third base when he's cleared, and he remains rostered in 78% of Yahoo leagues despite his lengthy absence.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Gavin Cross has Rare Combination of Power and Speed
Kansas City Royals outfield prospect Gavin Cross had a stretch in late July when he hit a home run in six straight games for Triple-A Omaha. Altogether, he finished the month of July with seven homers and 23 RBI while hitting .337. It was a big month for the former first-round pick out of Virginia Tech. The left-handed hitting outfield prospect is the No. 26-ranked prospect in the Royals' system and has 11 homers and 42 RBI this season at Omaha in 337 at-bats. He's added 22 stolen bases and 50 runs scored while hitting .243 overall. The 25-year-old could be looking at a shot to man the outfield for the Royals this season and is worth a look in fantasy leagues. His 50-grade power and 50-grade speed make him an intriguing stash as someone who could produce given an opportunity this season.
Source: Minor League Baseball
Source: Minor League Baseball
Maikel Garcia Starting Rehab Assignment on Tuesday
Kansas City Royals infielder/outfielder Maikel Garcia (hand) will start a minor-league rehab assignment with Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Tuesday, the team announced on Monday. Barring a setback with his hand injury, Garcia could be ready to rejoin the big-league roster this weekend or early next week. He's been out for over a month with a muscle strain in his left hand, which has limited him to 69 games in his fifth year in the majors with KC. After Garcia was a first-time All-Star in 2025, he has disappointed in 2026 with a .261/.320/.373 slash line, .693 OPS, only three home runs, 30 RBI, 32 runs scored, and five stolen bases in 294 plate appearances. He was just four home runs away from his first 20-20 campaign last year, though, and his power/speed abilities have kept him rostered in 81% of Yahoo leagues despite his lengthy IL stay. Garcia has had at least 23 stolen bases in each of the last three seasons with the Royals, so fantasy managers are hoping that he'll start to run more the rest of the way after he's activated.
Source: Kansas City Royals
Source: Kansas City Royals
Jac Caglianone Returns From Shoulder Injury on Saturday
Kansas City Royals first baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone (shoulder) is starting in right field and is batting third for the Royals in Saturday's contest against the division-rival Detroit Tigers and right-hander Casey Mize, per MLB.com. Caglianone will return to action on Saturday in Motown after missing each of the last three games with right-shoulder soreness that was the result of him diving for a ball in the outfield. The 23-year-old left-handed slugger came off the bench as a pinch-hitter in Friday's loss to Detroit and is now ready to rejoin the starting nine. Fantasy managers will want to plug the second-year player back into their starting lineups against the right-hander on Saturday. Cags has gone hitless in each of his last three games, but before that, he was hitting .271 (16-for-59) with two homers, five doubles, seven RBI, and seven runs scored in 14 games to begin the month of July. After a slow start in 2026, his first full year in the majors, the former sixth overall pick from the University of Florida has turned things up and is currently slashing .257/.315/.462 with a .777 OPS and 16 home runs in 338 at-bats.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Jac Caglianone Remains Out on Thursday
Kansas City Royals first baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone (shoulder) remains out of the starting lineup for Thursday's contest on the road in Detroit against the division-rival Tigers, per MLB.com. Nick Loftin is starting in right field and will bat eighth against Tigers right-hander Troy Melton. Caglianone injured his shoulder attempting to make a diving catch in Tuesday's game and is now missing a second straight start. There hasn't been any news to suggest that Cags is dealing with a significant injury, though, so fantasy managers should continue to consider him day-to-day for now. Check back on Friday to see if he's available for the second game of the series on Friday in Motown. Caglianone got off to a slow start in 2026 in his first full season in the big leagues, homering five times in the first two months, but he clubbed nine long balls in June while hitting over .300, and he's currently batting .246 (16-for-65) with a .658 OPS, two homers, seven RBI, and seven runs so far in 16 games in July. He could be a difference-maker in the power department to close out the year for fantasy managers, and he's rostered in under 70% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Lane Thomas Has Turned Everyday At-Bats Into Mixed-League Value
Kansas City Royals outfielder Lane Thomas is no longer just a platoon bat. Since Kyle Isbel (foot) landed on the injured list June 10, Thomas has hit .262/.331/.524 with seven home runs and 12 doubles across 126 plate appearances. He is playing against righties and lefties now, usually in a prominent lineup spot. The full-season line sits at .240 with nine homers, 34 RBI, 29 runs, and five steals over 250 at-bats. Only 11% of Yahoo leagues have Thomas rostered. That is still low for an everyday outfielder offering some power, a little speed, and enough on-base ability to keep the counting stats moving. Isbel began a rehab assignment Tuesday, so the outfield will get crowded again. Thomas has done too much with the opportunity to simply fall back into a strict platoon. He is a worthwhile mixed-league pickup while the role and production are both working.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jac Caglianone Out of Wednesday's Lineup
Kansas City Royals first baseman/outfielder Jac Caglianone (shoulder) is not in the team's starting lineup for Wednesday's series finale against the visiting San Francisco Giants, per MLB.com. Veteran Starling Marte will make the start in right field for the Royals and will bat seventh against Giants right-hander Landen Roupp. Caglianone should be considered day-to-day for now after he was pulled from Tuesday's game early against the Giants after hurting his right shoulder during a diving attempt in the outfield. Fantasy managers need to make sure he's on their benches for Wednesday while checking back on Thursday to see if he's active for the series opener against the division-rival Detroit Tigers. The 23-year-old former sixth overall pick in 2024 out of the University of Florida has come on strong in 2026 after a slow start to his first full season in the majors, and he's now hitting .258/.316/.463 with a .779 OPS, 16 long balls, 37 RBI, 46 runs scored, and three steals in 337 at-bats. Perhaps the most encouraging is that he's hitting .248 (25-for-101) with five of his 16 bombs against left-handed pitchers.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Jac Caglianone Exits Early on Tuesday Due to Shoulder Soreness
Kansas City Royals outfielder/first baseman Jac Caglianone (shoulder) exited early from his team's game on Tuesday against the San Francisco Giants due to right shoulder soreness. Caglianone was hitless in two plate appearances before being removed. Across 367 plate appearances this season, Caglianone is hitting .258/.316/.463 with 16 home runs, 37 RBI, 46 runs scored, and three stolen bases. The 23-year-old has struck out in 28.6% of his trips to the plate, which limits his batting average ceiling. However, Caglianone's massive power upside is present in his elite barrel (15.1%) and hard-hit (55.2%) rates. The extent of Caglianone's injury is not yet clear, so fantasy managers will need to check back for further updates. If Caglianone is forced to miss time, Royals utility man Tyler Tolbert and outfielder Starling Marte could both be in line for increased playing time.
Source: Kansas City Royals
Source: Kansas City Royals
Tyler Tolbert Back to Bench Role After Historic Three-Game Stretch?
Kansas City Royals shortstop/outfielder Tyler Tolbert made history last week when he recorded hits in 12 straight at-bats over a three-game stretch to tie the MLB record for most hits in consecutive at-bats, but he started on the bench in the final three games before the All-Star break. Tolbert's move back to the bench coincided with first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino rejoining the lineup after returning from the injured list. The 28-year-old will now most likely open the second half of the 2026 season in more of a utility role for the Royals, limiting his fantasy baseball upside to AL-only leagues for his speed on the basepaths. In 32 games (60 plate appearances) in the first half of his second MLB season, Tolbert hit .370 (20-for-54) with two homers, five RBI, 10 steals, and 17 runs scored. Tolbert also had 21 stolen bases in 64 games as a rookie in 2025, so speed is clearly his biggest draw in deeper leagues. Fantasy managers shouldn't expect Tolbert to be as good in the second half, but his speed can play against left-handed pitchers.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Lane Thomas Emerging as a Balanced Contributor to Target on the Waiver Wire
Kansas City Royals outfielder Lane Thomas got off to a very slow start to the 2026 season, hitting .208 with one home run across his first 125 plate appearances. However, the 30-year-old has begun to turn it on in the summer months, hitting .254 with six home runs across 144 plate appearances since the calendar flipped to June. Thomas owns a strong 12.4% walk rate for the season, which gives him a safe on-base floor and helps keep his bat in the lineup. With Royals outfielder Kyle Isbel (foot) currently on the injured list due to plantar fasciitis, Thomas has emerged as the everyday center fielder in Kansas City. As long as he continues to see regular playing time, Thomas profiles as a useful compiler with some power/speed upside for fantasy managers to target on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
