Noah Cameron's sudden injury forces Royals to test shaky starting pitching depth

Even though the Royals are firing on all cylinders at the moment, the good times don't always last in baseball, as this game and it's grueling schedule often find ways to undercut success. Just last week, two depth arms from their 40-man roster in Ryan Bergert and Ben Kudrna both underwent season-ending surgery which drastically impacted their arsenal of starting pitching options. However, they'd avoided losing any members of their five-man starting rotation to this point, which would really test that diminished depth. That is until now.

After coming out victorious in their series opener against the Guardians on Monday, they Royals will try to extend their winning streak short-handed, as Noah Cameron will miss his scheduled start on Tuesday. The team is calling lower back tightness and as a result, they will call upon Stephen Kolek to start on Tuesday in Cameron's place, as he makes his long awaited return from an oblique strain he suffered early in spring training.

At first glance, this doesn't appear to be a major injury at the moment, as the corresponding move for Kolek's return to the roster was not Cameron being placed on the injured list, rather it was long-man Mason Black who was sent down to Triple-A Omaha. Whether Cameron ends up hitting the shelf later will of course be dependent on whether this is merely back tightness or the sign of a larger issue, but anything of that nature is entirely speculative at this point and thus a story for a different day.

That being said, while it may be a more lower pressure test than an injured list stint, the Royals lean depth is being tested nonetheless. Beyond, Kolek there's not much else for the Royals to fall back on, with Mitch Spence being the only option Royals fans could breathe somewhat easily with if they needed someone else.

Noah Cameron might be injured, but Royals aren't doomed with Stephen Kolek

Looking aside from the fact that the Royals have lost a key member of their high-performing starting staff, the return of Stephen Kolek is an exciting thought. It's just a shame it's happening as a result of injury.

The fanbase will fondly remember when Kolek was finally called upon down the stretch after being acquired from the Padres at the trade deadline. He became arguably their most reliable arm. In 33 innings across five starts with the Royals, Kolek threw to an immaculate 1.91 ERA, 2.71 FIP, 0.76 WHIP and .167 BAA.

And so far in 2026, while an early spring training injury derailed his shot to crack the major league Opening Day roster, he's performed to a respectable manner in Triple-A with the Storm Chasers. Through four starts, Kolek managed a 2.76 ERA despite relatively high 1.41 ERA and .292 BAA totals.

However, as Royals Data Dugout pointed out on X, an impressive FIP and K-BB ratio, along with how well he's ramped up in recent starts, give plenty more reason for optimism despite the unfortunate circumstances that have put Kolek in this position.

And let's not forget, Kolek and his revamped pitching arsenal were a legitimate contender to grab that fifth and final spot in the Royals' rotation in spring training before his oblique injury. That fifth starter role of course went to Cameron.

This could also be an opportunity for Kolek to show that he belongs in the majors for more than just a spot start. Cameron hasn't exactly dazzled in the early going this season, throwing to a 5.40 ERA, 1.61 WHIP and .301 BAA in his first six starts. There's plenty of reason to believe that the Royals could elevate their already strong starting staff even further and perhaps Kolek can be that guy.

Even if they opt to have Cameron come back into this staff when he's ready, before the Royals suffered multiple hits to their starting pitching depth, some within the Royals sphere have thought a bullpen role given his stuff and previous relief experience in San Diego could be another route to utilize Kolek at the big league level.

For now though, he's a starter and will make his 2026 Royals debut on Tuesday. First pitch goes down at Kauffman Stadium at 6:40 p.m. CT.

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