Kansas City recalled Kowar from Triple-A Omaha on Friday.
The 26-year-old right-hander will replace Amir Garrett, who is headed to the 15-day injured list with a left elbow injury. A former top prospect, Kowar projects to operate in long relief as he joins the Royals' major-league roster for the second time this season.
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Royals' Jackson Kowar: Sent back to Omaha
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Kowar was optioned to Triple-A Omaha on Saturday.
Kowar was called up Tuesday and tossed 2.1 scoreless innings while walking two batters and striking out three in Friday's 2-0 loss to the White Sox. With Amir Garrett (personal) being reinstated from the family emergency list Saturday, Kowar will head back to Triple-A. The right-hander could earn another call-up later this summer if a bullpen arm goes down for Kansas City.
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Royals' Jackson Kowar: Recalled from Triple-A
Rotowire
The Royals recalled Kowar from Triple-A Omaha on Tuesday.
Kowar holds a 7.84 ERA and 2.13 WHIP through 20.2 innings across 13 appearances in Omaha this season. His struggles are nothing new, as he hasn't maintained an ERA below 6.00 at any level since 2021. He has a knack for striking batters out at an above-average rate, but Kowar still holds virtually no fantasy value. Max Castillo was optioned to Omaha in a corresponding move.
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Royals' Jackson Kowar: Role is undecided
Rotowire
Kowar's role moving forward has yet to be determined by the Royals, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Kowar was part of the Royals' camp cuts Wednesday and the team is still deciding whether to deploy him as a starter or reliever. The first-round pick will stay stretched out this spring, but it's possible the organization ultimately determines he's best suited as a reliever. Kowar, 26, has struggled in both roles in the majors so far with a 9.16 ERA as a reliever and an even uglier 11.85 mark as a starter.
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Royals' Jackson Kowar: Optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
Kowar was optioned to Triple-A Omaha on Saturday.
Kowar was called up Wednesday, and he gave up two runs on two hits and two walks while failing to strike out a batter in one-third of an inning during Friday's game against the Yankees. He'll head back to the minors after Jonathan Heasley (shoulder) was reinstated from the 15-day injured list.
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Royals' Jackson Kowar: Called up Wednesday
Rotowire
Kowar was called up from Triple-A Omaha on Wednesday.
Kowar will return to the Royals just one day after being sent down to Omaha. He'll replace Angel Zerpa (knee) on the active roster after the latter was placed on the 15-day injured list Wednesday. Kowar has produced a 8.80 ERA over 15.1 innings in six appearances with Kansas City this year.
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Royals' Jackson Kowar: Struggles in long relief
Rotowire
Kowar allowed five runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out three over 2.2 innings during Saturday's 13-1 loss to the Guardians.
Jonathan Heasley was blitzed in the first two innings, and Kowar didn't do much better, though he recorded the most outs of any Royals pitcher in the contest. With eight runs, 12 hits and eight walks in 10 innings across four appearances since his June 26 recall from Triple-A Omaha, Kowar hasn't looked very effective against major-league hitters. Daniel Lynch (finger) is expected to return from the injured list Monday, and it figures one of Heasley, Kowar or Kris Bubic is most likely to be headed back to Omaha to make room for him.
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Royals' Jackson Kowar: Optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
Kowar was optioned to Triple-A Omaha on Monday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Kowar got lit up for seven runs after entering out of the bullpen during Sunday's 17-3 loss to the Guardians, giving up 11 hits and walking one while striking out four over 3.1 innings. Manager Mike Matheny said that the 25-year-old will be a part of the starting rotation with Triple-A Omaha moving forward. In a corresponding move, Joel Payamps will rejoin the big-league club following an absence due to a family emergency.
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Royals' Jackson Kowar: On Opening Day roster
Rotowire
Kowar was awarded a spot on the Opening Day roster Tuesday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
The first-round pick from 2018 got his first taste of big-league action last season, but he struggled with an 11.27 ERA and 2.08 WHIP across nine appearances spanning 30.1 innings. He didn't have the best spring either, allowing four runs on eight hits and three walks through seven innings. Kowar will be able to log multi-inning assignments, though with Carlos Hernandez in the rotation, it's expected Kowar will operate out of the bullpen to begin the year.
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Royals' Jackson Kowar: Charged with loss in season finale
Rotowire
Kowar (0-6) allowed five runs on five hits and a walk while striking out six in four innings to take the loss against the Twins on Sunday.
Kowar gave up four runs in the top of the first inning before recording an out, but he settled down later in his outing and retired nine consecutive batters across the next three innings. However, he was forced to finish the season with his fourth loss in his last five appearances. The right-hander made nine appearances (eight starts) during his first major-league season and recorded an 11.27 ERA and 2.08 WHIP in 30.1 innings.
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Royals' Jackson Kowar: Struggles Monday
Rotowire
Kowar (0-5) got the loss after pitching 4.1 innings, giving up five runs on seven hits and walking one while striking out four versus Cleveland on Monday.
The right-hander was hit early, surrendering four runs in the first three innings including an Amed Rosario solo home run in the bottom of the third. It was the fourth straight outing for Kowar in which he gave up at least five runs. Since Sept. 7, he has thrown 15.1 innings while allowing 21 runs, good (or bad) for a 12.33 ERA. He'll look for his elusive first win in the season finale against the Twins on Sunday.
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Royals' Jackson Kowar: Hit hard again Sunday
Rotowire
Kowar (0-4) allowed five runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out three over four innings as he took the loss against the Mariners on Sunday.
Kowar was knocked around again in what was his third straight start allowing five runs or more. He gave up two in the first on a double from Jarred Kelenic, another in the second and two more in the third on a pair of solo home runs. His success in the minors has certainly not translated over to the big leagues just yet. The 24-year-old righty now owns an 11.45 ERA, 2.23 WHIP and 19:18 K:BB over 22 innings. He should be avoided in lineups at all costs for the remainder of the season.
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Royals' Jackson Kowar: Lasts one inning Tuesday
Rotowire
Kowar didn't factor into the decision Tuesday against Oakland after allowing five runs on three hits and four walks across one inning, fanning one. He also tossed a wild pitch.
It's not a secret that Kowar has struggled mightily in his first big-league campaign, but this one could go down easily as his worst start to date. The fact that he hasn't been able to complete two full innings in three of his six appearances is concerning, but so is the fact that he has allowed at least four runs in four of those six starts. With those numbers, the fact that he owns an 11.50 ERA with a 2.17 WHIP and a 7.5 BB/9 through 18 big-league innings shouldn't be surprising.
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Royals' Jackson Kowar: Thumped by Orioles
Rotowire
Kowar (0-3) took the loss Tuesday, coughing up six runs on five hits and three walks over six innings as the Royals fell 7-3 to the Orioles. He struck out seven.
The strikeouts were a silver lining on an otherwise stormy performance, as Kowar got taken deep by DJ Stewart in the first inning and Austin Hays in the third to account for most of the damage off him. The 24-year-old has lasted six innings in each of his last two starts, but his 9.53 ERA, 1.94 WHIP and 15:12 K:BB through his first 17 big-league innings makes Kowar impossible to trust in fantasy lineups.
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Royals' Jackson Kowar: Picks up another start
Rotowire
Kowar will draw a second straight turn through the Kansas City rotation in Tuesday's game at Baltimore, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
After joining Kansas City when the roster expanded from 26 to 28 men, Kowar slotted back into the team's rotation. He delivered a quality start Sept. 1 in a no-decision versus Cleveland, striking out six over six innings while giving up two runs on five hits and three walks. The Royals will reward Kowar with another start as a result, and he should hold down a spot in the team's six-man rotation until one of Brad Keller (lat) or Jakob Junis (shoulder) returns from the injured list.
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Royals' Jackson Kowar: Posts best start of young career
Rotowire
Kowar did not factor in the decision against Cleveland on Wednesday, pitching six innings and allowing two earned runs on four hits and three walks while striking out six.
The rookie right-hander posted an ugly 18.00 ERA across three outings earlier this season, but he looked like a different pitcher after being called up to start Wednesday. Kowar allowed only two hits through four scoreless innings before a two-out error led to a pair of fifth-inning runs, but he bounced back with a scoreless sixth frame, retiring his final two batters of the night via strikeout. The strong performance could earn Kowar another turn in the rotation, a scenario made more likely with Jakob Junis (shoulder) landing on the injured list Wednesday.
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Royals' Jackson Kowar: Gets call-up ahead of start
Rotowire
The Royals recalled Kowar from Triple-A Omaha ahead of his scheduled start Wednesday against Cleveland.
The addition of Kowar will give the other Kansas City starters some extra rest between outings, but the 24-year-old right-hander won't necessarily become a fixture in the rotation in September. He faltered badly in a three-outing stint with the big club back in June (18.00 ERA, 3.20 WHIP in five innings), and he wasn't overly impressive upon returning to Triple-A, submitting a 5.14 ERA and 1.47 WHIP in 49 innings. Kowar at least appeared to turn a corner in his most recent two Triple-A starts, working 11 innings between those outings while giving up two earned runs and posting a 16:2 K:BB.
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Royals' Jackson Kowar: Returning to start Wednesday
Rotowire
Kowar will be recalled from Triple-A Omaha to start Wednesday against Cleveland, Josh Vernier of 610 Sports Kansas City reports.
Kowar made his big-league debut in June and returned to the minors after surrendering 10 earned runs over five innings (three appearances), and he'll rejoin the Royals on Wednesday for another look. The 24-year-old hasn't been particularly effective at Triple-A since the demotion with a 5.14 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and 74:24 K:BB, though he's given up two runs with a 16:2 K:BB in his past two outings (11 innings).
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Royals' Jackson Kowar: Logs three innings in relief
Rotowire
Kowar allowed two runs on three hits and struck out one in three innings in Saturday's 7-1 loss to Boston.
Kowar was called upon for a bulk relief assignment, and his first two innings went well. The right-hander struggled in the ninth as Bobby Dalbec hit a two-run home run. Bizarrely, this relief outing was Kowar's longest of three appearances this year, even though the first two were starts. He's still allowed 10 runs across five innings to begin his major-league career. It's unclear if the 24-year-old will reenter the rotation next week -- if he does, it'll likely be versus the Yankees if he stays on regular rest.
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Royals' Jackson Kowar: Woeful in pro debut
Rotowire
Kowar (0-1) was tagged with the loss Monday against the Angels after allowing four runs on three hits and two walks across two-thirds of an inning.
This wasn't the outing Kowar was expecting, as he couldn't even get out of the first inning and was lifted after giving up four runs and not striking out anyone. He could be lined up for a two-start week since he'd be tentatively up to pitch during the weekend series in Oakland, but that remains to be seen considering how much he struggled in his pro debut.
