Caglianone, Royals not worried after early exit with right ankle soreness

KANSAS CITY – Jac Caglianone exited Wednesday’s 9-7 win over the A’s in the fifth inning with right ankle soreness, but neither he nor the Royals seem too concerned about it keeping the outfielder down for long.

The injury is one that’s been nagging Caglianone since this past weekend in Anaheim, and he’s been managing it throughout these past few games, but it was aggravated when he hustled down the line in the first inning to beat out an infield single that extended his career-high on-base streak since Aug. 1 to 17 games.

Caglianone appeared to say something in frustration as he walked back to the bag, and the Royals monitored him as he went back out to right field to play four more innings. He took another plate appearance in the third, when he was hit in the ribs by a changeup from A’s starter Jeffrey Springs.

“Just kind of been nagging for a little bit,” Caglianone said of the ankle. “Felt it a little when I ran today, a little bit more than the last couple of days. So just trying to be cautious with it.

“... Not too worried about it, to be honest. Should be back in here pretty soon.”

When Caglianone’s spot in the order came up in the fifth, pinch-hitter John Rave stepped to the plate. Caglianone remained in the dugout for the remainder of the inning but then went inside with a Royals trainer.

Caglianone has been red-hot at the plate this month. The 23-year-old is slashing .438/.463/.750 in August, with five doubles, five home runs and 20 RBIs. Keeping him healthy and on the field is an important part of the final month-plus of the season, so the Royals will be cautious with this injury and see he feels ahead of Thursday afternoon’s series finale against the A’s.

“We’re just trying to be cautious, to be honest, because we don’t want something bigger to come up,” said manager Matt Quatraro.