Joseph, Smith up from Omaha; Bueno DFA'd
Royals will likely option one lefty to Triple-A with Davis to return Sunday
KANSAS CITY -- With right-hander Wade Davis set to return from family emergency leave on Sunday, the Royals are expecting one of their Saturday roster moves to be very temporary.
Left-handers Donnie Joseph and Will Smith were recalled from Triple-A Omaha, though one of them will likely return to Omaha when Davis returns. Left-handed reliever Francisley Bueno was designated for assignment and outfielder Lorenzo Cain was placed on the 15-day disabled list with an oblique strain.
Bueno pitched in just one game since being called up from Omaha on Thursday. In Friday night's 9-6 win over the Red Sox, he contributed 2 1/3 scoreless innings and got the victory.
"Bueno went 2 1/3 innings, so we brought Donnie up to give us that protection short and Will long because [the Red Sox are] a pretty good left-handed matchup team," manager Ned Yost said.
Joseph is up for the second time this season. He made his Major League debut on July 11 at Yankee Stadium and retired Vernon Wells before giving up a walk and a single. He pitched a scoreless inning the next day at Cleveland and was optioned back to Omaha. For Omaha, Joseph is 3-3 with a 3.42 ERA in 41 games with 77 strikeouts in 50 innings.
"I've wanted to play [at Kauffman Stadium] pretty bad," Joseph said. "I'm excited to be here finally. I just hope I can go in there and do my job like everyone else in this clubhouse has been doing. This team is on fire right now and everything is going great."
This is Smith's fifth move onto the Kansas City roster this season. He's previously pitched in seven games, including one start, going 1-1 with 3.26 ERA. For Omaha, he's 6-3 with a 3.03 ERA in 26 games (10 starts).
"Any way you can get up back up to the big leagues, it doesn't matter how many times," Smith said. "It's better than the Minors. You're happy to be there and see everybody."
Davis will return to the rotation after missing one start and pitch for the Royals on Monday following the death of his stepbrother.
"He's been working and been throwing," Yost said. "He's ready. He's in a pretty good frame of mind."