KC Royals enter new week with optimal roster after latest adjustment

While a Sunday afternoon victory gave the Kansas City Royals something to build off of before heading into a mini west coast road trip in San Francisco on Monday night, it's no secret that they enter this three-game series with the Giants at the lowest they've been since losing six-straight in mid-April.

They've dropped their last three series and have seen arguably their two most valuable arms in Cole Ragans and Seth Lugo hit the injured list in the process.

But as the Royals continue to make adjustments to their roster in light of these injuries, their latest transaction makes this lineup look far more optimal as they look to get back on track.

Ahead of Monday's game in The Bay, the team announced that they'd designated catcher Luke Maile for assignment to make room for the return of reliever Taylor Clarke, who was activated off of the paternity list.

Taylor Clarke for Luke Maile gives KC Royals a more optimal roster

Maile's exit shouldn't come as a shock to anyone considering the fact he was holding the role of third catcher for the team.

While he provided necessary cover when Salvador Perez was going through hip soreness at the beginning of the month and needed some time away from the rigors of catching, the fact that Perez is now back behind the plate made Maile's presence on the 26-man roster redundant. He also held this lineup back from being as flexible as it could be.

They also entered their weekend set with the St. Louis Cardinals with an oversized five-man bench, which given the new injuries to their pitching, did not seem like a sustainable plan with the short-handed staff.

Maile's time with the Royals did not come without it's value though, as beyond the cover he gave them in Perez's absence from catching duties, he swung it well when called upon. In 10 plate appearances spread across three games, the 34-year-old veteran slashed .375/.500/.750 with a one homer and a whopping 246 wRC+.

This might make the coming days a bit uncertain for his status within the organization, as while they'd probably love to have him remain as catching depth, his numbers might be too enticing for a team to pass up if he's available on waivers.

However, for the Royals, it's a price to pay to ensure their innings are covered while their two All-Star starters remain on the shelf.

Clarke's return to the pitching mix gives the Royals an option that, while minimal, does have some MLB starting experience under his belt, having made 26 starts in his big league career.

In general though Kansas City gets a hot hand back in their bullpen, as Clarke has been on somewhat of a redemption tour in 2025 after failing to make an appearance in the majors in 2024 on the back of an ugly 5.95 ERA in 59.0 innings in 2023. In 5 1/3 innings across five appearances this season, the veteran right-hander is sporting a 0.00 ERA, 1.96 FIP, 0.56 WHIP and .158 BAA.

Maile's DFA also now gives the Royals two-available spots on the 40-man roster, which they could use to add more pitching cover or perhaps add a more impactful bench bat to the fold, given how names like outfielder Hunter Renfroe and super utility man Cavan Biggio have struggled this season.