The Royals announced that right-hander Dan Altavilla has been designated for assignment. He was on the 60-day disabled list and on a rehab assignment, but it appears they did not want him to reclaim a spot on their 40-man roster, thus he is now in DFA limbo instead.
Altavilla, 31, signed a minor league contract with the Royals during the offseason and was added to the roster in June. He appeared for the club five times, surrendering six earned runs on five hits and three walks in 3 2/3 innings while also fracturing Mookie Betts’ hand.
The righty was then placed on the 15-day injured list with a right oblique strain before being transferred to the 60-day IL. He started rehab on August 6 and was nearing the conclusion of his 30-day maximum rehab window. Because he was out of options, the club was going to have to reinstate him on both the 40-man and active rosters, but they chose to release him instead.
Altavilla will be placed on waivers in the coming days because he is on the roster after the deadline. If he went unclaimed, he would be eligible for free agency due to his past employment and at least three years of service.
His recent major league stint with the Royals adds a modest amount of information to his career statistics. He has now tossed 119 2/3 innings with a 4.36 ERA throughout seven seasons. His 26% strikeout rate is impressive, but his 12.2% walk rate is obviously on the high side. Most of that came from 2016 to 2021, as he did not throw in the majors in 2022 or 2023, missing the majority of that time due to Tommy John surgery.
