Royals Make Decision On Noah Cameron's Roster Status After Stellar MLB Debut
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Kansas City Royals pitcher Noah Cameron was officially called up on Wednesday to make his major league debut.
He made the most of that debut, tossing 6 1/3 no-hit innings before giving up a single to the Tampa Bay Rays' Curtis Mead. He earned the win that put the Royals above .500 at 16-15, and he did it on a night to remember in front of a large group of family and friends.
Now, just a day later, he's headed back to Triple-A. Major League Baseball sure can be a harsh reality sometimes.
Cameron was optioned to Triple-A ahead of the Royals' series finale with the Rays, the team announced on X (formerly Twitter). Right-handed pitcher Taylor Clarke, who hasn't pitched in the majors since 2023, was recalled, while another righty, James MacArthur, was transferred to the 60-day injured list to create a spot on the 40-man roster.
It always made sense that Cameron would be headed back to the minors after this start. He was filling in for the Royals' ace, Cole Ragans, who suffered a very mild groin strain last Thursday and should be ready to make his next start next week.
But to be sent down after such a dominant first outing? That has to be a tough pill to swallow. Cameron is only human, after all.
"Congrats on the 1 hitter, here's a bus ticket to Omaha," one user mused in the replies of the tweet announcing the transaction.
Still, Cameron can take a lot of confidence from the outing on Wednesday, because he's seen now that his stuff is good enough to shut down a big-league lineup. He'll be the first name called the next time the Royals need someone to slot into the rotation.
And in a 162-game season, everyone has to be ready to step up at any time.
More MLB: Royals' No. 5 Prospect Flirts With No-Hitter In Spectacular MLB Debut
Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "Kansas City Royals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org
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