Royals outfielder Jarrod Dyson strained his right oblique muscle Wednesday and the team announced today that he’s expected to miss six weeks with a Grade 2 strain.
That puts his status for Opening Day very much in doubt, which is a tough break for Dyson given that the Royals decided not to pursue veteran corner outfielders in order to give him an extended opportunity to be an everyday player after years as a part-timer.
Now he’ll likely begin the season on the disabled list and Dyson’s injury opens the door for guys like Paolo Orlando and Travis Snider to claim significant playing time. It’s also possible that the Royals will dip into the minors for a right fielder fill-in like Brett Eibner if they think Dyson’s recovery timetable may drag on.
Dyson, who logged 290 plate appearances last season while Alex Rios served as the Royals’ starting right fielder, is a 30-year-old career .255 hitter with a .664 OPS who adds tons of value defensively and on the bases.
