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Mike Matheny’s Late-Game Decisions Are Worth Keeping an Eye On

162 games leaves room to make up ground, but every outcome still matters quite a bit.

In the Kansas City Royals' lone contest of what was originally slated to be a two-game series against the St. Louis Cardinals, the home team won by a score of 6-5. The Royals, visitors for the evening, couldn't overcome three home runs surrendered by pitcher Daniel Lynch and came up just short of snapping what's now a three-game losing streak.

The Royals kept things relatively close near the end, closing a 6-3 gap heading into the top of the seventh inning and making it a 6-5 one to begin the ninth. Michael A. Taylor popped out and Nicky Lopez hit a flyout, leaving Kansas City with one out to tie the game. With backup catcher Cam Gallagher batting ninth in the lineup, manager Mike Matheny had a choice to make.

Jun 20, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals manager Mike Matheny (22) signals to the bullpen as he comes to the mound to make a pitcher change in the eighth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-USA TODAY Sports

Did he roll with Gallagher, who boasts an anemic 80 wRC+ in his career, or someone else? Due to MLB allowing teams to carry 28 players until April 1, outfielders Edward Olivares and Kyle Isbel both remained options in the dugout. They were both likely better options than Gallagher. 

Instead, Matheny opted for first baseman/outfielder Ryan O'Hearn. 

O'Hearn lined out to end the game, giving the Royals another loss after they started the season 2-0. On the surface, an argument can be made that this decision was a fine one by Matheny. After all, O'Hearn can play in the outfield and man the first base bag and catcher Salvador Perez just-so-happened to be the club's designated hitter for the day. In the event of extra innings, some defensive shuffling could have left everything copacetic. 

With Isbel and Olivares merely occupying time on the bench, though, it made sense to give one of them a shot to at least get on base. Olivares' raw power is evident, and he posted a .500/.526/.971 line in spring training while clobbering three home runs. Isbel closed the 2021 season while flashing his on-base ability, and he had a 1.163 OPS this spring. O'Hearn's was 1.051, but he is what he is at this point. He's had good spring training stretches before.

Mar 27, 2022; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Kansas City Royals outfielder Ryan O'Hearn (66) at bat in the first inning during a spring training game against the Chicago Cubs at Sloan Park. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-USA TODAY Sports

The Royals made a decision during the winter when they actively chose to bring O'Hearn — who turns 29 years old in July — back for another year. Aside from a 44-game span during his first big-league cup of coffee in 2018, however, he hasn't flashed much. While Isbel and Olivares have their flaws and aren't sure things in their own respective rights, they're younger and in a more dire need of playing time.

Among the reasons why the Royals lost on Tuesday night to the Cardinals, batting O'Hearn in the top of the ninth with two outs is far from the top. With that said, it's hard to not hypothesize about what may have happened had Isbel or Olivares received a plate appearance. Isbel was flat-out better in a small sample size last season, and Olivares is always a threat to drive a ball into the outfield gaps or the stands. Both are better baserunners, to boot. It's not as if O'Hearn was a better candidate than them.

Over the course of a 162-game season, intricate late-game decisions will pile up. This isn't a one-time thing that will pass. The bed Matheny makes will be the one Kansas City has to sleep in, and nuance is required in order to effectively navigate an MLB outing. The Royals know that, but instances such as Tuesday's will be worth watching moving forward. For better or worse, there may be a trend on the brink of developing.