Royals Activate Adalberto Mondesi From Injured List, Set to Make Season Debut Tonight
The Kansas City Royals have announced they have activated shortstop Adalberto Mondesi from the injured list and he is set to make his season debut tonight against the Tampa Bay Rays.
Anne Rogers of MLB.com reported Mondesi was with the team in Tampa Bay and was ready to be activated. The 25-year-old went through defensive work and warmups with the team prior to the lineup release.
INF Adalberto Mondesi has been returned from his rehab assignment and reinstated from the IL. #Royals
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) May 25, 2021
Mondesi has yet to play for Kansas City this season as he started the year on the injured list. In a shortened 2020 season, Mondesi slashed .256/.294/.416 with a .710 OPS in 59 games. Mondesi led the league in stolen bases last year with 24. The shortstop also had 11 home runs and 22 RBIs in 2020.
Against the Rays tonight, Mondesi will play shortstop and bat seventh in the order. Today's move comes as no surprise as the Royals had recently been optimistic about Mondesi's recovery from an oblique injury.
How excited are you #Royals fans to have Mondesi back?
— Danielle Bradford (@dsoxyyy) May 25, 2021
The Royals also dropped a hint to the return of Mondesi with their moves on Monday. Kansas City optioned right-handed pitcher Jake Newberry to Triple-A Omaha and moved infielder/outfielder Huner Dozier from the seven-day injured list to the 10-day injured list.
We have made the following roster moves. #Royals pic.twitter.com/h3TOsvvFIR
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) May 24, 2021
The team didn't immediately announce a counter move to Newberry's departure. The 26-year-old righty hasn't made an appearance for the Royals since May 4 in Kansas City's 13-4 loss to the Minnesota Twins. This season, Newberry has allowed eight runs on 10 hits in three innings pitched in relief.
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Tucker D. Franklin is an alumnus of Northwest Missouri State University, majoring in sports media and graduating in 2019. Tucker was previously the sports editor for The Maryville Forum and is now the editor-in-chief of Inside the Royals as well as the deputy editor for Arrowhead Report on SI.com and the host of the Roughing the Kicker Chiefs podcast. Follow Tucker on Twitter @tuckerdfranklin.