Keller Back on Mound for Royals’ Second Game Against Tigers

As the Kansas City Royals looked to snap their losing streak on Thursday night, the club came up short and lost by a final score of 4-2. The streak is now at four games.

Starting pitcher Zack Greinke got himself into some trouble by loading the bases early in the outing, but he escaped after giving up two runs and didn't surrender another for the remainder of his start. The same couldn't be said for the bullpen behind him, as Jake Brentz was charged with two earned runs in relief. The Royals' bats were far from opportunistic, as Kansas City went 2-for-9 with runners in scoring position and left eight men on base. Manager Mike Matheny knows that missing opportunities can haunt the team if things don't change.

On Friday night, the Royals are back at home and will play in game No. 2 of their four-game series against the Detroit Tigers. Detroit's lineup is potent and has good fortunes against the Royals, so this contest is bound to be a competitive one. With a win, Detroit would be clinching at least a share of the series. With a loss, the Royals would be right back in the thick of things with two additional games to play over the weekend.

Here's how the Royals will line up in this evening's game:

Starting Pitchers

Kansas City: RHP Brad Keller (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
Detroit: LHP Tarik Skubal (0-1, 9.00 ERA)

Kansas City Royals Starting Lineup

Whit Merrifield (R) - RF
Bobby Witt Jr. (R) - 3B
Salvador Perez (R) - C
Andrew Benintendi (L) - LF
Carlos Santana (S) - 1B
Hunter Dozier (R) - DH
Adalberto Mondesi (S) - SS
Michael A. Taylor (R) - CF
Nicky Lopez (L) - 2B

Brad Keller looking to replicate success from first start

In Brad Keller's first start of the 2022 campaign, he was spectacular. In six innings of work, the righty surrendered no runs and struck out five batters while walking only one. The Cleveland Guardians mustered just two hits off him, which was a testament to how locked in he was on the day. Keller's command was sharp, and he'll look to continue to build on that in start No. 2.

Last season was an up-and-down one for Keller, as he didn't pitch a full season but seemed to be figuring things out towards the end of the 2021 campaign before he was shut down. The Royals have liked what they've seen from him during spring training and into the regular season, which is a major plus. If Keller can pitch to his potential, Kansas City will have a reliable starter towards the front of their rotation. Detroit's lineup poses a challenge, but it may be one that Keller is up for.

How long will Andrew Benintendi stay hot?

The Royals have had plenty of hitters struggling to begin the year, but Andrew Benintendi isn't one of them. The lefty outfielder is beginning his contract season on a tear, posting a .381/.458/.524 line with a video game-like 186 wRC+. These stats are anchored by a pair of three-hit games, as he's recorded one hit twice and also gone hitless a pair of times otherwise. It hasn't been the most consistent of first weeks for Benintendi, although the results speak for themselves.

He'll undoubtedly even out over time, however, this start is a promising development. Benintendi was solid in 134 games last season but from mid-August until the end of the year, he hit .330 and was finding a lot more power. This partially coincided with him getting healthy and settling back into a groove. If he can even produce at 80% of that level, it would be a massive bonus for a Royals lineup that desperately needs it. In a down six games for plenty of players, the same simply can't be said for Benintendi.

Follow Along

First Pitch: 7:10 p.m. CST
TV: Bally Sports Kansas City
Radio: KCSP 610 AM