Kolek was traded from the Padres to the Royals on Thursday along with Ryan Bergert in exchange for Freddy Fermin, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Kolek was optioned to Triple-A earlier this week after logging a 4.18 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 56 strikeouts across 79.2 innings in the big-league rotation. Bergert and/or Kolek could get a look in the Royals rotation down the stretch, given the injuries to Cole Ragans (shoulder) and Kris Bubic (shoulder).