Royals Pitchers Stephen Kolek and Luinder Avila to Undergo Tommy John Surgery

Kansas City Royals pitchers Stephen Kolek and Luinder Avila will undergo Tommy John surgery, as announced by manager Matt Quatraro. The procedures are scheduled for tomorrow, and both players are expected to miss the rest of this season and likely all of 2027.

Kolek, 29, has been a reliable ground-ball pitcher, having joined the Royals from the Padres in a trade last year. He has pitched 213 1/3 innings with a 4.13 earned run average. He was recently placed on the 60-day injured list due to a flexor strain. Avila, 24, who has a 4.82 ERA over 84 innings in the majors, was placed on the injured list just two days ago with right forearm tightness.

The Royals have faced significant challenges with their pitching rotation this season, losing multiple players to injuries. With Kolek and Avila's upcoming surgeries, the team will need to address their rotation depth as they aim for a return to competitiveness in 2027.