KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Kansas City Royals recalled OF Drew Waters from Triple-A Omaha on Wednesday to replace OF Mark Canha, who was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left abductor strain.
Canha was injured in Tuesday's 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins when he crashed into the wall in left center. Canha stayed in the game for the remainder of the inning but then asked to be taken out.
Kansas City manager Matt Quatraro is hopeful that Canha's stint on the IL is a short one.
“It's a mild strain,” Quatraro said. “So we’re hopeful that it’s 10 days, maybe just a hair more than that. But you have to see how the first couple days go.”
Waters was hitting .370 with Omaha and was named the International League player of the week for March 31-April 6, during which he hit for the first cycle of his professional career.
Waters has appeared in 137 games over his three seasons with the Royals, with a career-high 98 games in 2023. He appeared in just seven games in 2024. He's hoping that his early season success in Omaha will lead to the opportunity to finally stick with the major league club.
“Honestly, I've just been trying to compete, trying to stay locked in,” he said. "It’s hard in minor league games when it’s freezing cold and there’s 30 fans out there, but I've just been treating every at-bat like it matters and living with the results.
"Anytime you have an opportunity to come up and play a game at a big league level, that’s a lot of trust and a lot of faith that a team is putting in to you, and so to have that opportunity is definitely special.
“Just knowing that I’m a good baseball player and that I’m capable of having success, I think that’s what keeps everybody hungry.”
AP MLB: https://apnews.com/hub/mlb
Kansas City Royals' Mark Canha (21) beats the tag by Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman to score on a two-run double hit by Michael Massey during the first inning of a baseball game, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Kansas City Royals left fielder Mark Canha runs onto the field during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the Minnesota Twins, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
Kansas City Royals left fielder Mark Canha can't catch a double hit by Minnesota Twins' Harrison Bader during the fifth inning of a baseball game, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Kansas City, Mo. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)
NEW YORK (AP) — Jalen Johnson had 18 points, 11 assists and 10 rebounds in his seventh triple-double of the season, leading the Atlanta Hawks to a 111-99 victory over the New York Knicks on Friday night.
Nickeil Alexander-Walker scored 23 points and Onyeka Okongwu had 22 for the Hawks, while both Zaccharie Risacher and Luke Kennard scored 12.
Jalen Brunson led the Knicks with 24 points. OG Anunoby had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Mikal Bridges added 18 points.
Ariel Hukporti, who replaced Karl-Anthony Towns (illness) in the starting lineup, grabbed a career-high 17 rebounds for New York.
The Knicks got off to a quick start, taking an 11-2 lead. Trailing 30-29, the Hawks scored the final four points of the first quarter and never trailed again.
Atlanta extended its lead to 60-45 on Okongwu’s short jumper with 1:16 remaining in the second quarter before Brunson’s runner cut the Knicks’ deficit to 60-47 at halftime.
Alexander-Walker’s driving layup with 1:14 left in the third quarter gave the Hawks their biggest lead of the game at 94-68 and they were ahead 94-70 at the end of the quarter.
The Knicks scored the first 11 points of the fourth quarter and pulled within 94-81 before Kennard connected on back-to-back 3-pointers to end the streak.
New York mounted a final rally following consecutive 3-pointers by Bridges to edge within 108-99, but never got any closer.
The Hawks, who have won two in a row following a season-high, seven-game losing streak, became the first team to hold the Knicks to fewer than 100 points this season.
Atlanta's Trae Young (bruised right quadriceps) and Knicks center Mitchell Robinson (left ankle injury management) each missed their third straight games.
Hawks: Visit Toronto on Saturday.
Knicks: Host Philadelphia on Saturday.
AP NBA: https://apnews.com/NBA
Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu reacts after scoring a 3-point basket during first half of an NBA basketball game against the New York Knicks, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
Atlanta Hawks guard Dyson Daniels (5) passes the ball around New York Knicks center Ariel Hukporti (55) during second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson, bottom, and Atlanta Hawks forward Onyeka Okongwu (17) battle for the ball during second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
Atlanta Hawks forward Jalen Johnson, right, is defended by New York Knicks forward Og Anunoby during second half of an NBA basketball game, Friday, Jan. 2, 2026, in New York. (AP Photo/Heather Khalifa)
