Daniel Lynch IV’s Future Is Clear After Struggles in Royals Starting Rotation

The bullpen is where the southpaw belongs

Sep 16, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Daniel Lynch IV (41) pitches against the Houston Astros in the first inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Kansas City Royals have dealt with a ton of injuries this season, with them scattered across the entire roster. But the starting rotation has been hit particularly hard all season long. The most significant injuries have involved Cole Ragans, Stephen Kolek and Luinder Avila, with all three having their seasons cut short due to elbow injuries.

Because of these injuries, the Royals had to pivot and adapt to fill those voids. One of those moves was moving left-handed pitcher Daniel Lynch IV from the bullpen into the starting rotation.

Lynch had an outstanding season out of the bullpen, serving as a bright spot for a relief group that has struggled throughout the year. Before transitioning into the rotation, Lynch posted a 1.96 ERA in 46 innings of relief. It was a season defined by overall consistency from the southpaw.

This performance led to the decision to see how Lynch would hold up in the rotation. Unfortunately, the Royals have not seen nearly the same results from Lynch during his starting stint. The 29-year-old has made nine starts, totaling 34 2/3 innings, with a 7.01 ERA to show for it.

Lynch has allowed 27 earned runs, seven home runs, 14 walks and 35 hits while recording just 19 strikeouts during that span. These struggles continued in his latest outing.

During Tuesday’s 14-11 loss to the Chicago White Sox, Lynch got the start. It was an outing he would like to forget, as he lasted just four innings and allowed nine earned runs on seven hits, including three home runs.

While the experiment made sense at the time because of Lynch’s success out of the bullpen, it was ultimately a trial-and-error situation. The answer is now clear regarding the role he should have next season, and that belongs back in the bullpen.