Kansas City Royals’ starting pitching plans still in flux as they start series in Texas
The Kansas City Royals haven’t used an opener or gone with a bullpen day yet this season, but that may change this week as they try to weather a storm that includes having had a doubleheader this past weekend, another doubleheader coming up and having demoted one of their starters from the rotation to the bullpen in the past week.
Brad Keller starts the series opener against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Tuesday night, but no starter has been named for Wednesday or Thursday.
The Royals moved left-hander Kris Bubic to the bullpen following his most recent start last week, though he still hasn’t made a relief appearance. That leaves them with four members of their starting rotation instead of five.
Royals manager Mike Matheny declined to name a starter for Wednesday prior to Tuesday’s game. He shot down the idea that either Daniel Lynch or veteran Zack Greinke might pitch on short rest.
So the Royals will have two spots in the rotation they must fill since Lynch and Greinke pitched on the same day in Sunday’s doubleheader in Baltimore.
That makes right-hander Jonathan Heasley a leading candidate to start one of the games in Texas, likely Thursday if they go with an opener or bullpen day on Wednesday. Heasley was one of the final pitchers in consideration for the opening-day roster, before the Royals broke camp in Arizona.
Heasley made his major-league debut last September after having spent most of last season at Double-A Northwest Arkansas.
Northwest Arkansas’ Pitcher of the Year in 2021, Heasley went 7-3 with a 3.33 ERA in 22 games (21 starts) at Double-A. He ranked third among all Double-A pitchers in ERA, fourth in WHIP (1.22), sixth in opponents’ average (.244) and tied for sixth in strikeouts (120).
Royals general manager J.J. Picollo mentioned Brady Singer as a potential rotation option in the near future in a radio interview on Tuesday morning.
However, the Royals will likely want to have Singer make at least one more start in the minors before returning to the big-leagues as a starter. He began this season on the major-league roster in the bullpen before he got optioned to the minors on April 28.
Next week’s doubleheader against the Chicago White Sox could serve as a landing spot for Singer’s return to the majors if the Royals decide to go that route.
