The Kansas City Royals have definitely endured enough injuries early this season to explain at least a bit of the bad fortune they’ve endured. Salvy Perez is out for half the season. Joakim Soria is gone for all of the season. Lorenzo Cain and Greg Holland are two young players missing a few weeks apiece, and now Felipe Pauline is finally coming back on a rehab assignment. It’s about time.
Paulino was acquired last season from the Colorado Rockies in a cash transaction and Paulino responded with 124 innings and a 4.11 ERA for KC last year.
He will begin his rehab at AA Northwest Arkansas. While the Royals’ pitching has not been disastrous this season, they could definitely use the addition of Paulino to give more flexibility to the team’s overall rotation. Given the injuries to the bullpen, Paulino's live arm could come into play there if Ned Yost feels the starting five are set, or he could move an arm back to the pen.