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KC Royals Could Get Pitching Help Soon From Injury List

By John Viril

Sep 8, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Mike Minor (36) pitches during the second inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Washington Nationals defeated Atlanta Braves 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 8, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Atlanta Braves starting pitcher Mike Minor (36) pitches during the second inning against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park. Washington Nationals defeated Atlanta Braves 2-1. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports /
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The KC Royals could soon get some help for their pitching staff from the injury list. Mike Minor is rehabbing at AAA Omaha, and Kris Medlen and Jason Vargas will soon begin injury assignments.

Despite some recent good performances from their rotation which helped KC win seven of their last nine games, the Kansas City Royals starters still rank 22nd in major-league baseball with a 4.71 ERA. To maintain the team’s surge, they will need consistent starts from their rotation.

The injury to Wade Davis, and mediocre performance from set-up man Joakim Soria, have compromised KC’s bullpen. The KC Royals need better starting pitching than last season if they are to make an 11th hour run for the playoffs.

Fortunately for the Kansas City Royals, it looks like they finally might be getting some help from the injury list. The long-awaited arrival of Mike Minor could come as early as Wednesday. Minor resumed throwing on July 28 after an injury setback, and made his fourth straight rehab start August 12. Minor lasted 6.0 innings while allowing 5 hits and 2 earned runs to the Sacramento Rivers Cats on Thursday.

With Minor scheduled to make his next start on Wednesday, it’s possible the KC Royals front office could bring him to Kansas City instead.

Aside from Mike Minor, MLB.com reporter Jeffrey Flanagan tweeted that both Kris Medlen and Jason Vargas are scheduled to start rehab assignments:

The help can’t come too soon. The Kansas City Royals will need all hands on deck if they expect to sustain their late-season charge. The KC Royals currently sit 10.0 games behind the Indians in the Central, and 5.0 games behind second place Detroit. Kansas City also trails the Boston Red Sox by 7.5 games for the second AL wild card.

The Royals also trail the Mariners (5.5 games), Tigers (5.0 games, Astros (3.0 games), and Yankees (3.0 games) in the wild card race. Fangraphs.com still sees the KC Royals playoff chances as an unlikely 0.6%.

I expect Minor to arrive in Kansas City any day now. But, Medlen and Vargas might have to wait until rosters expand in September. Even so, the extra bullpen arms will be a big help to KC Royals manager Ned Yost.

Next: Alex Gordon Pulls Out Of His Season-Long Slump

Now, if they can only get Eric Hosmer and Salvador Perez to break out of their slumps, the Royals could once again shock the baseball world.

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