Royals place reliever Taylor Clarke on injured list. Here is who could fill his role
The Kansas City Royals placed reliever Taylor Clarke on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to August 3) with right elbow inflammation.
Clarke, 30, has posted a 4.97 ERA this season. In July, Clarke allowed 15 hits and 13 runs in 10 ⅓ innings of work.
“He’s got some elbow inflammation and something he’s been trying to battle through,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “In this case, we think it’s better for him to let it calm down a little bit.”
The Royals recalled reliever James McArthur from Triple-A Omaha. He will slide into the bullpen and provide additional depth for the team.
Clarke looked to rebound from his recent struggles. He allowed six runs and four walks in his last seven appearances. Opponents own a .380 average and six extra-base hits against his four-seam fastball.
The heater has also led to a lot of contact. Batters have turned in a 56.1% hard-hit percentage when facing the pitch, per Statcast.
“I am just trying to go back and look at what we were doing before,” Clarke told reporters last month. “I think the toughest part is just that everything is the same.”
The Royals plan to give Clarke a couple of days to rest. They will evaluate his progress as he manages the inflammation.
“Nobody feels great in August,” Quatraro said. “He has been trying to deal with this and pitch with it.”
The Royals will look for several guys to fill Clarke’s role. KC could turn to McArthur, Dylan Coleman, Jonathan Heasley and Austin Cox for increased opportunities in high-leverage situations.
Carlos Hernandez also has taken on added bullpen responsibilities following the Scott Barlow trade, though he was already a fixture.
Quatraro reiterated that Clarke holds a key role. He is hopeful the IL stint will help him return in short order.
“He’s somebody that takes the ball,” Quatraro said. “He’s been going out there in high-leverage for a lot of the year. This is something that has been bugging him a little bit. It’s better for him to have a couple of days to get rid of it.”
McArthur allowed seven earned runs in his lone MLB appearance this season. However, he owns a 4.28 ERA in 19 appearances with Triple-A Omaha. He has recorded 47 strikeouts 33 2/3 innings.
KC also claimed reliever Joe Barlow off waivers. He will report to Triple-A Omaha and last pitched with the Texas Rangers.
