Royals Shake Up Roster, Call Up Cuas and Dobnak Amid Pitching Struggles

The Kansas City Royals are once again in roster turmoil as they grapple with persistent pitching woes during the sweltering summer months. With a team ERA of 5.60 in June, ranking as the third-worst in Major League Baseball, the Royals took decisive action by calling up veteran relievers José Cuas and Randy Dobnak from Triple-A Omaha. In a corresponding move, they optioned Eric Cerantola back to Omaha and placed pitcher Connor Seabold on the Injured List.

José Cuas, who made a notable impact for the Royals in the 2022 and 2023 seasons with 92 appearances and a 4.08 ERA, brings a unique sidearm delivery that effectively generates high groundball rates, although his command has sometimes faltered with walks. After being traded to the Cubs in 2023 for outfielder Nelson Velázquez, Cuas has since navigated through the Blue Jays, Phillies, and Braves organizations. The Royals signed him to a minor league contract last winter, where he showcased a solid performance with a 3.31 ERA, accumulating 33 strikeouts against 19 walks over 32.2 innings for Omaha.

Meanwhile, the Royals recently acquired Randy Dobnak from the Mariners for cash considerations just two weeks ago. The 31-year-old right-hander had a promising debut with the Twins in 2019 but has faced considerable challenges since then, appearing in only six big league games since 2021 despite having signed a long-term guaranteed contract with the Twins. This season, Dobnak recorded a 4.24 ERA across 13 starts at Triple-A with the Mariners, and his minor league deal included an “upward mobility” clause, allowing him to be offered to other teams for a spot on a 40-man roster.

Eric Cerantola, who has had several stints with the Royals, struggled significantly during his recent outing against the Rays, walking six of the nine batters he faced. Over four games with Kansas City, he has allowed six runs and issued ten walks in just 5.1 innings. Connor Seabold, who exited yesterday’s game in the fifth inning, is dealing with a right lat strain. In his five appearances with the Royals, he has given up six runs, five of which were earned.

To accommodate Cuas and Dobnak on the 40-man roster, the Royals transferred Kris Bubic to the 60-day Injured List. Bubic was slated to make a rehab start for Omaha tonight but was scratched and will instead return to Kansas City for further evaluation. His injury stint dates back to May 15, meaning he could be eligible for activation by July 15 if he recovers adequately.

In addition to Bubic and Seabold, the Royals are also missing Cole Ragans, Carlos Estévez, and Nick Mears, all on the Injured List. The pitching staff has faced a particularly rough stretch, surrendering 74 runs over their last nine games, including a staggering 22 runs against the White Sox on Saturday.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.