Royals Narrow Fifth Starter Competition Down To Two Candidates
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The Kansas City Royals put together a solid season in 2024, winning 86 games and securing the second American League Wild Card spot after losing 106 games in 2023.
They lost the ALDS to the New York Yankees, but are coming into 2025 with plenty of optimism. One of the most interesting storylines of spring training for the Royals has been the competition for the fifth starter spot.
They've had plenty of candidates, but it appears that the competition has been narrowed down significantly. In fact, Anne Rogers of MLB.com believes it is now down to just two candidates.
"One of the main competitions the Royals had coming into spring was for the fifth starter spot, and that field narrowed fairly quickly when the Royals were hit with some injuries early in camp -- most notably Alec Marsh’s right shoulder soreness," Rogers wrote.
"That leaves Kris Bubic and Daniel Lynch IV vying for that rotation spot."
It appears that Bubic and Lynch are the final two candidates for the last starting rotation spot. The Royals had two other candidates in Alec Marsh and Kyle Wright, but neither one of them appear to be ready for Opening Day, which is now just two weeks away.
But both Bubic and Lynch have performed well this spring, so it will certainly be interesting to see how the final two weeks of spring training play out and which one will ultimately win the fifth starter spot in their rotation.
The Royals are fortunate to have two strong options.
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Curt Bishop is a freelance sports writer who graduated from Maryville University of St. Louis with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the field of Communication and currently writes as a contributor for various platforms covering Major League Baseball. Curt’s work includes covering trade and free agency predictions, as well as rumors and news.
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