Kansas City Royals
· 2026-07-03
The Kansas City Royals activated right-handed pitcher Stephen Kolek from the family emergency list, and he will start against the Tampa Bay Rays on Thursday night.
The Royals made a pair of moves ahead of Thursday's series finale, reinstating Kolek and adding catcher Luke Maile to the MLB roster.
The team had placed Kolek on the paternity list last week for the birth of his first child and added him to the family medical emergency list to spend more time with his family.
With Salvador Perez dealing with elbow soreness, the addition of Maile provides depth at the catcher position.
Maile joins the club after spending part of the 2025 season with the Royals, and his contract was selected from Triple-A Omaha.
The Royals optioned reliever Jose Cuas back to Triple-A Omaha and designated reliever Eric Cerantola for assignment to make room for Maile on the roster.
Outfielder John Rave was also optioned back to Triple-A Omaha.
The Royals are currently 15th in the American League with a 35-53 record, on a L3 streak, after losing 2-5 to the Tampa Bay Rays on July 2, 2026.
The team will look to turn things around with Kolek back on the mound and Maile behind the plate.
Kolek's start against the Rays will be his first since being reinstated from the family emergency list.
Maile's addition to the roster provides a boost to the team's catching depth.
The Royals will face the Rays again on Thursday night, looking to snap their losing streak.