KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kansas City Royals shortstop Adalberto Mondesi is done for the 2022 season.
The club announced Thursday that Mondesi suffered a torn ACL in his left knee during Wednesday’s game at the Chicago White Sox.
Mondesi has been placed on the 10-day Injured List retroactive to Wednesday, but he’s likely to need surgery and faces at least a six-month recovery.
He ought to be ready for spring training ahead of the 2023 season.
Mondesi, who was scuffling at the plate with a .140/.204/.140 slash line and no extra-base hits in 15 games, had started every game this season at shortstop before exiting in the sixth inning Wednesday after returning awkwardly to first base on a pickup attempt.
Nicky Lopez, who has been Kansas City’s starting second baseman this season, served as the club’s starting shortstop last season.
He and rookie third baseman Bobby Witt Jr., who was drafted and came up through the minor leagues as a shortstop, are the top candidates to replace Mondesi in the field.
The Royals recalled Emmanuel Rivera, a third baseman by trade, among four moves announced Thursday.
Kansas City also optioned right-hander Brady Singer, a 2018 first-round pick who failed to make the rotation out of spring training, to Class AAA Omaha.
Singer, who started 39 games in the previous two seasons for the Royals, has only made three relief appearances so far in 2022.
He got rocked for four runs in three innings April 10 but had pitched 2 2/3 scoreless innings over the last two appearances.
In a corresponding move, the Royals recalled outfielder Kyle Isbel from Class AAA. The move gives the club flexibility if right fielder Whit Merrifield shifts back to second base with Lopez potentially moving to shortstop.
