Royals Rumblings - News for May 17, 2023

The Royals will look to Carlos Hernández as tonight’s starter.

Daniel Lynch is starting tonight in Omaha as he continues his rehab assignment:

LHP Daniel Lynch (left rotator cuff strain)

Expected return: Late May Lynch, who has been on the 15-day injured list since Opening Day, began his rehab assignment in Double-A Northwest Arkansas on May 2 has made two starts since then with Triple-A Omaha, most recently throwing five innings on May 12. Reports were positive following that start, especially on his breaking ball and the increase in velocity. The lefty is scheduled for his fourth rehab start on May 17 with Omaha with the goal of increasing his pitch count and being more effective across his innings. The Royals are being cautious with bringing Lynch back to ensure his health, even if that means piecing together the rotation plan until he returns.

From the same link, more information about yesterday’s roster moves that sent Max Castillo down to Triple-A and brought Jackson Kowar up to the Majors.

After providing the Royals with 4 1/3 innings on Friday night and 2 1/3 innings on Monday night, Castillo was not going to be available for multiple days — and the Royals needed to get a fresh arm in an overworked bullpen. Enter Kowar, who had a 7.84 ERA across 20 2/3 innings out of the Omaha bullpen this season. This is the first season Kowar has pitched exclusively out of the bullpen in Triple-A, something the team decided he would do in Spring Training to get him more reps with his slider. The right-hander is built up to go multiple innings out of the ‘pen, but the Royals could use him for a variety of roles.

At The Athletic, a wonderful remembrance of the late Jose Lima:

A quick Jose Lima story: It’s winter ball in Mexico, and Lima has just surrendered more than a mere home run. He has given up a bomb.

Mendy Lopez watches Lima, his old friend, from the opposing dugout. Lima looks furious on the mound. He is years removed from his 20-win, All-Star season with the Astros and no longer in the big leagues. He trails the hitter around the bases like a mad man, yelling all the way to home plate.

“Holy s—,” Lopez thinks, “they’re gonna fight.”

When the bomb-masher steps into the dugout, Lopez rushes over: “What was Lima saying to you? Why didn’t you fight? Lima was aggressive!”

The guy shakes his head. “No, no,” he says. “He was just saying that that was a great bomb!”

That was Lima Time.

Clayton Kershaw pitched yesterday, just three days after his mom passed away.

The Yankees and Blue Jays series stayed spicy as Domingo German was ejected following a substance check, one night after Toronto announcers insinuated that Aaron Judge was peeking into the dugout for signs. This is the greatest umpire quote in history:

“The instant I looked at his hand, it was extremely shiny and extremely sticky,” Hoye a pool reporter after the Yankees’ 6-3 win. “It’s the stickiest hand I’ve ever felt. My fingers had a hard time coming off his palm.”

Speaking of umpires, Angel Hernandez has been largely absent this season, apparently due to a back injury.

My apologies for the light Rumblings; I was editing photos until the wee hours. Here is Nicky Lopez waving hello from the first day of his rehab assignment in Omaha:

Minda Haas Kuhlmann

And here is Johan Camargo, making his Storm Chasers debut but first stopping to hug opposing catcher Donny Sands.

Minda Haas Kuhlmann

SOTD: The Refreshments - Nada