Kansas City Royals’ Carlos Hernández ready to move on after rough spring start
Kansas City Royals’ right-hander Carlos Hernández looks like he’s got the tools to be an ace of a future pitching staff. However, working out the kinks in spring training doesn’t always come without its bumpy moments.
Hernández hit one of those bumps in the form of the San Francisco Giants on Wednesday. The Giants jumped him for six runs in one inning as the Royals fell 9-5 in a Cactus League game in front of an announced 3,340 at Surprise Stadium.
Hernández allowed six runs (five earned) on six hits, including two home runs. He struck out four and didn’t walk a batter in 2 2/3 innings.
“I continue to work on attacking the zone,” Hernández said. “In that inning, they just ran into two pitches and they went out. That’s just part of it.”
Hernández retired all three batters he faced in the first inning, the last two swinging and missing at third strikes, but he hit a snag in the second inning.
His troubles started when the blinding sunlight turned a fly ball to left field into a leadoff triple as Gold Glove winning left fielder Andrew Benintendi lost track of the ball in the Arizona sky.
The next batter, Luke Williams, crushed a two-run homer to put the Giants ahead 2-0.
With one out, Alex Blandino hammered another Hernández pitch for a solo homer and the third run of the inning.
Following a strikeout for the second out of the inning, Hernández gave up three consecutive singles, the third got compounded by a fielding error by Benintendi.
Both runners scored on the play.
Hernández came out of the game in favor of reliever Domingo Tapia. The final run charged to Hernández scored with Tapia on the mound.
“He had a rough second,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “A couple things could’ve gotten him out of that. We had a sun ball in left. It was interesting, the wind all off a sudden (kicked up). That home run that carried to center, he hit it OK but not what I thought was good enough to get out. But that’s pitching in Arizona.
“Then I thought he found the middle of the plate too much. He got himself in trouble.”
Hernández returned to the mound for the third inning and allowed one baserunner when he hit Austin Dean with a pitch. He struck out the final batter of the inning.
“I’m looking forward, already, to the next start,” Hernández said. “Just forget about this one, put it in the past and look forward.
Jackson Kowar tossed two scoreless innings and allowed one hit and one walk. He threw more on the back field as he continued to stretch out his pitch count.
Salvador Perez (3 for 3, RBI, run scored) and Edward Olivares (3 for 5, double, RBI, stolen base, run) had three hits apiece, while Nicky Lopez (2 for 2, run) doubled. In the ninth inning, Kyle Isbel (1 for 2, 2 RBIs) blasted his third home run of spring training.
Bullpen decisions looming
Right-hander Dylan Coleman, a former Missouri State standout, made his first appearance of the spring. He pitched one scoreless inning with one walk, one strikeout and no hits allowed.
Coleman, acquired as the player to be named later from the San Diego Padres as part of the Trevor Rosenthal trade, made his major-league debut last season. He features a fastball that averaged 98.2 mph last season.
He pitched in five games, all after Sept. 1, and allowed one run on five hits with seven strikeouts and one walk.
Prior to Wednesday’s game, Matheny explained the difference between how outings will be viewed for established relievers such as Josh Staumont — four earned runs and six walks in 2 2/3 innings so far this spring — and relative newcomers as they battle for spots on the Opening Day roster in the bullpen.
“A guy like Josh has got enough of a track record with us to know, having watched exactly how everything played out, and we feel comfortable with where he is right now,” Matheny said. “He’s going to be fine. Just keep getting your work.
“But there’s other guys out here that we don’t know as much about. Being completely honest, we have to pay attention to the results. We’re making decisions. We had a number of conversations today with guys. … It’s going to come down to how they compete, how their stuff looks, how they continue to perform. I think that’s only fair to all of them.”
Rivero to Omaha
Prior to Wednesday’s game, the Royals announced catcher Sebastian Rivero had been optioned to Triple-A Omaha.
Rivero, who was added to the 40-man roster prior to last season, made his major-league debut in 2021. He appeared in 17 games last season, including nine starts.
Last season with Triple-A Omaha, he slashed .260/.319/.380.
Singer and Bubic to pitch Thursday
Left-hander Kris Bubic and right-hander Brady Singer are slated to pitch on Thursday against the Oakland Athletics in Mesa. Bubic is slated to start.
Other probables listed for the Royals included relievers Scott Barlow and Josh Staumont.
This story was originally published March 30, 2022 at 8:01 PM.
