The Kansas City Royals on Saturday activated Brad Keller from the 60-day injured list after the right-hander recovered from a right shoulder impingement.
The Royals also placed rookie catcher Freddy Fermin on the 10-day IL because of a left middle finger fracture; placed rookie left-hander Austin Cox (left knee) on the 60-day IL; and selected the contract of catcher/outfielder Tyler Cropley from Double-A Northwest Arkansas.
Keller last pitched for the Royals on May 15, allowing three hits, eight walks and three runs (two earned) in a 4-0 loss at the San Diego Padres. He went on the 15-day IL and was transferred to the 60-day IL on Aug. 16. This season, he is 3-4 with a 4.36 ERA, 40 walks and 31 strikeouts in 43 1/3 innings over nine starts.
“It’s been a trying year for (Keller),” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “But as of late, the last three weeks or so, he’s really thrown the ball well on his rehab assignment.”
Keller, 28, is an impending free agent who has played for Kansas City his entire MLB career since 2018. He is 38-53 with a 4.25 ERA, 298 walks and 506 strikeouts in 677 innings over 148 games (114 starts).
Fermin injured his hand when his glove was clipped by Toronto’s George Springer on a catcher’s interference play in the eighth inning of the host Blue Jays’ 5-4 victory on Friday.
Fermin, 28, is batting .281 with nine home runs and 32 RBIs in 217 at-bats over 70 games.
Cox also was injured in Friday’s game while running to cover first base on Alejandro Kirk’s grounder in the seventh inning. Cox’s left knee buckled as he went to catch the throw from first baseman Salvador Perez. He was helped off the field and did not return, with his season now over.
Cox, 26, who made his major league debut in May, is 0-1 with a 4.79 ERA, 17 walks and 33 strikeouts in 35 2/3 innings over 24 games (three starts).
Cropley, 27, batted .235 with a .329 on-base percentage, .359 slugging percentage, four home runs and 17 RBIs in 145 at-bats over 43 games at Double-A.
“(Cropley) does a great job behind the plate receiving and blocking,” Quatraro said. “This will shift (first baseman Perez) back there more.”
–Field Level Media
