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Kansas City Royals Get Tough News on Key Reliever as Playoffs Loom

As the Kansas City Royals look to wrap up their first playoff berth since 2015, they've gotten some tough news on reliever James McArthur.

Brady Farkas

Kansas City Royals pitcher James McArthur (66) celebrates with catcher Freddy Fermin (34) after defeating the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Aug 2.
Kansas City Royals pitcher James McArthur (66) celebrates with catcher Freddy Fermin (34) after defeating the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Aug 2. / Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
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The Kansas City Royals are on the verge of wrapping up their first playoff berth since 2015, but they've gotten some tough injury news on key reliever James McArthur.

Per Anne Rogers of MLB.com:

James McArthur has a Grade 1 UCL sprain. He’ll be shut down for the next 5-7 days but Matt Quatraro says they’re hopeful it’s “not a season ending injury.”

Michael Lorenzen, Will Smith are both scheduled for live BP on Saturday provided they face no setbacks next few days.

A Grade 1 sprain is probably the best news that can be expected for McArthur, but it still means he'll miss the rest of the regular season. The Royals (assuming they make the playoffs) will be playing a wild card playoff matchup, so there's not much time to get him ready for the playoffs, either.

The 27-year-old reliever has been a big part of the Royals success this season, registering 18 saves. He does have a high 4.92 ERA but as the playoffs loom, you need all the leverage arms that you can get.

The Royals enter play on Tuesday in the second wild card spot in the American League and seem likely to stay in that position.

They are taking on the Detroit Tigers in a big series at Kauffman Stadium. The Tigers took game one of the series and are now just 1.5 games back of the third and final wild card spot.

Cole Ragans takes the ball for KC in game two against former No. 1 overall pick Casey Mize.

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Brady Farkas
BRADY FARKAS

Brady Farkas is a baseball writer for Fastball on Sports Illustrated/FanNation and the host of 'The Payoff Pitch' podcast which can be found on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. Videos on baseball also posted to YouTube. Brady has spent nearly a decade in sports talk radio and is a graduate of Oswego State University. You can follow him on Twitter @WDEVRadioBrady. 

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