The Kansas City Royals were hit with a few injuries on Saturday.

Royals reliever Hunter Harvey was placed on the 15-day injured list after experiencing mid-back tightness. Harvey felt discomfort while going through his normal routine a few days ago and the Royals decided to make a roster move.

KC recalled right-handed reliever Carlos Hernandez from Triple-A Omaha. He joined the bullpen on Saturday with the Royals set to face the St. Louis Cardinals at Kauffman Stadium.

“It’s something he has been dealing with now for four or five days,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said of Harvey. “We kept hoping it was going to resolve, and it just hasn’t. So, we need to have a full ‘pen to be able to go after them.”

Harvey has a 6.35 ERA in six games with the Royals. The club acquired him in a midseason trade from the Washington Nationals in exchange for prospect Cayden Wallace and a 2024 Competitive Balance Round A draft selection.

Since his arrival, Harvey has dealt with similar back discomfort. He had a little discomfort after slipping off the mound against the Chicago Cubs on July 28. Harvey left that game early, but was able to recover.

Quatraro dispelled any notion that the injuries are related.

“No, it’s totally different,” Quatraro said. “You know, that resolved itself and he was back pitching. He pitched the two games in Detroit. It’s something that just happened to him here one of the first two days back, you know, just in the outfield and not pitching in a game.”

The Royals are already without fellow reliever John Schreiber, who is also on the 15-day injured list.

Schreiber is dealing with a right knee patella tendon injury. He threw a bullpen session on Thursday and was scheduled for another one on Sunday.

Meanwhile, the Royals also shuffled their starting lineup on Saturday. Initially, Royals second baseman Michael Massey was set to lead off against the Cardinals.

However, Massey was scratched hours before first pitch. He is dealing with low-back tightness that flared up overnight.

“He just came in (Saturday) and just didn’t feel well,” Quatraro said of Massey. “It wasn’t something that’s not totally debilitating. It’s just that we know we have to manage this. It’s day-to-day with him. He left feeling good yesterday and came in not feeling as well today. He is getting a bunch of treatment, and we’ll see how quickly we can get it to resolve.”

The Royals moved infielder Maikel Garcia to second base. Additionally, third baseman Paul DeJong was inserted into the lineup.

Garcia was set to bat leadoff against Cardinals right-handed pitcher Andre Pallante. DeJong will bat fifth in the order.

Massey has spent two different stints on the injured list. He missed opening day with back tightness and then suffered a low-back ligament strain weeks later.

The Royals utilized Massey as a designated hitter to ease him back into normal workload prior to the All-Star Break. Still, Massey was able to log multiple games at the keystone position after his return.

The club will remain cautious as Massey manages his availability and discomfort level down the stretch.

“It’s just a matter of how it feels for him,” Quatraro said of Massey’s back situation. “It could resolve in the next 10 minutes. That’s how hit and miss it is with him. So, we just don’t know.”