Overview
- The Royals placed right-hander Luinder Avila on the 15-day injured list with right forearm tightness on Sunday and used the opened roster spots to select Aaron Bummer from Triple-A Omaha and reinstate outfielder Kyle Isbel.
- Bummer signed a minor-league deal with Kansas City a few weeks after brief stops with the Cubs' Triple-A club and his release by the Atlanta Braves earlier this season.
- Kansas City will pay Bummer only the prorated league minimum while the Braves cover the remainder of his two-year contract, a split that keeps the Royals' short-term payroll hit small.
- Statistically Bummer is a ground-ball specialist with a 56.9% ground-ball rate since 2023 but he has a 5.01 ERA over that span and showed reduced velocity and control in his most recent big-league outings, so his reliability is uncertain.
- Avila is scheduled for scans after reporting forearm tightness following his start in Denver, and the Royals may rely on Bummer for lefty relief work while Avila recovers and the club evaluates bullpen needs.