Kansas City Royals move Kris Bubic to the bullpen to work through his recent struggles
Left-hander Kris Bubic’s struggles early this season have prompted the Kansas City Royals to move him out of the starting rotation and into the bullpen. Bubic made his fifth start of the season in Wednesday’s series finale against the St. Louis Cardinals, and he fell victim to the early-inning troubles that became a theme for him in the season’s first month.
Royals manager Mike Matheny said on Friday in Baltimore that Bubic had been set to be in the bullpen for Friday’s series opener against the Orioles, which has been postponed because of rain.
Matheny did not announce plans for the fifth spot in the starting rotation. Without Bubic, the current rotation includes Carlos Hernandez, Zack Greinke, Daniel Lynch and Brad Keller.
“What he has gone through is completely normal,” Matheny said of Bubic. “I mentioned it the other day about how you go from the effort level, finding what that looks like, and the emotional effort level too. That’s real. I’ve watched almost everybody go through it. It’s just a matter of finding, really, who they are.”
Bubic allowed four runs on two hits, including a three-run home run, and two walks in 1/3 of an inning in Wednesday’s 10-0 loss to the Cardinals. That marked his second start this season where the bullpen got pressed into duty in the first inning.
Bubic, 24, has gone 0-3 with a 13.14 ERA in five starts this season. He has allowed 18 earned runs on 18 hits and 11 walks (a 2.35 WHIP) in 12 1/3 innings. He has eight strikeouts in that span.
“This is a necessary evolution,” Matheny said. “He’s just got to figure out some things about himself. I told him, and I’ve said this before, I think he’s going to end up, maybe, having as long of a career as anybody in that room. I really do. His pitchability, his adaptability, deception, life, everything, but he’s got to figure this out.”
Bubic expressed frustration with his early-season performance following Wednesday’s game.
“Just not being able to do my job, flat out, plain and simple,” Bubic said. “It sucks. It’s embarrassing right now. It’s pretty much as frustrating as it gets. Not just today. Even the last month is as frustrated, probably, as I’ve been on a baseball field.
“And that is what it is, but it sucks letting my team down. Obviously, it’s not the first time. To put ourselves in a whole like that, it’s just unacceptable. I’ve got to find a way out of it.”
Friday night’s rainout sets the Royals up to play three games in two days this weekend with a straight doubleheader scheduled for Sunday, though rain remains prominent in the forecast this weekend in Baltimore.
The Royals have a scheduled off day Monday before they resume their three-city, nine-game road trip in Texas.
MLB roster rules will allow the Royals to add a player to their roster for Sunday’s doubleheader as the 27th player, likely a pitcher.
The Royals will have an interesting decision on how to proceed with their starting-pitching plans following this weekend. Beginning on Tuesday, they’re scheduled to play 15 consecutive days until their next day off. That stretch includes a doubleheader at home against the Chicago White Sox on May 17.
The Royals have several starting pitching candidates at Triple-A Omaha who are currently on the club’s 40-man roster, including Jon Heasley, Jackson Kowar and Brady Singer.
Singer began the season in the major-league bullpen. He was optioned to the minors April 28 in order to get him stretched out and starting on a regular basis.
However, Singer must spend a minimum of 15 days in the minors after being optioned unless he’s serving as the 27th man for a doubleheader or he’s replacing a player who has been placed on the injured list.
Ronald Bolaños has started in the past, and he’s currently in the major-league bullpen. Three of his four appearances this season have been multi-inning outings, the longest a three-inning outing against the New York Yankees on April 30.
