ROYALS NOTEBOOK

Mazzaro sent to Omaha; Chen likely to be activated Tuesday

By BOB DUTTON

The Kansas City Star

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ST. LOUIS | Right-hander Vin Mazzaro is heading back to Class AAA Omaha as the Royals begin revamping their rotation this week to accommodate the return of veterans Bruce Chen and Kyle Davies from the disabled list.

The club optioned Mazzaro to Omaha before exiting Busch Stadium after Sunday’s 5-4 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals. No corresponding move is anticipated before Tuesday, but the club is expected to activate Chen.

“I was just getting comfortable and getting into a little groove,” Mazzaro said. “I just tried to make it a hard choice for them. I’ll go back to Omaha and just keep doing what I’ve been doing and wait for that spot to open up. I want to be the first guy (they call).”

Mazzaro was 1-1 in three starts after his June 9 recall while allowing nine runs and 20 hits in 18 innings. He made two rocky appearances in May, when recalled to replace Chen, before returning to Omaha.

“He threw the ball much better,” manager Ned Yost said. “He still has some things to work on — finishing hitters off. But his strike one has gotten a lot better. Command of his fastball was a lot better. But we had to make room.”

Chen was 4-1 with a 3.59 ERA in seven starts before being diagnosed with a strained lat muscle in his lower back after a May 5 victory over Baltimore. He is expected to start Friday when the Royals open a three-game weekend series against the Cubs.

The tougher decision is how to clear space for Davies since rookie lefty Danny Duffy is the only other current starter who can be sent to the minors without his consent. Yost said the club won’t move any current starters to the bullpen.

Duffy left Sunday’s start against the Cardinals after 3 2/3 innings because of a cramp in his left calf. He had nine strikeouts, the most this season by a Royals’ pitcher, but also threw 90 pitches before his exit.

“A really high pitch count,” he said. “I’ll take ground-outs on three-pitch outs over those strikeouts. Nine strikeouts, but I took the pitcher to 3-2 twice and you just can’t do that.”

Duffy is 1-1 with a 5.03 ERA through seven starts since his May 18 arrival from Omaha to replace an injured Davies in the rotation.

So what happens to Davies? He was 1-6 with a 7.46 ERA when he exited a May 16 game because of inflammation in his right rotator cuff, but he is out of options, which means the Royals must keep him, trade him or release him.

Just a cramp

Duffy dismissed the possibility of any lingering effect from the cramp in his left calf that forced him to leave Sunday’s game with two outs in the fourth inning.

“Not at all,” he said. “I could go out and play catch right now. It grabbed me a little bit. I really didn’t expect to come out, but it was one of those things — you’ve got to err on the side of caution.”

Etc.

•Billy Butler extended his consecutive-series hitting streak by pulling an RBI double past third base in the first inning. His club-record streak now stands at 129 series.

•Jeff Francoeur and Chris Getz each stole their 10th base. It is the first time Francoeur has ever reached double figures.

•Francoeur also recorded his eighth outfield assist of the season, which ties Alex Gordon for the club lead. Cleveland right fielder Shin-Soo Choo, with nine, was the only player in either league who entered Sunday with more assists.