Maikel Garcia Injury News & Updates

Garcia went 2-for-4 with a walk, two runs and an RBI in Friday's 12-5 win over the Yankees.

Garcia recorded both of his base hits in the first inning, with the Royals plating nine runs in the opening frame to cruise to an easy win. The 23-year-old has produced three multi-hit efforts in his last seven games and is slashing .266/.314/.340 with one home run and nine stolen bases overall in the second half.

Garcia is not in the lineup for Thursday's contest in Detroit.

Garcia started each of the first two games of the series but will get a break for the finale. Nick Loftin will fill in at third base and MJ Melendez has been elevated to the leadoff spot.

Garcia isn't starting Sunday against the Astros.

Garcia will get a day off after going 7-for-22 with three runs scored over the Royals' last five games. Matt Duffy will take over at the hot corner and bat seventh while Garcia rests.

Garcia went 2-for-4 with a stolen base and a run scored in Saturday's 3-2 win over the Astros.

Garcia has gotten going again at the plate, going 12-for-39 (.308) over his last 10 games while adding three steals in that span. The third baseman is up to 23 thefts in 29 attempts this season while primarily hitting out of the leadoff spot. He's at a .275/.325/.365 slash line with 49 RBI, 56 runs scored and four home runs through 118 contests overall.

Garcia went 3-for-5 in Tuesday's 7-6 win over the Guardians.

Garcia slumped earlier in the month, but he's gone 9-for-26 (.346) over his last seven games. The infielder is now at a .276/.326/.369 slash line through 115 games, primarily serving as the Royals' leadoff hitter for over half of the campaign. He's added 22 stolen bases, four home runs, 49 RBI, 53 runs scored, 20 doubles and four triples.

Garcia went 0-for-3 with a stolen base, two walks and two runs scored in Saturday's 10-8 win over the Astros.

Garcia went hitless for the seventh time in his last nine games, but the two walks allowed him to generate some production anyway. The infielder is at a .273/.325/.368 slash line with 22 steals, four home runs, 49 RBI and 53 runs scored through 112 contests this season. While he's seen the bulk of the playing time at third base throughout the campaign, his recent struggles at the plate have opened the door for utility man Nick Loftin to earn time at the hot corner.

Garcia is not in the lineup Friday against the Astros.

Garcia has been useful in fantasy at times this season, but he is slashing just .212/.281/.294 over his last 96 plate appearances dating back to Aug. 17. Nick Loftin will start at third base for the Royals on Friday as MJ Melendez takes a turn at leadoff.

Garcia went 3-for-5 with an RBI, two runs scored and a steal in Tuesday's victory over the White Sox.

It was an encouraging effort from Garcia after he'd gone 0-for-17 in his previous five games. The 23-year-old third baseman is up to 21 steals on the year while slashing a respectable .276/.324/.371 with four homers, 51 runs scored and 49 RBI as he continues to see a consistent starting role in Kansas City.

Garcia is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game versus the White Sox.

Nick Loftin will man third base while Garcia receives a day off. Garcia is in the midst of a modest six-game hitting streak but will put that on hold.

Garcia went 3-for-4 with one double, one RBI and two runs scored in Monday's 12-1 victory over the White Sox.

Garcia extended his current hit streak to five games with his Labor Day effort. The Royals rookie has cemented himself as the everyday third baseman and leadoff hitter while displaying his contact and speed skills. Entering Monday's day, Garcia had slashed .272/.324/.326 with 11 RBI and five steals over the previous 30 days.

Garcia went 1-for-5 with a stolen base in Sunday's 7-3 loss to the Red Sox.

After starting August hot, Garcia tailed off in the second half of the month. He's gone 11-for-50 (.220) across his last 14 games, though he's hit safely in four straight contests. The infielder reached the 20-steal mark Sunday -- solid work for the rookie, though he's not running quite as much as he did in the minors. He's added a .280/.326/.375 slash line with four home runs, 47 RBI, 45 runs scored, 18 doubles and three triples through 101 contests.

Garcia is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Pirates.

Garcia is just 5-for-29 (.172) since seeing an 18-game hitting streak come to an end Aug. 17, so manager Matt Quatraro decided to give him a day to clear his head. Matt Duffy will man the hot corner in Garcia's place.

Garcia went 0-for-3 with a stolen base and one RBI in Wednesday's 4-0 win over the Athletics.

Garcia's RBI came on a sacrifice fly in the fourth inning. He's gone 3-for-11 over his last four games, and he's started three games in a row since shaking off a rib issue. The speedy infielder is up to 19 steals in 23 tries this season while adding four home runs, 43 RBI, 44 runs scored and a .283/.328/.376 slash line over 93 contests.

Garcia (ribs) is in the lineup for Monday's game against the A's.

Garcia worked as a reserve for a couple days after leaving Friday's contest with a rib issue, but he pinch hit Sunday and has been deemed ready to play a full nine innings. As he has done regularly of late, he will man the hot corner and hit leadoff Monday night.

Garcia (ribs) went 1-for-1 with a pinch-hit RBI-single in Sunday's loss to the Cubs.

Garcia entered as a pinch hitter for Matt Duffy in the ninth inning after sitting Saturday's game and notched a base hit which jumpstarted a late comeback that fell just short. The 23-year-old still should be deemed as day-to-day but could make his return to the starting lineup Monday against the Athletics.

Garcia (ribs) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cubs.

Garcia was removed from Friday's game due to costochondritis, which is inflammation near his ribs, and will be sidelined Sunday for the second straight game. It's not believed to be a serious issue, so he could rejoin the lineup in the near future. Matt Duffy will receive a turn at third base in his place Sunday in Chicago.

Garcia's recent absences have been due to costochondritis, an inflammation near his ribs, though the issue isn't believed to be serious, Joel Goldberg of Bally Sports Kansas City reports.

Garcia missed a pair of games last weekend with a vaguely defined upper-body injury, and he's been absent for the first two games of this weekend's series at Wrigley Field for the same reason. The rookie infielder is feeling better and was reportedly available off the bench Saturday, per Jaylon T. Thompson of The Kansas City Star, but he didn't wind up getting into the game in a 6-4 loss.

Garcia (upper body) will not start Saturday's game against the Cubs.

Garcia missed two games last weekend with an upper-body issue, and he left Friday's series opener with a similar problem. The Royals have yet to announce an official diagnosis, but the team has every reason to be cautious down the stretch given its 40-84 record. Matt Duffy will fill in at the hot corner Saturday.

Garcia was removed from Friday's game against the Cubs due to upper body discomfort.

Garcia dealt with something similar last weekend and missed two games. He was 0-for-2 in Friday's matinee tilt at Wrigley Field before Matt Duffy entered to replace him at third base in the bottom of the fourth inning.

Garcia (upper body) is in the lineup for Monday's game against the Mariners.

An unspecified injury prevented Garcia from playing in Kansas City's last two games, but he has recovered and is ready to return to the field. He will man the hot corner and lead off for the Royals on Monday night.

Garcia (upper body) will be on the bench for Saturday's game against the Cardinals.

Garcia left Friday's game against the Cardinals with upper-body discomfort, and he'll remain sidelined Saturday. The exact nature and severity of his injury remain unclear, but the Royals have an off day scheduled for Sunday, so he'll get at least two days to rest. Matt Duffy will handle third base in his absence.

Garcia was lifted from Friday's game versus the Cardinals due to upper body discomfort, Jaylon T. Thompson of The Kansas City Star reports.

Garcia didn't suffer an obvious injury but was replaced on defense by Matt Duffy prior to the top of the third inning. He singled twice and scored two runs out of the leadoff spot before exiting. Garcia will undergo additional testing Saturday to determine the severity of the injury.

Garcia went 1-for-5 with a walk, a stolen base and a run scored in Tuesday's 9-3 win over the Red Sox.

Garcia extended his hitting streak to 12 games, a span in which he's gone 15-for-51 (.294). He's also racked up eight strikeouts in that span, but they've come across just three of the games. The infielder had a pedestrian 7.0 percent walk rate, but his 20.4 percent strikeout rate has been fine in his contact-based approach. He's slashing .278/.322/.379 with four home runs, 18 steals, 38 RBI and 38 runs scored over 81 contests.

Garcia went 1-for-5 with one RBI, two stolen bases and one run scored in Saturday's 9-6 loss to the Phillies.

Garcia also struck out three times in the contest. He's on a nine-game hitting streak, going 12-for-37 (.324) in that span while racking up three steals, eight RBI and seven runs scored out of the leadoff spot. The infielder has a .281/.325/.387 slash line with 17 thefts, four home runs, 37 RBI and 35 runs scored through 78 contests overall.

Garcia went 3-for-4 with a run scored in Wednesday's 4-0 win over the Mets.

Garcia extended his hitting streak to six games, though this was his first multi-hit effort in that span. The infielder has also driven in at least one run in four of those games despite hitting out of the leadoff spot. He's slashing .280/.327/.391 with four home runs, 15 stolen bases, 35 RBI and 33 runs scored through 75 contests while enjoying an everyday role at third base.

Garcia went 1-for-3 with a walk, two RBI, a stolen base and a run scored in Tuesday's 7-6 extra-inning win over the Mets.

Garcia hit a solid .274 in July, and he's already off to a decent start in August. The infielder provided a sacrifice fly and an RBI single in the contest to help the Royals' offense from atop the order. For the season, Garcia is up to a .273/.321/.385 slash line with four home runs, 15 steals, 35 RBI and 32 runs scored through 74 games. He should continue to see time at leadoff while handling a near-everyday role at third base as the Royals move into prospect evaluation mode over the last two months of the campaign.

Garcia went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Monday's 5-3 win over the Guardians.

The homer was Garcia's first since July 3. In the 15 games between long balls, the infielder hit .220 (13-for-59) with three doubles, seven RBI and three runs scored. He's been solid this season, slashing .279/.329/.386 with four homers, 29 RBI, 28 runs scored and 14 stolen bases through 278 plate appearances. He's been a near-everyday player since May, and he's been the Royals' preferred leadoff hitter for most of July.

Garcia went 2-for-4 with one double and four RBI in Tuesday's 11-10 victory over Detroit.

Garcia broke out of a small slump Tuesday, tallying a pair of hits after entering the contest 3-for-26 (.115) in his last seven outings. Among the pair of hits was a two-RBI double off Beau Brieske in the sixth. With four RBI on the day, Garcia set a career high in the category.

Garcia is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Tigers, Joel Goldberg of Bally Sports Kansas City reports.

Garcia will take a seat for the first time since June 14, breaking a streak of 26 consecutive starts. The move to the bench comes after Garcia had fallen into a bit of a slump at the dish of late, as he's gone 3-for-26 over his last seven starts. Nicky Lopez will spell him at third base Monday.

Garcia went 0-for-3 with two walks and a stolen base in Thursday's 6-1 loss to the Guardians.

Garcia's six-game hitting streak came to a close, but he drew multiple walks for the second time in his last four contests. The infielder's plate discipline is solid, with an 8.3 percent walk rate and 23.0 percent strikeout rate through 55 contests. He's displayed a solid hit tool by batting .291 with a .372 BABIP, and he's added three home runs, 14 stolen bases, 21 RBI and 26 runs scored through 222 plate appearances. He's settled into the leadoff spot over the last week after spending much of June moving around the lineup.

Garcia went 2-for-3 with a solo home run and two walks in a loss to Minnesota on Monday.

Garcia batted out of the leadoff spot for the third straight game and made his presence felt immediately, launching a homer off Joe Ryan to begin the contest. The talented rookie went on to reach base three more times and finished with his fourth straight multi-hit performance. Over that stretch, Garcia has gone a scorching 11-for-15 with four runs, three RBI, two steals and just one strikeout.

Garcia went 4-for-4 with two RBI in Sunday's win over the Dodgers.

Garcia was moved up to the leadoff spot for Sunday's thrashing of the Dodgers and thrived in his new role, though oddly enough, he didn't score a run in a game the Royals put up nine. The 23-year-old now has nine hits over his last three games, and in a small sample size batting leadoff he's slashing .500/.529/.563 with three RBI and a 1:2 BB:K in 16 at-bats. It's possible Garcia could stick at leadoff since the Royals haven't gotten great production out of that spot all year. He's been mighty impressive with his bat and is now slashing .292/.340/.389 with 13 extra-base hits, 20 RBI, 23 runs and a 14:45 BB:K over 204 plate appearances.

Garcia went 3-for-4 with two stolen bases and two runs scored in Friday's 9-3 loss to the Dodgers.

Garcia hit cleanup for the third time in the last four games and looked like the Royals' best hitter Friday. It remains to be seen if he stays in the No. 4 hole or if the Royals are simply trying a different look. The speedy infielder is up to 13 steals without getting caught this season. He's also slashing .271/.323/.367 with two home runs, 18 RBI, 22 runs scored, nine doubles and a triple through 49 contests.

Garcia went 1-for-4 with an RBI and a steal in Sunday's loss to the Rays.

Garcia singled home Bobby Witt in the fourth for the Royals' only run of the afternoon and also stole his 11th base of the year before the inning was over. Garcia's exhibited his excellent speed but has also begun to prove himself as a hitter at the major league level. Over his last eight games, Garcia is slashing .387/.424/.516 with four RBI, seven runs, five steals and a 2:5 BB:K. He's been a rare bright spot for a Royals team that hasn't had much to get excited about this year.

Garcia went 2-for-4 with a walk, two runs, an RBI and three stolen bases in Thursday's 6-5 win against Tampa Bay.

Garcia reached three times and took full advantage on the basepaths, swiping multiple bags for the first time as a big-leaguer. His speed was critical in creating the game-winning run, as he stole second and third after walking to lead off the ninth and came home to score on an infield single. Garcia's acumen as a base-stealer is easy to see -- he went 39-for-47 on theft attempts in the minors last year and is a perfect 10-for-10 in the majors this season. He's been swinging a hot bat of late, going 17-for-47 (.362) with a home run, four RBI, nine runs and five steals over his past 12 games.

Garcia went 3-for-4 with a run scored in Tuesday's 1-0 win over the Tigers.

This was Garcia's second three-hit effort in a span of three days. Over his last 12 contests, he's batting .348 (16-for-46) with two stolen bases and three extra-base hits. The speedy infielder slumped a bit in early June, but he's back to solidifying a starting role at third base. He's now batting .282 with a .736 OPS, two home runs, seven steals, 16 RBI and 17 runs scored over 40 games.

Garcia went 3-for-4 with one double, two runs scored and one steal in Sunday's loss against the Angels.

Garcia swiped a bag for the second straight contest to improve his season total to seven in as many attempts. The infielder has been on a tear over his last 10 games, hitting 12-for-38 (.316) with six runs scored and a triple.

Garcia went 1-for-5 with one RBI, a stolen base and a run scored in Saturday's 10-9 win over the Angels.

Garcia went nine games without a steal before Saturday. He was a key piece of the Royals' walk-off win, delivering a game-tying RBI single, stealing second and then scoring the winning run on a Samad Taylor single. Garcia has a reasonable .254/.315/.354 slash line with a home run, 14 RBI, 13 runs scored and six steals through 37 contests, and he appears to be over his slump from earlier in June. He's seen most of his time at third base, primarily competing with Nicky Lopez for playing time.

Garcia is not in the starting lineup Wednesday versus the Reds, Joel Goldberg of Bally Sports Kansas City reports.

Garcia will take a seat after he went 1-for-8 with a walk and a strikeout while starting the first two contests of the series with Cincinnati. Nicky Lopez will take over at the hot corner and bat seventh in the series finale Wednesday.

Garcia went 0-for-2 with a walk, one RBI and a stolen base in Monday's 9-6 loss to the Marlins.

This was Garcia's third straight game with an RBI, and he's walked safely in three of his last four contests. He's had some pockets of productive hitting after a hot start to May, and he's now slashing .261/.330/.380 through 27 contests. The infielder has added a home run, five steals, 13 RBI and nine runs scored while seeing steady playing time primarily at third base.

Garcia went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Sunday's 2-0 win over the Rockies.

Garcia kicked off the bottom of the eighth with a solo blast to left off Kyle Freeland, which subsequently ended Freeland's night on the hill. The 23-year-old had eight extra base hits coming into Sunday, but none had gone for home runs. Garcia was sharp over the final two weeks of May, slashing .333/.409/.462 and has two RBI over his first two starts of June thus far.

Garcia is not in the starting lineup Friday against the Rockies.

Garcia after he went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts in the series finale with the Cardinals on Tuesday. Nicky Lopez will draw the start at the hot corner and bat eighth versus Colorado on Friday.

Garcia is not in the starting lineup Monday versus the Cardinals, Joel Goldberg of Bally Sports Kansas City reports.

Garcia will get a day off after he went 8-for-28 with three doubles, two RBI, three runs scored and two stolen bases while starting the last eight games. Nicky Lopez will replace him at third base and bat eighth in the series opener with St. Louis.

Garcia went 2-for-3 with a double, a run and a stolen base Wednesday in a loss to the Tigers.

Garcia reached base three times in the contest, adding a hit-by-pitch to his pair of base knocks. The rookie finished with his second straight multi-hit contest and his sixth such performance through 19 games this season. Garcia has provided steady production since being called up in early May, slashing .279/.346/.368 with six doubles, nine RBI, six runs and four stolen bases over 78 plate appearances.

Garcia went 3-for-4 with one RBI, one run scored and one steal in Tuesday's 4-1 victory over the Tigers.

After going 0-for-8 in his last three appearances, Garcia bounced back for a three-hit evening while also swiping his third base of the season. Since being called up from Triple-A Omaha, Garcia has slashed .262/.324/.338 in 18 games and should continue to be part of the Royals lineup moving forward given his defensive versatility. However, Garcia offers managers very little outside of his speed considering his lack of power (0.82 ISO) and position toward the tail end of a lineup that scores less than four runs per game.

Garcia is not in the Royals' lineup for Friday's game in Chicago against the White Sox.

Garcia has been the Royals' primary third baseman of late while also being mixed in at other positions, but he'll begin this contest on the bench. Hunter Dozier will cover the hot corner.

Garcia went 3-for-4 with an RBI double in Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Padres.

Garcia has bounced back from an 0-for-11 skid by racking up five hits over his last two contests, including a pair of doubles. He had a hot first week in the majors to begin May, but he's cooled off a bit since, though it's yet to cause a significant decrease in playing time. The infielder has a .264/.293/.358 slash line with no home runs, eight RBI, four runs scored, five doubles and two stolen bases through 58 plate appearances.

Garcia is out of the lineup for Wednesday's bout against the White Sox.

Garcia takes a break after going hitless in the first two games of the series against Chicago. Danny Duffy is playing third base and hitting seventh in Garcia's absence.

Garcia went 1-for-4 with a walk, an RBI and a stolen base in Saturday's 5-4 loss to the Athletics.

Garcia continues to find a place in the lineup, and he's gone 7-for-19 (.368) while hitting safely in each of his five games since he was called up from Triple-A Omaha. The natural shortstop has seen most of his playing time at third base, though he also picked up a game at shortstop. He hit fifth in Saturday's contest after staying in the bottom half of the order initially, but it's too soon to tell if he's earned a more attractive slot in the lineup. Garcia has four RBI, three runs scored, two stolen bases and two doubles through 22 plate appearances.

Garcia went 2-for-5 with a double, an RBI, a stolen base and a run scored in Thursday's 13-10 loss to the Orioles.

Garcia has started three straight games at third base after he was recalled from Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday. So far, he's provided the Royals with something they've been lacking: reliable hitting. The infielder has gone 5-for-12 with two RBI and two runs scored. He's recorded 30-plus steals across all levels in each of the last two years, so Garcia's best path to fantasy relevance is on the basepaths. He should get a shot to play regularly while Nicky Lopez recovers from appendicitis.

Garcia went 2-for-4 and scored a run in Tuesday's loss to the Orioles.

Garcia was slotted in as the Royals' eighth hitter and played third base in his Major League debut. He was one of two players to notch multiple base knocks. The 23 -year-old singled to lead off the seventh and later scored and reached again in the ninth on an infield hit. The Royals have the second-worst record in baseball and have nothing to lose, so Garcia should get an extended look in the lineup as the one of the club's top prospects.

Garcia was recalled from Triple-A Omaha by the Royals on Tuesday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Garcia hasn't hit much at Omaha this season, sporting a .242/.348/.347 slash line with one home run and four stolen bases. He's one of the Royals' best prospects, though, having put up a .285/.359/.427 line with 11 homers and 39 steals between Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Omaha in 2022. Shortstop is Garcia's customary position, but he's mostly played third base of late for Omaha, which is notable since there's a clear opening there with the big club. He could play regularly and is worth a roster spot in deeper leagues for his speed alone.

Garcia was optioned to Triple-A Omaha by the Royals on Wednesday.

Garcia was attempting to win a job with Kansas City this spring, and appeared to have a good chance based on his .355 average and .891 OPS over 32 plate appearances in the Cactus League. Instead the 23-year-old will begin the 2023 campaign with Omaha where he'll be a regular with the Storm Chasers. Garcia is ranked as one of the top prospects in the system, and will all but assuredly see action with Kansas City before the season comes to an end.

Garcia will get some reps at third base during spring games, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Manager Matt Quatraro said giving Garcia a look at the hot corner "doesn't hurt because you don't know what's going to happen during the year. Hopefully he forces us to bring him to the big leagues or make the team, and you can't be picky about where you play." Garcia was a solid contact hitter in limited time in the majors last season, batting .318 with two RBI, a double and a run scored over 23 plate appearances, He also slashed a combined .285/.359/.427 line over 118 games between Triple-A Omaha and Double-A Northwest Arkansas while adding 11 home runs, 39 stolen bases, 61 RBI and 104 runs scored. He may not break camp with the Royals, but Garcia profiles well to eventually take a run at the utility infield job that Nicky Lopez will likely occupy to begin the year.

The Royals optioned Garcia to Triple-A Omaha on Thursday.

With Kansas City welcoming Hunter Dozier (personal) back from the paternity list, Garcia will head back to the minors to play on a more regular basis. Across multiple brief stints in the big leagues this season, Garcia has gone 7-for-22 with two RBI and a run over nine games.

Garcia was recalled from Triple-A Omaha on Monday.

Garcia was sent to the minors in early August but will rejoin the major-league club to provide depth while Hunter Dozier (personal) is on the paternity list. Garcia isn't starting Monday against Minnesota.

Garcia was optioned to Triple-A Omaha on Thursday.

Garcia didn't start either of the last two games and will head back to the minors as part of a move after Nate Eaton's contract was selected from Triple-A Omaha on Thursday. Over seven games in the majors this year, Garcia has hit .350 with a double, two RBI and a run.

Garcia is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the White Sox.

Garcia went 6-for-18 with a double, two RBI and a run while starting each of the Royals' past five games at shortstop, but he'll cede his spot in the lineup to fellow rookie Bobby Witt (hand), who is back in action Tuesday. Assuming Witt experiences no further setbacks with the hand and hamstring injuries that have caused him to miss time lately, Garcia could soon be headed back to the minors to play on a regular basis.

Garcia will start at shortstop and bat ninth in Sunday's game against the Yankees.

Garcia is picking up his fourth consecutive start, but his run of regular playing time could come to an end as soon as Bobby Witt is ready to play the field again. Witt is serving as the Royals' designated hitter Sunday in his second game back from a five-game absence due to a hamstring injury, so Garcia will get another turn at shortstop in Witt's stead.

Garcia went 3-for-4 with a run scored in Friday's 11-5 loss to the Yankees.

Making his second straight start, Garcia racked up the first hits of his big-league career. The 22-year-old might head back to the minors when Bobby Witt (hamstring) gets healthy, but given how little Nicky Lopez has contributed this season, Kansas City could instead elect to keep Garcia around and get a better look at him in the second half. His .291/.369/.409 slash line through 78 games for Double-A Northwest Arkansas this year comes with 27 steals in 30 attempts, but Garcia's also shown some developing gap power with 24 doubles.

Garcia was called up from Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Thursday.

Garcia will once again jump Triple-A to join the Royals roster for the second time this year. The 22-year-old went 0-for-1 with a strikeout July 15 versus the Blue Jays and will look to get his first big-league hit while in the majors this time around. Garcia has produced a .291 average with four home runs, 33 RBI, 63 runs and 27 stolen bases over 323 at-bats in 78 games at Double-A this season.

The Royals optioned Garcia to Double-A Northwest Arkansas following Sunday's 4-2 loss to the Blue Jays.

Kansas City needed to open up space on the 26-man active roster with 10 players set to return from the restricted list in advance of the team's first game out of the All-Star break next weekend, so Garcia was a logical candidate to return to the minors. After his call-up Thursday when a wave of players were deactivated for the series in Toronto due to their vaccination statuses, Garcia appeared in only one of the Royals' four games against the Blue Jays and struck out in his lone plate appearance.

The Royals recalled Garcia from Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Thursday.

Garcia was one of several minor leaguers called up in advance of Thursday's series opener in Toronto after the Royals placed 10 players on the 26-man active roster on the restricted list in corresponding moves. With those 10 players unavailable for the entire four-game set in Canada due to their vaccination statuses, Garcia should get the chance to make his MLB debut this weekend, but he won't be included in Thursday's lineup. The 22-year-old infielder has slashed .287/.365/.397 with three home runs and 27 stolen bases across 351 plate appearances at the Double-A level this season.

The Royals plan to call up Garcia on Monday, Daniel Alvarez-Montes of El Extrabase reports.

Garcia performed well at Double-A Northwest Arkansas to begin the season, slashing .283/.362/.395 with three homers, 57 runs, 30 RBI and 27 stolen bases. Although he doesn't have experience above the Double-A level, he'll likely have a chance to carve out playing time in the Royals' infield if Whit Merrifield (toe) is forced to miss time.

The Royals optioned Garcia to Double-A Northwest Arkansas on Monday, MLB.com reports.

Garcia will move up a level to begin 2022 after he split time between Low-A Columbia and High-A Quad Cities last season. Over 244 plate appearances for the latter affiliate, the 22-year-old infielder posted a .354 on-base average and went 11-for-14 on stolen-base attempts.

Garcia was added to Kansas City's 40-man roster Friday.

The 21-year-old shortstop hit .281/.351/.396 with three home runs and 11 steals in 53 games at High-A last season. He is likely a couple years away from the majors, so this is a strong vote of confidence from the Royals.