By MATT PIKE
With injuries continuing to pile up on the Kansas City Royals pitching staff, the Royals have traded with the Houston Astros to add more pitching depth to their team.
The Royals have acquired right-handed pitcher Nate Pearson from the Houston Astros for minor league right-handed pitcher Max Martin after Pearson was designated for assignment on Sunday. To make room for Pearson on the 40-man roster, outfielder Kameron Misner has been designated for assignment.
After starting the season in the injured list, Pearson made his season debut on May 20th. In 16 relief appearances with the Astros, he went 1-0 with one save and a 3.60 ERA. Pearson has pitched in parts of six seasons in the Majors, including 2020-21 and 2023-24 with Toronto, 2024-25 with the Cubs and 2026 with Houston. He was selected by Toronto in the first round of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of the College of Central Florida.
Martin was selected by Kansas City in the 10th round of the 2025 First-Year Player Draft. In 26 relief appearances this season between Single-A Columbia and High-A Quad Cities, he was 6-2 with two saves and a 2.01 ERA.
There was also some injury news out of Kansas City as the Royals placed two players on the injured list.
Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr was placed on the 10 Day injured list with lower back tightness. Starting pitcher Stephen Kolek was transferred to the 60 day injured list, after being placed on the 15 Day IL on Sunday with a right flexor strain. Witt played the first four innings Monday and recorded two plate appearances, striking out looking in the first inning and working a walk in the third inning.
He would have been due up first in the bottom of the fifth inning, but Nick Loftin jogged out to shortstop for the top of the frame instead. Manager Matt Quatraro said it wasn’t a specific play that Witt felt the tightness, more just a progression throughout the early part of the game that necessitated his exit. Witt has played through some back tightness before in his career. He also has battled right knee injuries this season, including a Grade 1 MCL sprain at the end of June.
Kolek made a rehab start with Triple-A Omaha on Saturday with the hope of returning to Kansas City as soon as this week. Instead, he exited the outing early with the right flexor strain injury. Kolek was in Omaha pitching for the first time on Saturday since being reinstated from the restricted list/family medical leave after the birth of his daughter.
In a corresponding move, the Royals selected the contract of infielder Andrew Velazquez from Triple-A Omaha. The Royals signed Velazquez to a minor league contract last month. Velazquez has played in parts of six MLB seasons with the Rays, Guardians, Orioles, Yankees, and Angels, hitting .189/.244/.293 in 275 games. He last played in the big leagues in 2023, appearing in 54 games with the Angels. He began this year in the Diamondbacks organization, and was hitting .259/.328/.315 in 18 games with Omaha.
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