Mitch Spence is back with the Kansas City Royals after the club placed Stephen Kolek on the paternity list Friday afternoon. Kolek was scheduled to start Friday night in Chicago against the White Sox, so the move forced a quick change to the pitching plan.
Kolek Leaves the Rotation
The Royals moved Kolek off the active pitching plan because he was going home for the birth of his first child. Royals.TV’s Joel Goldberg said that on Thursday, and the roster move followed on Friday afternoon before the game in Chicago.
Kolek has worked several starts for the Royals rotation this season, and his line shows why the club has leaned on him: a 4-2 record and a 4.15 ERA. Losing him for a night means the club has to replace that innings slot without changing the rest of the schedule around him.
Spence Returns From Omaha
The answer was Spence, recalled from Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move. He gives the Royals another arm for Friday night at 6:40 p.m. CT and keeps the club from having to push the rest of the staff into a different role for one game.
That call matters because the Royals were already set for White Sox in Chicago, and the change happened on the same day Kolek was supposed to take the mound. Spence does not replace Kolek’s season line, but he does fill the open spot when the rotation needed one starter on short notice.
Royals Pitching Plan
For the Royals, the practical task is simple: cover Friday night and keep the rotation intact after Kolek’s absence. His return is tied to the paternity list, and the move away from the roster is driven by a family event rather than an injury.
That leaves the immediate question in the rotation slot, not the long view. The Royals have the arm they needed for Chicago, and Spence now carries the job of bridging the gap until Kolek is ready to return.
