KC Royals News: Kris Bubic excites, ex-Royal hurler blows cool, showdown coming

After what he did Wednesday night, Omaha may not want to let Kris Bubic go when it comes time for him to rejoin the KC Royals.

Working in his first Triple-A game after the Royals transferred his injury rehabilitation assignment to the Storm Chasers earlier this week, Bubic pitched 3.2 excellent innings against Indianapolis. He struck out six in retiring the first eight Indians he faced, fanned seven in all, and allowed only one hit and one walk before giving way to Austin Cox with two outs and the bases empty in the fourth. The promising performance helped propel Omaha to an easy 8-2 win.

Bubic's 30-day rehab stint ends next week. The Royals can then recall him or option him back to the minors for more work as he recovers from the Tommy John Surgery he underwent last season.

A former Kansas City pitcher had an unpleasant Wednesday evening

While Bubic excelled for Omaha, Wednesday night was certainly interesting for ex-Royals pitcher Jorge López, but for reasons that probably wore out his welcome with the Mets.

The New York Post's Joel Sherman reported Wednesday evening that the Mets are "planning" to designate López for assignment after the reliever was ejected from his appearance against the Dodgers and flung his glove into the stands as he departed.

López, maddeningly inconsistent during the parts of three seasons he spent as a Royal, is (or was) 1-2 with a 3.76 ERA and two saves in 28 appearances for New York. Now in his ninth big league season, he's pitched for the Royals, Orioles, Brewers, Twins, Mets and Marlins.

Don't look now, but the Guardians are coming...

The Royals picked up some ground on Cleveland Wednesday. Kansas City beat Minnesota 6-1 to get a shot at splitting their four-game road series with the Twins — the clubs meet for Game 4 at 12:10 p.m. CDT today — while the Guardians lost to Colorado 7-4. The Royals are now three games behind first-place Cleveland in the American League Central.

And a showdown, the first meeting between the two clubs this season, is right around the corner. After hosting San Diego for a quick three-contest homestand Friday through Sunday, the Royals head for Cleveland where they'll play the Guardians next Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

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