Kansas City Royals: Trevor Oaks might need hip surgery

Kansas City Royals pitcher Trevor Oaks might need to miss the first half of the season because of hip surgery.

Per Rustin Dodd, RHP Trevor Oaks has been shut down because of this hip injury. He might need surgery for a torn labrum. The Kansas City Royals pitcher will be getting a second opinion in early March to determine if the surgery is necessary.

The Royals acquired Oaks from the Los Angeles Dodgers in the three team trade that sent Joakim  Soria to the Chicago White Sox. Oaks made his MLB debut for Kansas City last season, pitching 13.2 innings with an FIP of 3.97.

Oaks figured to be rotation depth for Kansas City heading into the 2019 season, but he may not get the chance. If he is recovering for half the year he will likely be relieving for the remainder of campaign. Although that is a bridge to cross if it happens.

He spent much of the year with Omaha last season. Oaks started 22 games in 2018 with a 3.23 ERA. According to Dodd, the pitchers velocity dropped from low 90’s to upper 80’s, likely due to the injury.

One other thing Dodd pointed out was that the reason the Kansas City Royals are waiting to get a second opinion is because they want a specialist’s opinion. That specialist is working at the NFL Combine, so he is unavailable.

This is unfortunate timing for the injury, Oaks ended the 2018 season as the Kansas City Royals 20th ranked prospect. He was likely to get some work in the majors this year. And hopefully begin his ascent to his ceiling as a back end of the rotation innings eater, per MLB Pipeline.

With that being said, the Royals rotation was all but set for Opening Day, and Oaks was not in the picture. That means he would probably start the year in Triple A once again.

For the Royals, this is just another potential loss in a long line of diminishing pitching depth. Eric Skoglund is suspended and Jesse Hahn is on the 60-day injured list, now Oaks might be the next in that line.

As for Oaks, he will hopefully still reach his potential as a starter. This is a set back, but the Kansas City Royals will not know more until they get the second opinion in March.