Royals’ Carlos Estevez sees lights at end of injury return tunnel

Story by

Dan Fappiano, ClutchPoints

Tue, Apr 14, 2026 ·

1 min read

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Kansas City Royals closer Carlos Estevez pitched one third of an inning before an injury shut him down . But barring anything unforeseen, there’s a chance the closer is back on the mound sooner rather than later.

General manager JJ Picollo told reports that Estevez is hoping to start a rehab assignment over the next five days, via Cody Tapp of 96.5 The Fan. Once that rehab assignment begins, the Royals can then put forth a realistic timeline for him to return.

Estevez got hit by a comebacker on his foot in his first appearance of the season. He has been on the injured list ever since. The fact he feels he is nearly ready for a rehab assignment is a good sign. Still, the Royals will be keeping close tabs on their closer as he prepares to make his full return. This early in the season, the last thing Kansas City wants is to risk re-injury.

When Estevez does return though, the Royals know they’ll be adding a pivotal weapon back into their bullpen. In his first season with the Royals, he lead MLB with 42 saves while putting up a 2.45 ERA and a 54/22 K/BB ratio. Estevez earned the second All-Star nomination of his career.

Early on in the 2026 campaign, the Royals’ bullpen ranks 27th in ERA with a mark of 5.47. Adding Estevez back into the mix gives Kansas City a veteran option they can trust.

But first he must get past his foot injury. If he is able to start a rehab assignment within the next five days, Estevez’s path back to the majors will be much quicker.