Kansas City Royals Prospect Kyle Zimmer Injured Again

There was a time, not so long ago, when it was imagined that Kyle Zimmer would be heading the Kansas City Royals starting rotation. Armed with a fastball in the upper 90’s and possessing excellent stuff, Zimmer was hailed as an ace in the making. Even with his injury concerns since being drafted, hopes were still high that Zimmer would be able to be healthy and fulfill his potential.

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While Zimmer may still reach that potential, those injury concerns are still there. In fact, while getting himself ready during extended Spring Training, Zimmer has suffered another setback. According to Andy McCullough of the Kansas City Star, Zimmer felt soreness in his shoulder once again, leading to his being shut down. While the Royals are saying no structural damage was found, this injury still has to be a concern.

Yes, there is the good news that Zimmer’s shoulder is still structurally sound. However, this is the third shoulder issue that he has had in the past couple of years. While Zimmer still has all the talent and the explosive arsenal, one has to wonder if he will ever be able to be healthy.

This latest shoulder injury certainly makes the Kansas City Royals decision in regards to how to handle Kyle Zimmer going forward an interesting one. Can the Royals trust that Zimmer’s arm will hold up to the rigors of pitching in the rotation, potentially putting over 100 innings on his arm this year? Or would he be better served in the bullpen, throwing fewer innings, but pitching more frequently?

The Royals are going to need to make a decision on Zimmer’s future in the near future. Even if this injury is not serious, it is still a flashing warning sign that he may not hold up as they had hoped. Yet, either option, whether or not the Royals keep Zimmer in the rotation or move him to the bullpen, has its own pitfalls.

The Kansas City Royals are hoping this is only minor soreness and nothing major is going on. However, given Kyle Zimmer’s injury history, it is fair to wonder if he can ever be that pitcher the Royals envisioned when he was drafted.

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