The Kansas City Royals were swept by the New York Yankees earlier this week and now the team has dropped the first two games of a four-game series against the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers to fall to 8-13 on the season. Adding injury to insult, reliever Lucas Erceg was forced to leave Friday’s contest after taking a comebacker off his foot.

Erceg made a rare appearance in a game the Royals were trailing, taking the mound in the bottom of the seventh with Kansas City down 5-1. After retiring the first two batters, Erceg was struck by a 109.1 mph liner off the bat of Riley Greene. He fell to the ground in pain before eventually being helped to the dugout by manager Matt Quatraro.

Erceg left the game with a left foot contusion. Fortunately, X-rays were negative, according to Royals reporter Anne Rogers on X. The team will continue to monitor Erceg but it appears the third-year reliever avoided a serious injury.

The Royals’ bullpen is suddenly banged up

Apr 7, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals pitcher Lucas Erceg (60) pitches during the ninth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Kauffman Stadium.
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Kansas City would go on to lose the game 7-3 and the team is now 4.5 games behind the Tigers in the division. It was the Royals' fifth straight loss as they’ve gone just 1-7 to start their current road trip, which began on April 11.

The Royals’ bullpen was already operating at a disadvantage after losing reliever Hunter Harvey last week. The veteran righty landed on the 15-day injured list with a Grade 1 right teres major strain. Kansas City’s bullpen had begun the season as a strength for the team with Harvey, Erceg and Carlos Esteves forming a formidable late-game trio. Now the group is banged up as the rest of the team remains in a major slump.

Erceg is in his second season with Kansas City after the Royals landed him in a trade at the deadline with the Athletics. In 2024, he produced a 2.88 ERA, 0.840 WHIP and 31 strikeouts in 25 innings after joining KC in July.

Erceg went on to earn three saves in five postseason appearances for the Royals last year as the team defeated the Baltimore Orioles in the ALWC before losing to the Yankees in the Division Series.