KC Royals get one step closer to stronger outfield with latest update on Mark Canha

After news broke last Wednesday that veteran Mark Canha would be hitting the 10-day IL with a left abductor strain - after crashing into the wall in an attempt to make a catch the night prior- the Kansas City Royals' already diminished outfield got even thinner.

And Canha was a tough piece to lose, as he made a great opening impression with a .357/.471/.500 slash line in his first seven games with the team.

But now Royals fans can start to breathe easier as Canha's return to the field looks closer after the team's latest update.

KC Royals get one step closer to stronger outfield with latest update on Mark Canha

The Royals announced on X (formerly Twitter) that they "anticipate" Canha will get his rehab assignment underway in Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday.

Canha's return will be a sight for sore eyes, as Kansas City faces some serious issues in the outfield on multiple fronts.

While Kyle Isbel's .282 AVG has been somewhat a refreshing change from his past offensive outputs, the questions in the outfield really pile up beyond him.

Dairon Blanco is still yet to return from the injury he suffered just days into the regular season. MJ Melendez and Hunter Renfroe have been borderline unusable - as the former is hitting .077 with a .285 OPS this season, while the latter is hitting only marginally better with a .128 AVG and .363 OPS. Then there's the bench options in Cavan Biggio, Tyler Tolbert and Drew Waters who've all played their part when called upon but haven't been anything spectacular at the plate this season.

While this news is certainly promising, there's still some unknowns here that will need to be clarified in the coming days.

Canha's last day on the IL may be April 18 - making him eligible to return for Saturday's contest against the Tigers - but his return date will be dependent on how the rehab assignment goes and whether or not any setbacks arise. What's also uncertain is who Canha will take the roster spot of, whether it be one of the struggling everyday regulars like Melendez, or one of the bench options like Waters or Tolbert.

That being said, regardless of when he comes back or who he replaces on the active roster, the fact the wheels are set to be in motion on the veteran's return to the lineup is great news for Royals fans to start the week.