The Royals received an unfortunate Carlos Estevez injury update on Wednesday.
The Kansas City Royals have played well in recent action, but the ball club received an unfortunate update on Wednesday. According to Anne Rogers of MLB.com, Royals closer Carlos Estevez suffered an injury setback during a rehab outing on Wednesday. Estevez reportedly exited his outing at Triple-A due to shoulder discomfort. A drop in velocity initially led to concern.
Estevez has been recovering from a foot injury. Now he is seemingly dealing with a shoulder issue.
The Royals will provide updates on the situation as they are made available.
Estevez, 33, made just one appearance in 2026 before landing on the injured list with the aforementioned foot injury. He struggled in the outing, but Kansas City obviously still believes in the pitcher.
The Royals were excited about the possibility of Estevez returning soon. He would help to cement an already strong bullpen. Now, it seems as if his injury return could be delayed.
In 2025, Estevez turned in a stellar 2.45 ERA while saving 42 games to lead the league. He was one of the best relievers in the entire sport without question.
When it comes to something like shoulder discomfort, there is uncertainty. That could mean he is okay and only has to miss a little bit of time, while it could also mean Estevez is dealing with something serious. The hope, of course, is that Estevez avoided a significant injury.
Royals Playing Well in Recent Action
The Royals are closing in on the .500 mark after a slow start to the new campaign Kansas City is currently 17-19 overall and only a half-game out of first place in the American League Central standings.
The ball club has won five consecutive games. They recently swept the Seattle Mariners in a three-game series and they now lead the Cleveland Guardians 2-0 in a four-game series.
The Guardians are currently tied with the Detroit Tigers for first place in the AL Central. Kansas City can potentially be in first place by defeating the Guardians on Wednesday if the Tigers lose as well.
The Carlos Estevez injury news is far from ideal, but at the very least the Royals are playing well right now. They are hoping to continue that trend on Wednesday night against the Guardians. First pitch is scheduled for 7:40 PM EST as Kansas City looks to clinch a series win in what should be another good game.