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Royals News: Rotation getting thin due to positive COVID-19 tests

KANSAS CITY, MO - SEPTEMBER 15: Starting pitcher Jakob Junis #65 of the Kansas City Royals throws against the Houston Astros at Kauffman Stadium on September 15, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
KANSAS CITY, MO - SEPTEMBER 15: Starting pitcher Jakob Junis #65 of the Kansas City Royals throws against the Houston Astros at Kauffman Stadium on September 15, 2019 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) /
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Royals news includes how yet another member of the Kansas City Royals has tested positive for COVID-19 and it’s another pitcher.

Jakob Junis is the latest member of the Kansas City Royals to have tested positive for COVID-19 and is on the injured list as a result. Junis and Brad Keller were both slated to be a part of the starting rotation, but now will not be ready to go for Opening Day, giving them a thin group to choose from.

At this point, Danny Duffy and Mike Montgomery are the only locks in the rotation. Keller and Junis would have had two of the other three spots, but with them out of action for the time being, three spots opened up for the other pitchers on the roster.

This could include names like Foster Griffin, Jorge Lopez, and Glenn Sparkman, but could also include some of the prospects like Brady Singer and Jackson Kowar who have a legitimate shot to crack the rotation now.

Check out what’s trending in Royals news from around FanSided

"Some might say “Hey the cases were mild” and that’s true, but this virus has still been able to mold how the Opening Day roster is going to look. This could very well only be the beginning too, as it’s possible this virus continues to spread throughout the clubhouse and puts more players on the injured list at one point or another."

Here’s what’s trending in Royals news from around the rest of the web

Exhibition games have been taking place since Monday and 2020 Opening Day is on Thursday. That obviously doesn’t give the Royals a lot of time to get Keller and Junis up to speed, but Duffy and Montgomery will start Friday and Saturday’s game respectively. That means the Royals don’t need a third starter until Sunday.

So far, the Royals have had seven players test positive, three of whom were pitchers (Junis, Keller, and Daniel Tillo). Three others were catchers (Salvador Perez, Cam Gallagher, and Nick Dini) and the last was a position player (Ryan O’Hearn).

While it’d be great to assume this is the brunt of it, it’s hard not to think that this is only the beginning and more positive tests are to come.