Bubic, Royals Trying to Stop Skid on Saturday Against Tigers
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Brad Keller was stellar again for the second time in as many starts this season, yet the Kansas City Royals still managed to lose to the Detroit Tigers. on Friday night.
In all, Keller tossed seven innings of three-hit ball with five strikeouts and a pair of walks. Kansas City carried a 1-0 lead into the seventh inning, however, and Keller allowed a double and a home run to give Detroit a 2-1 advantage that it wouldn't squander the rest of the way. In all, Keller has allowed just those two earned runs in 13 innings pitched over his two starts and has been fantastic overall. The Royals' bats couldn't muster more than a run on Friday, and it ultimately held the club back.
Apr 9, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Brad Keller (56) pitches the ball against the Cleveland Indians at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Nick Tre. Smith (FLO)-USA TODAY Sports
On Saturday, the Royals will look to grab a win and avoid losing the series to the Tigers. Kansas City has lost five games in a row since beginning the 2022 campaign with a 2-0 record. With a win, the Chiefs can go for a series split in Sunday's finale before an off day on Monday and a new series with the Minnesota Twins beginning on Tuesday.
Here's how the Royals will line up in this afternoon's game:
Starting Pitchers
Kansas City: LHP Kris Bubic (0-1, 67.50 ERA)
Detroit: RHP Matt Manning (0-0, 1.50 ERA)
Kansas City Royals Starting Lineup
- Whit Merrifield (R) - RF
- Bobby Witt Jr. (R) - 3B
- Andrew Benintendi (L) - LF
- Salvador Perez (R) - C
- Carlos Santana (S) - 1B
- Hunter Dozier (R) - DH
- Adalberto Mondesi (S) - SS
- Michael A. Taylor (R) - CF
- Nicky Lopez (L) - 2B
Can Kris Bubic bounce back from disastrous first start?
Jun 3, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Kris Bubic (50) pitches against the Minnesota Twins during the first inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
In his first start of the 2022 season, Kris Bubic struggled immensely. He didn't make it out of the first inning, allowing five earned runs and walking two batters in just 2/3 of a frame. It marked the beginning of what was a terrible stretch for Kansas City's young pitchers, so Bubic will be looking to right the ship in start No. 2 of the season. Last year, the lefty was 3-2 with a 3.84 ERA against the American League Central. In a huge intra-division matchup, keep an eye on Bubic's start and what it could mean moving forward.
Bobby Witt Jr. has plenty of time to figure things out
Apr 7, 2022; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals third baseman Bobby Witt Jr. (7) runs to first base after hitting a go-ahead RBI double during the eighth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
It's no secret that top Royals and MLB prospect Bobby Witt Jr. is off to a troubling start to the year at the plate. With that said, there are plenty of reasons to believe that he'll turn things around in due time. The sample size he's posted is minuscule, recent highly regarded prospects have struggled for much longer to begin their careers and Witt's track record suggests that he's much better than this. The numbers may not show it right now, but Witt should be fine. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.
Follow Along
First Pitch: 3:10 p.m. CST
TV: Bally Sports Kansas City
Radio: KCSP 610 AM
