Royals Receive Encouraging Maikel Garcia Injury Update

Garcia has not played since June 22 after being placed on the 10-day injured list the following day with a left hand muscle strain.

However, he had been playing through the injury before landing on the injured list, dating back to the Royals' series against the St. Louis Cardinals from May 15-17.

Although Garcia initially played through the discomfort, he was not himself at the plate. Across 13 games in June, he slashed .227/.292/.318 with nine RBI while missing three games because of hand soreness.

On the season, Garcia is slashing .261/.320/.373 with three home runs and 30 RBI.

Garcia's rehab assignment is an encouraging development for the Royals, who are missing several key pieces from their lineup. Along with Garcia, star shortstopBobby Witt Jr. remains on the 10-day injured list with lower back tightness.

Additionally, Kyle Isbel (left plantar fasciitis) and Jonathan India (labral tear and subluxation in his left shoulder) are still sidelined. Isbel began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha on July 21, while India is out for the season after undergoing surgery in late April.

The Royals suffered another injury scare Tuesday when first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino exited the game against the Minnesota Twins with a sore right hand before his at-bat in the ninth inning. He will be evaluated further Wednesday to determine the severity of the injury.

Injuries have also taken a toll on Kansas City's pitching staff. Starters Cole Ragans (UCL surgery in left elbow), Kris Bubic (left elbow and shoulder soreness), and Stephen Kolek (right flexor strain) are all on the 60-day injured list.

Garcia's injury comes on the heels of a career year in 2025. Across 160 games last season, he slashed .286/.351/.449 with 16 home runs and 74 RBI. He earned his first career All-Star selection and won his first Gold Glove Award.

He also starred for Team Venezuela during the 2026 World Baseball Classic, earning tournament MVP honors. In seven games, Garcia slashed .385/.393/.577 with one home run, seven RBI, and three stolen bases.

Unfortunately, the injury has prevented Garcia from carrying that momentum into the 2026 season.

Nonetheless, his eventual return would provide a welcome boost for a Royals team searching for positives during a rough season. Entering Wednesday, Kansas City (45-63) sits last in the American League Central and 9.5 games out of an American League Wild Card spot.