Royals’ right-hander Kelvin Herrera will step down from the closer role, manager Ned Yost announced Friday. The shift comes as little surprise after Herrera’s implosion during the team’s 4-2 loss on Thursday; coupled with a nagging forearm strain and the Royals’ current position in the AL wild card standings, it’s a necessary, albeit temporary, move.
The 27-year-old righty hasn’t looked quite himself this year, touting career-worst numbers in nearly every category with a 4.24 ERA, 3.5 BB/9 and 9.0 SO/9 through 51 innings. The forearm tightness he experienced back in August, while a factor in his decline, still appears to be mild and may not lead to a stint on the disabled list. Although the Royals haven’t ruled out Herrera’s return to the mound this season, they’ll push forward with a closer-by-committee approach as they try to vault over the Twins, Angels, Orioles, Rangers and Rays for a wild card spot.
According to Yost, closing duties will be divided among left-hander Mike Minor and right-handers Brandon Maurer and Scott Alexander in Herrera’s absence. Minor and Alexander stick out from the bunch with sub-3.00 ERAs, while Maurer has found it difficult to adjust after a midseason trade to Kansas City, pairing a 7.02 ERA with a 4.9 BB/9 and 10.3 SO/9 over just 16 2/3 innings so far.
