Steven Cruz - MLB News, Rumors, & Updates

Shifts to restricted list The Royals transferred Cruz (personal) from the paternity list to the restricted list Sunday.

Impact After going on paternity leave Thursday, Cruz spent the maximum three days on the list. Rather than having Cruz return for the season finale Sunday versus the Guardians, the Royals instead shifted him to the restricted list, which opened up a spot on the 40-man roster for James McArthur (elbow), who was reinstated from the 60-day injured list. Cruz finished the 2026 season with a 4.30 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 65:20 K:BB in 58.2 innings and will likely be added back to the 40-man roster this offseason.

SEPTEMBER 29 • ROTOWIRE

Goes on paternity leave The Royals placed Cruz on the paternity leave list Thursday.

Impact By rule, Cruz will miss the next 1-to-3 games while welcoming a new baby, so he should be back for Sunday's season finale, at minimum. Cruz has registered three of the past four saves for the Royals, which includes his eighth save of the season in Wednesday's win over the White Sox. While Cruz is away, the Royals could turn to Nate Pearson for save chances.

SEPTEMBER 24 • ROTOWIRE

Shuts door for eighth save Cruz picked up the save Wednesday against the White Sox, striking out two and allowing one hit in a scoreless ninth inning.

Impact Cruz bounced back from the loss in his last outing to earn his eighth save of the year. The 27-year-old put down two straight White Sox before Braden Montgomery hit a single, but Cruz locked down Sam Antonacci and got him to fly out to give the Royals the 5-4 win. The righty has gotten all his saves since the All-Star break, and has pitched a 3.62 ERA with an impressive 25:2 K:BB over 27.1 innings in that time.

SEPTEMBER 24 • ROTOWIRE

Royals snap a 5-game skid with a 5-4 win over White Sox, delaying Chicago's bid for a playoff berth

Maikel Garcia had three hits and three RBIs, including a tiebreaking, run-scoring double in the seventh inning, as the Kansas City Royals beat the White Sox 5-4 and delayed Chicago...

SEPTEMBER 24 • Associated Press

Brandon Lowe's go-ahead homer in the 8th lifts the Pirates past the Royals, 6-5

Brandon Lowe hit a go-ahead two-run homer in the eighth to lift the Pittsburgh Pirates to a 6-5 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night

SEPTEMBER 20 • Associated Press

Secures save at Fenway Park Cruz earned the save in Friday's 3-2 win over Boston, striking out one batter in a scoreless ninth inning.

Impact With Nate Pearson holding firm in the eighth inning, the Royals turned to Cruz to close things out in the ninth, with the latter promptly doing so in only 10 pitches (six strikes) and ending the frame by striking out Roman Anthony. It was the seventh save of the season for Cruz, all of which have come since the All-Star break, and the 27-year-old right-hander has a 4.04 ERA and 1.24 WHIP across 55.2 innings this season.

SEPTEMBER 12 • ROTOWIRE

Carter Jensen has a 2-run double in the Royals' 3-2 victory over the Red Sox

Carter Jenson had a two-run double, Salvador Perez added an RBI and the Kansas City Royals beat the Boston Red Sox 3-2

SEPTEMBER 12 • Associated Press

Earns sixth save Cruz earned the save in Friday's 3-0 win over the Guardians, allowing two hits and no walks while striking out two in a scoreless ninth inning.

Impact Cruz finished off an eight-inning gem by Michael Wacha despite allowing two singles and hitting a batter. The 27-year-old secured his first save July 22 and has gone a perfect 6-for-6 in the ninth inning since then despite owning a 4.08 ERA over 17 games during that span. On the season, he owns five holds and six saves to go along with a 4.35 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and 56:19 K:BB across 51.2 innings.

AUGUST 29 • ROTOWIRE

Michael Wacha dominates for 8 innings as Royals blank Guardians 3-0 for their 11th win in 12 games

Michael Wacha dominated Cleveland’s lineup by allowing just four singles over eight innings as the Kansas City Royals stayed scorching hot with a 3-0 win, ending the Guardians’ win...

AUGUST 29 • Associated Press

Loftin and Rave HRs, Isbel's 3 RBIs help Royals win 8th straight game, 11-7 over Tigers

Nick Loftin and John Rave homered, Kyle Isbel drove in three runs and the Kansas City Royals extended their winning streak to eight games with an 11-7 victory over the Detroit Tige...

AUGUST 23 • Associated Press

Royals use 3 solo homers to power past Tigers 5-2 for a sixth straight win

The Kansas City Royals powered past the Detroit Tigers 5-2 for their sixth straight win

AUGUST 22 • Associated Press

John Rave hits bases-clearing double in 7-run 8th and Royals beat Athletics 9-7

John Rave hit a tiebreaking, bases-clearing double during a seven-run eighth inning, and the Kansas City Royals rallied past the Athletics 9-7

AUGUST 20 • Associated Press

Locks down fifth save Cruz threw a clean ninth inning to secure the save Monday against the Athletics.

Impact Cruz continues to establish himself as Kansas City's favorite for saves. The right-hander has successfully converted each of his last five save chances, with each coming since July 22, and he's been scored upon just five times in his last 24 outings. Cruz, who has a 4.08 ERA, 1.19 WHIP and 51:18 K:BB over 46.1 innings, should serve as the Royals' closer while the club continues to wait and see if Carlos Estevez (shoulder) will return this season.

AUGUST 18 • ROTOWIRE

Bobby Witt Jr. homers and scores 4 runs in the Royals' 9-5 win over the Athletics

Bobby Witt Jr. had a two-run homer, an RBI double and scored four times, leading the Kansas City Royals to a 9-5 victory over the Athletics on Monday night

AUGUST 18 • Associated Press

Secures fourth save Cruz earned the save in Friday's 7-6 win over the Angels, allowing one hit and no walks with one strikeout in a scoreless ninth inning.

Impact Cruz was called on with a one-run lead in the ninth inning and closed things out on 12 pitches. The 27-year-old has converted each of his four save chances since the All-Star break, posting a 2.57 ERA over 14 appearances during that span. On the year, he's tallied four saves and four holds to go along with a 4.17 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and 51:18 K:BB across 45.1 innings.

AUGUST 15 • ROTOWIRE

Royals beat the Angels 7-6 to snap 4-game losing streak

Jac Caglianone homered and drove in five runs on a three-hit night, Michael Massey also homered and had three hits and the Kansas City Royals beat the Los Angeles Angels 7-6 on Fri...

AUGUST 15 • Associated Press

Max Muncy's 10th-inning single lifts the Dodgers past the Royals 5-4

Max Muncy singled in Shohei Ohtani, lifting the Los Angeles Dodgers over the Kansas City Royals 5-4 in 10 innings

AUGUST 12 • Associated Press

Slams door for third save Cruz secured the save Wednesday against the Twins, throwing a clean ninth inning. He struck out one.

Impact With Alex Lange having surrendered 16 runs over his past 10 outings, Cruz is making inroads on claiming a larger share of the Royals' save opportunities going forward. Over 28 innings since the beginning of June, Cruz boasts a 2.25 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and 28:6 K:BB. Each of the right-hander's three saves on the season have come since July 22 as well, making Cruz someone to consider for fantasy managers in need of saves while Kansas City continues to wait on Carlos Estevez (shoulder) to get healthy.

AUGUST 6 • ROTOWIRE

Massey leads off 7th with go-ahead HR, Cameron has 9 Ks as Royals beat Twins 2-1

Michael Massey led off the seventh inning with a go-ahead home run, Noah Cameron had nine strikeouts in eight innings of one-run ball and the Kansas City Royals beat the Minnesota...

AUGUST 6 • Associated Press

Steps up for second save Cruz secured the save Sunday against the Tigers, allowing no runs on one hit and one walk in the ninth inning. He struck out two.

Impact Closer Alex Lange was presumably getting Sunday off after picking up the save Saturday against Detroit, allowing Cruz to attain his second save of the season. Cruz does have his two saves for the season in his past three appearances, so he at least appears to have worked his way into Kansas City's high-leverage mix along with Lucas Erceg. Matt Strahm and Daniel Lynch. Through 37 innings, Cruz has a 4.62 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and 45:17 K:BB.

JULY 26 • ROTOWIRE

Michael Massey's 2-run, 2-out homer in 8th helps Royals beat Tigers 5-4 for 2nd straight win

Michael Massey hit a go-ahead, two-run homer with two outs in the eighth inning and the Kansas City Royals held on to beat the Detroit Tigers 5-4

JULY 26 • Associated Press

Outman has 3-run homer and Dingler the go-ahead RBI to lift surging Tigers to 4-3 win over Royals

James Outman hit a three-run homer in the seventh inning, Dillon Dingler had a tiebreaking double in the eighth and the surging Detroit Tigers held on to beat the Kansas City Royal...

JULY 24 • Associated Press

Snags first career save Cruz struck out one and served up a solo home run in the ninth inning Wednesday to record his first career save in a 5-4 win over the Giants.

Impact With Alex Lange having worked the prior two days, Cruz got the call in the ninth and got the job done, although he was taken deep by Casey Schmitt to make things interesting. Cruz has been scored upon just twice in his last 13 appearances, both times on solo shots, and over that stretch the right-hander has a 1.38 ERA, 0.69 WHIP and 12:3 K:BB in 13 innings.

JULY 23 • ROTOWIRE

Salvador Perez ties the franchise home run record with his 317th as the Royals beat the Giants 5-4

Salvador Perez tied the franchise home run record and Lane Thomas hit a tiebreaking, two-run single in the seventh to lift the Kansas City Royals to a 5-4 victory over the San Fran...

JULY 22 • Associated Press

Dobnak, grateful to be in Majors again, spins stellar outing in relief NEW YORK -- It was a bullpen game for the Royals on Wednesday night as they faced the Mets at Citi Field. It started with right-hander Steve...

JULY 9 • MLB.COM

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