The Royals moved Hammel to the bullpen ahead of Sunday's game against the Red Sox, Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com reports.

EDGE Analysis

Manager Ned Yost elected to pull the plug on Hammel as a starter after the right-hander was touched up for eight runs in just two innings during Friday's loss to the Red Sox. Since the beginning of June, Hammel has gone 0-6 with an 8.03 ERA and 1.95 WHIP over 37 innings in his seven starts. Reliever Burch Smith will move into the rotation while Hammel presumably settles for a mop-up role out of the bullpen.