ATLANTA -- The Royals placed Jakob Junis on the paternity list on Wednesday and recalled fellow right-hander Jake Newberry from Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move.

Junis left the team after its last road series in Cleveland to join his wife, Brie, who gave birth to their third child, a son named Jett Boyd Junis, on Tuesday.

Junis, 26, is still expected to make his scheduled to start against the Indians on Friday at Kauffman Stadium. The paternity list requires that players miss at least one but no more than three games.

In the interim, Newberry gives the Royals an extra arm for the next two games, which could prove crucial since Thursday’s starter Mike Montgomery is still being stretched out from relief back to a starting role.

“[It gives us length] length,” manager Ned Yost said before Wednesday's series finale against the Braves. “Montgomery’s pitching tomorrow [in the series opener against the Indians]. He’s going to be at 60 pitches. Is that going to be four innings? Is that going to be three innings? I don’t know; he’s working his way back into it. I’ll have the extra arm that I’ll be able to absorb some of the residue of what we need to pick up.”

This is the third time the Royals have recalled Newberry this season. The 24-year-old entered Wednesday having has logged 21 2/3 innings with 17 strikeouts and eight walks to go with a 3.74 ERA in relief. He previously appeared with the Major League club on July 17, when he gave up a run for the first time in six appearances.

“I’m glad that I’m kind of the guy that’s on their head when they need a guy to come up and fill in a spot or whatever it is," Newberry said. "I’m proud, and I’m glad, and I hope that I continue to still be that guy that’s on their radar at all times. That’s kind of how I’ve always wanted to be. If they want a guy, well Newberry can do it.”

Worth noting

• The Royals announced that right-hander Wily Peralta cleared waivers and has elected to become a free agent. He was designated for assignment on Saturday to make room for fellow righty Josh Staumont. Peralta had a 5.80 ERA in 40 1/3 innings.

• Whit Merrifield got a nice surprise on Wednesday morning when he heard the Braves were recalling right-hander Jeremy Walker, who graduated from his alma mater of Davie County High School in North Carolina six years before him. The two work out together in the offseason, and Merrifield said he sent him a congratulatory note and bottle of whiskey.

• There was plenty of Royals family and friends on hand for the Atlanta series. Yost, who lives in the offseason at his farm in nearby Meriwether County, had over 40 guests. Flowery Branch native Brad Keller had a large contingent too, while Staumont, who has yet to make his Major League debut, had his wife and uncle, who lives near Savannah, on hand.