Kyle Zimmer Shut Down Once Again

The Kansas City Royals were seemingly cursed when it came to pitching prospects. Mike Montgomery, Chris Dwyer and Tim Melville never developed as the Royals had hoped. Danny Duffy had injury issues, culminating with Tommy John surgery before putting everything together this season. After the resurgence of Duffy, and Yordano Ventura‘s excellent season, it seemed that maybe, just maybe, the Royals had seen that run of bad luck come to an end. Instead, they once again have to deal with an injured pitching prospect in Kyle Zimmer.

Zimmer had been shut down late in the 2012 season when he needed surgery to remove bone chips from his elbow, and again in 2013 due to bicep tendonitis. This season, he missed most of the 2014 season with a shoulder injury, appearing in 6 games and lasting 4.2 innings before being shut down again.

Now, the Royals prized prospect has been shut down again. After dominating in his first outing in the Arizona Fall League, Kyle Zimmer lasted only an inning on Saturday before being removed due to soreness in his pitching shoulder. The Royals, understandably concerned about the recurring soreness in the shoulder, have shut Zimmer down once again, ending his time in the AFL.

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At this point, if the Royals were not already worried about Zimmer’s potential longevity and durability, it may be time to start having those concerns. Zimmer, expected to be one of the new wave of exciting young starters for the Royals, and a potential staff ace, may be in danger of finding himself on that list of Royals pitching prospects that never panned out.

As of this point, the extent of Kyle Zimmer’s injury is unclear. While nothing is certain, it is thought that the injury is the same as what had sidelined Zimmer for the majority of the 2014 season. If so, then the Royals hope that resting the shoulder before Spring Training in 2015 may not be enough.

Hopefully, Kyle Zimmer will be able to replicate the success that Duffy had once his recovery from injury was complete. Otherwise, he may be about to head down the same road that Montgomery, Melville and Dwyer took in their time with the Royals.