Royals start Chris Owings in center field in place of Billy Hamilton
Royals center fielder Billy Hamilton will get the day off for Sunday’s game against the Angels after leaving Saturday night’s game because of right hamstring tightness.
Taking Hamilton out of Saturday’s game was described as a “precautionary” measure, and Royals manager Ned Yost decided before even talking to Hamilton on Sunday that he’d give him another day. Chris Owings will start in center field on Sunday.
“He’s been dealing with it a little bit,” Yost said after Saturday night’s game. “Just with the weather it started getting a little bit tighter as the game went on and it was like, man, we don’t want to play with this.”
Yost said Hamilton would probably be available in an emergency, but he hadn’t spoken to him so that was still uncertain.
Down-shifting Dozier: Hunter Dozier went 4-for-4 with four RBIs in Saturday night’s 9-4 win. Dozier had three days off this past week while dealing with a lingering back issue that has included tightness and flared up into back spasms in Tampa.
He did not play the final two games of the series in Tampa, and he also benefited from the team having Thursday off. Dozier said a little time and a lot of treatment helped, and it’s getting a little better every day.
One thing Dozier has had to get used to is not doing nearly as much pregame work. Going back to last season, he’d made it part of his routine to be on the field early working on footwork and defensive drills. The staff has curtailed that while he’s working through his back issues.
“They’re cutting me down pretty good right now,” Dozier said. “It’s a little different that what I’m used to, but I told them I’ll do anything just to be able to get in that lineup.”
Dozier entered Sunday ranked sixth in the American League in batting average (.350), second in on-base percentage (.442) between Mike Trout and Brian Goodwin, and first in slugging percentage (.713).
Not bad, kid: Third baseman Kelvin Gutierrez had a hit, two RBIs and flashed some leather in his first big league game on Saturday. His first two defensive opportunities came when he started a double play on a ground ball hit by Albert Pujols and on a line drive hit by Mike Trout.
Gutierrez, 24, hadn’t played above Double-A prior to this season.
“Anytime you come into big league game and get your first major league hit, it’s a special day,” Yost said.
Sunday’s lineup
1. Whit Merrifield, 2b
2. Adalberto Mondesi, ss
3. Alex Gordon, lf
4. Hunter Dozier, dh
5. Ryan O’Hearn, 1b
6. Jorge Soler, rf
7. Kelvin Gutierrez, 3b
8. Chris Owings, cf
9. Cam Gallagher, c
Starting pitcher: Homer Bailey (rh, 2-2, 5.63)
This story was originally published April 28, 2019 at 12:30 PM with the headline "Royals start Chris Owings in center field in place of Billy Hamilton."
