Image Credit: Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Final Score: KC 1 | DET 4

Overall Record: 17-12

Winning/Losing Pitcher

• W: Tarik Skubal (4-0 | 1.72 ERA)
• L: Michael Wacha (1-3 | 4.24 ERA)
• S: Jason Foley (9 | 1.38 ERA)

Key Highlights

For this game specifically, I wouldn’t say there was a “Royals Player of the Game”. They scored one run in the first inning, and then Tarik Skubal went to town the rest of the time. Holding them to only two hits after the first two batters of the game. Although this lineup wasn’t the best we’ve put out there this year, they were confused the whole time. And that might not have even mattered. 

Skubal, after giving up a quick run two batters into the game, was damn near untouchable after that. Hitting the corners, fooling batters with his changeup, his quick delivery, it all equals a Royal downfall. He is truly turning into one of the better starting pitchers in the game, not just one of the best southpaws. Let’s look at Michael Wacha for a bit as well. Who I think was not terrible, but he definitely didn’t have his best stuff in this one. When he’s on that change is floating everywhere, mostly down, and he’s able to ridicule batters with his location. Wacha was instead hanging some changeups, struggling to find location, and not being consistent. He got out of some jams today as well, which is why I say he wasn’t terrible. But that could also be me being used to terrible Royals pitching of the past. All in all, Wacha wasn’t able to get it done. But let’s hit some good moments. Wacha was able to get an amazing defensive play from Bobby Witt Jr., who continues to show himself as one of the best defenders in the game as well as one of the best hitters under the age of 25. 

Will Klein made his major league debut, and looked really solid. Striking out two in a clean inning in the bottom of the eighth. He was able to elevate the fastball, and it’s nice to see a young reliever be able to do that. You can get caught up sometimes trying to do that and you get killed at the major league level. But it looks like his stuff will play so far. He’s got a long way to go in the process, so we’ll see how he continues to develop his stuff. 

That first inning teased us to a familiar sight that I feel like we’ll see much more of in the future. The Maikel Garcia extra base hit to Bobby Witt Jr. RBI single combo needs to do its wonders this season. I think if those two can become an actual legitimate 1-2 punch, the possibilities are endless. That was such a small part of a loss so let’s not drain over it too much, but it’s something we need to discuss. Of course more of the bottom half of the lineup has to get it going. The fall off from MJ Melendez and Nelson Velazquez is a bit concerning, but it’s April and hopefully they just need to have the adjustment to the adjustment. You’ll need to score more than a run to compete against Toronto in the next series. So we’ll see how it goes after winning three of the first four at Kauffman earlier this week.

Summary of the Next Game

The Royals head north of the border to have a date with the Toronto Blue Jays. Jonathan Bowlan makes his major league debut on the bump for the Royals, with Yariel Rodriguez pitching for the Blue Jays. Bowlan comes to the major squad in relief of Alec Marsh, who was injured in his last start due to a comebacker hitting him on the arm. Bowlan has been pretty good at AAA for the Storm Chasers, holding a 2.57 ERA in 21 IP this season. His K/BB ratio is also really good, striking out the competition almost four times as much as he walks a batter. Rodriguez has been good for Toronto this year as well, but the Royals were able to get a hold of him last week for three earned runs, forcing him out before the fifth inning was over. Hopefully that continues, for the Royals and Bowlan’s sake. As they try to avoid the three game losing streak for the first time this season.