Royals Lose Five-Year Veteran Reliever To Twins In Waiver Claim

The Kansas City Royals sit one game below the .500 mark with less than two months remaining in the regular season. Still, they are only four games back of the final American League Wild Card spot.

The team added at the trade deadline bringing in pitchers Bailey Falter and Stephen Kolek and adding Mike Yastzemski, Adam Frazier and Randal Grichuk to their lineup. A playoff berth may be a stretch, but it isn't impossible.

Recently, the Royals designated right-handed pitcher Thomas Hatch for assignment. He made an appearance against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night, but the team cut ties. Hatch is now on the move, having been claimed by the Minnesota Twins.

"After throwing to a 4.22 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and .261 BAA in 18 starts in Triple-A Omaha, Hatch's first major league appearance since 2023 did not go well. After surrendering two earned runs off two hits in Toronto to start the weekend - one of which was a home run - Hatch is now sporting an 18.00 ERA, 2.00 WHIP and .400 BAA in a lone inning of major league work," Caleb Moody of FanSided wrote.

Hatch, 30, made his Major League debut with the Blue Jays in 2020, pitching to a 2.73 ERA in 17 appearances. He ultimately left the Blue Jays in 2023 and went to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

His Royals tenure was short and uninspiring. It will be interesting to see how things shake out for him while with the Twins for the rest of the year.

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