Royals' Carlos Hernandez: Nearing rehab assignment

Hernandez (shoulder) is expected to begin a rehab assignment later this week, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Hernandez has been throwing since mid-March and is now nearly ready for game action. Given how long he's been out, he'll likely need a handful of rehab outings to get up to speed. Hernandez figures to enter the high-leverage mix fairly quickly once he's healthy, as the Royals' top late-inning options have ranged from fine (James McArthur, John Schreiber) to awful (Will Smith) early in the season.