Kansas City Royals’ Brad Keller shares insight on shoulder injury and KC season outlook
Right-hander Brad Keller wasn’t surprised when he was placed on the 15-day injured list Friday by the Royals.
Keller lasted just 3 2/3 innings in Monday’s start at San Diego, walking a season-high eight batters and throwing just 39 of 94 pitches for strikes.
“I kind of knew,” Keller said of a possible IL stint. “They kind of mentioned it right after the game. I haven’t been feeling great for quite a while now and just trying to push through it and that last game it just tightened up on me a lot more than I anticipated. So they were kind of like it would be a good time to get things right.”
The Royals announced Keller has right-shoulder impingement syndrome. Manager Matt Quatraro called it shoulder fatigue.
Keller said it was a little of both.
“It’s in the back of my shoulder and it gets really pinchy and I feel like maybe the impingement causes the weakness in it,” Keller said. “So it’s kind of like a little bit of both.”
The Royals will return to Kansas City Sunday night and Keller will undergo an MRI on Monday to determine if there is any damage.
Keller said he’s been dealing with the injury for a while, but the shoulder didn’t loosen up as quickly after his last start. Keller skipped a bullpen session Wednesday and hasn’t thrown since Monday.
The rest has helped, but Keller is eager to see the scan results
“Get in there, get a picture and see what we’re actually working with,” Keller said. “The symptoms have been better, but like I said I haven’t really thrown or anything so it’s not like I can know for sure how much better. So taking these days off getting right, getting a scan, kind of get to the root cause and go from there.”
Once he has an answer for what’s causing the issue, Keller is eager to turn the page on this season. He has a 4.36 ERA with 40 walks in 43 1/3 innings.
“I’m gonna try and get healthy,” Keller said, “and finish the year out right.”
Garrett returns
Royals pitcher Amir Garrett returned from the family medical emergency list ahead of Saturday’s game at Guaranteed Rate Field in Chicago. Jackson Kowar was sent back to Triple-A Omaha.
Kowar threw 2 1/3 scoreless innings in Friday’s 2-0 loss to the White Sox.
