On Monday afternoon, the Kansas City Royals activated right-handed reliever off the 15-day disabled list, and he made an immediate impact Monday night. Schreiber missed 18 games due to an injury to his right patella tendon. He was injured in a game against the Chicago Cubs on July 28 when he stepped awkwardly on the bag after fielding a ground ball near first base, causing his right knee to flare up.
The Royals adopted a cautious approach to Schreiber’s recuperation. The 30-year-old pitcher, who has previously contended with knee tendinitis, underwent a platelet-rich plasma injection to help treat the inflammation. “I’ve been dealing with tendinitis in my knee for a few years now,” Schreiber told the audience. “Just some basic stuff I could play with. And as I stepped on first base, my knee kind of snapped and went up.
“Being able to take a few weeks off, going through rehab, getting the injection, and everything has been great. So I’m thrilled with where I’m at.” Schreiber plays an important part in the Royals’ bullpen. He is frequently employed in high-pressure situations against aggressive right-handed batters. On Monday, he recorded his second save in the Royals’ 5-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels. He pitched a spotless ninth inning at Kauffman Stadium, retiring Brandon Drury and Mickey Moniak to put the game away.
Drury grounded into a double play, while Moniak lined out. Schreiber closed the door, and the Royals improved to 70-55. Schreiber has a 4.03 ERA in 44 major league bullpen appearances this season. In two rehab appearances with Double-A Northwest Arkansas, he allowed three runs and four hits while striking out three. The Royals optioned reliever Carlos Hernandez to Triple-A Omaha on Monday to make place for Schreiber’s return to the active roster.
“We wouldn’t be where we are today without (Schreiber’s) contributions this season,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “So it’s exciting and it’s nice to see him healthy.”It’s unfortunate that he was hurt in this way. Covering first, he gets a lot of ground balls since it is part of his game. It’s a freak injury, but we’re glad to get him back.”
Schreiber experimented with his pitching repertoire while he was out. He concentrated on commanding his sweeper to better manage its movement. His goal is to improve the pitch and use it to get consistent outs in crucial situations. “I was struggling with the command on that before,” he told me. So (the time off) provided me some time to think about it, alter my sights on that pitch, and come back with greater command.” While Schreiber was away, the Royals leaned on relievers Lucas Erceg and Kris Bubic. Hunter Harvey, the team’s right-hander, is remains out with mid-back discomfort.
Harvey, who is on the 15-day disabled list, is thought to be recovering nicely. The Royals expect him to start throwing bullpen sessions soon. “Got good news on Hunter today,” said Royals general manager J.J. Picollo. “It sounds like he is making improvement. And it would be fantastic to have all three people (Erceg, Harvey, and Schreiber) together.”
Schreiber, too, loves the proposition. He has been impressed with Erceg and Harvey since they all joined in Kansas City via separate midseason transactions. Schreiber praised Erceg for his performance against the Cincinnati Reds on Saturday. “He’s been really fun to watch,” Schreiber remarked about Erceg. “He’s been great down there, and he’s a major asset to the bullpen. It’s quite thrilling. The Royals’ bullpen performed admirably in the final four games of their recent road trip. Schreiber hopes to add to that efficacy, as he did when collecting the save on Monday evening.
“I’ve been anxious since three or four days after I went on the IL,” Schreiber told the audience. “I’ve been super anxious to get back and I’m really excited to be here.”
