Kansas City Royals’ Jakob Junis back starting in majors at end of a ‘whirlwind’ year
Jakob Junis’ final pitching line didn’t look very impressive, but he doesn’t need the numbers in a box score to tell him how he performed.
Junis made his first start in the majors since May 14, and he allowed three runs on four hits and one walk in 4 2/3 innings against the Cleveland Indians on Tuesday night at Kauffman Stadium.
He struck out six and exited after 78 pitches, but he also took the loss.
“I thought I threw the ball really well,” Junis said. “The stat line doesn’t really reflect how I thought I threw the ball. But I’m happy with my command. My slider was really sharp tonight, sharper than it’s been in a while. Mixed in a couple changeups. I felt like I executed for the most part.”
The first run he allowed came on an inside-the-park home run on a ball hit by Amed Rosario into the right-field corner. Royals outfielder Edward Olivares chased it, but didn’t corral the ball as he ran into the wall.
Junis (2-4) exited with two outs in the fifth and two runners on after a walk, a fielder’s choice on a ball hit too softly to second baseman Whit Merrifield for the Royals to turn a double play.
Then a two-out single by Myles Straw looped over the head of first baseman Carlos Santana and just inside the foul line to put runners on the corners.
Both of the runners Junis left on base scored on Rosario’s single up the middle off reliever Joel Payamps. The runs were charged to Junis.
“I thought he did a nice job to keep us in the game,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “He used the slider, got it going early. He used the cutter. I thought he did good at the top of the zone. He even used some changeups today. He kept them off-balance and gave us an opportunity.”
Junis faced an Indians team that was seeing him for the fourth time this year (second start) despite him having pitched in just 16 major-league games this season.
Junis had a lot of success with his slider, including getting four of his six strikeouts on that pitch. He even manipulated it to where he “took a little off” at times and gave it a different shape with more depth at times. It altered the shape of the pitch so much that Statcast initially registered it as a curveball at times.
“The slider he has is nice,” Royals catcher Salvador Perez said. “I never see a slider like that. It’s pretty good. Two-seamer was good. Four-seam was on top of the guys a little bit today, kind of up a little bit again today. I was so happy to see him here again with us and do what he did tonight.”
Junis, 28, entered this season having pitched more innings (377 2/3) and making more starts (67) than any other Royals pitcher since the start of the 2018 season.
He began the season working out of the bullpen, but then made four starts from April 7-27 and went 1-1 with a 3.80 ERA with a .231 opponent’s batting average, 24 strikeouts, seven walks and one home run allowed during that four-game stretch.
When the Royals initially promoted top pitching prospect Daniel Lynch to the majors, Junis was bumped to the bullpen and struggled.
In nine appearances after being taken out of the rotation, including one spot start in the second game of a doubleheader, Junis allowed 11 earned runs in 11 1/3 innings. He gave up 19 hits, including five home runs, walked four and struck out eight. Opponents batted .380 against him during that stretch and he registered an ERA of 8.74.
Junis last pitched in the majors on June 3, a relief appearance against the Minnesota Twins. He made 15 previous appearances (five starts) in the majors this season.
The Royals optioned him to Triple-A Omaha on June 7. He was on the injured list for Omaha from July 9 through Aug. 24. He did a rehab assignment in the Arizona League before returning to Omaha on Aug. 24.
“I ran into a little trouble when I was building back up to start in Triple-A, missed a couple months with my shoulder,” Junis said. “Then I came back and had a couple good starts in Triple-A, and here I am.
“It’s been a whirlwind of a year. A lot of ups and downs for sure.”
This story was originally published September 1, 2021 at 6:07 AM.
