Rookie catcher Carter Jensen gets scratched from Royals’ starting lineup after oversleeping

By: The Associated Press Posted: 8:14 PM CDT Thursday, Apr. 2, 2026

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City catcher Carter Jensen was removed from the Royals’ starting lineup for Thursday game with the Minnesota Twins after he overslept.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City catcher Carter Jensen was removed from the Royals’ starting lineup for Thursday game with the Minnesota Twins after he overslept.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City catcher Carter Jensen was removed from the Royals’ starting lineup for Thursday game with the Minnesota Twins after he overslept.

“I didn’t wake up to my alarm. Slept through it,” Jensen told The Kansas City Star and other outlets. “Don’t really have an excuse — nor should I. It sucks. It happens. I feel like I let teammates down, coaches down. Just learn from it and just know it won’t happen again.”

Jensen eventually arrived, but not early enough to prepare adequately to start the game. He did end up coming in as Kansas City’s catcher in the ninth inning of the Royals’ 5-1 loss.

Kansas City Royals' Bobby Witt Jr. (7) celebrates scoring on a sacrafice fly by Kansas City Royals' Carter Jensen in the seventh inning of a baseball game against the Atlanta Braves, Sunday, March 29, 2026, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)

Salvador Perez, who was expecting to be Kansas City’s designated hitter Thursday, ended up catching the first eight innings.

“First and foremost, I’m glad Carter’s OK,” Royals first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino told reporters. “I mean, that was kind of the initial thought when you’re trying to get a hold of his parents and everything like that — just make sure he’s OK.”

Pasquantino said Jensen, a 22-year-old rookie, needs to learn from this experience.

“There are some things that cannot happen, and that’s one of them,” Pasquantino said. “So he’s going to have to wear it on the chin — same way anybody would have to. It can’t happen, and hopefully it doesn’t happen again. But it’s one of those things that you just can’t afford mistakes like that in this game. Just got to move forward the best that he can. I know he feels really bad.

“I know it was not his favorite drive to the field this morning, but it wasn’t our favorite morning either, trying to figure out what was going on. He’ll learn from it, grow a little bit. We’re here for him, though. It’s not like anybody’s mad at him. Things happen. But you’ve got to learn from mistakes like that — and maybe get another alarm clock or something.”