The Royals have placed right-hander Hunter Harvey on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to August 7, due to mid-back tightness. To fill his spot, the team has called up right-hander Carlos Hernandez from Triple-A.
Harvey, who has been unavailable since August 4 due to this back issue, will benefit from the full three days of backdated IL placement, extending his time on the shelf. The Royals had hoped that rest would resolve the problem without needing an IL stint, but this setback adds to a rocky start for Harvey in Kansas City.
Acquired from the Nationals just under a month ago, Harvey came at a significant cost to the Royals, who traded notable infield prospect Cayden Wallace and the 39th overall pick in the 2024 draft to secure him. The team anticipated that Harvey would strengthen their bullpen, but he has struggled so far, recording a 6.35 ERA in 5 2/3 innings across four appearances, with four walks and five strikeouts.
These numbers contrast sharply with the 4.20 ERA, 26.3% strikeout rate, and 6.3% walk rate Harvey posted in 45 innings for Washington before the trade. Although the small sample size and a high .389 BABIP with the Royals must be considered, Harvey’s performance metrics with the Nationals suggested he pitched better than his ERA indicated. However, he has a 48.3% hard-hit ball rate, one of the lowest in the league.
The persistent hard contact and possible back issues may have contributed to Harvey’s struggles. Despite a history of arm injuries rather than back problems, the hope is that a 15-day IL stint will address the issue.
Harvey’s injury adds to the Royals’ bullpen woes, with John Schreiber and Dan Altavilla expected to return by late August and Josh Taylor potentially coming back in September. The absence of Harvey intensifies the pressure on James McArthur and recent addition Lucas Erceg to handle high-leverage situations as the Royals aim to improve their bullpen performance and push for a playoff spot.
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