Royals first baseman Frank Schwindel breaks through with first big-league hit
Royals rookie first baseman Frank Schwindel got the first hit of his major-league career in Saturday’s loss to the Tigers. While it came in the latest heart-wrenching late-inning loss, it will still be a milestone moment.
“I talked to pretty much everybody I know,” Schwindel said. “It was a good feeling. I would’ve like it with a nice team win to compliment it. It was a tough loss, but a long season left and a lot more hits to come.”
Schwindel said he’d noticed tweets and messages on his phone yesterday after the game.
He said that it felt like it had been a longer drought than it actually was because he hasn’t been playing everyday. That made days pile up as he waited for the first hit. He reached base in the season opener against the White Sox on a sixth-inning error by Yolmer Sanchez.
The Royals minor-league hitter of the year in 2017, Schwindel had a career year in the minors in 2018 with Triple-A Omaha as he set a team single-season record with 38 doubles to go along with a career-high 24 homers and 93 RBIs while batting .286 with a .336 on-base percentage and a .506 slugging percentage.
His single up the middle on Saturday got past a diving attempt by Tigers shortstop Jordy Mercer.
“I thought it was getting through off the bat, but then he made it closer than I thought it was going to be,” Schwindel said. “You know, after that first game I thought it was a hit and they gave it the error. It’s a good feeling to get it out the way.”
Schwindel said the team did get the ball for him as a keepsake.
“It’s always a big deal for me to see guys get their first strikeout. It’s a big deal for me to see guys get their first hit,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “They get here, and you just never know what can transpire. So I want them to get it. Now, they’ve got an average. Forever and ever they’ll have an average. Forever and ever they’ve struck guys out.
“So yeah, it’s a big deal to me to see it because It’s a lifelong quest. It’s a lifelong dream. Then once you finally get it, it’s like phewwwww.”
Fifth starter up in the air: Yost said the decision on the fifth starter on Wednesday is a “wait and see.” The Royals have gone with four starters so far this season with the extra off days, but this week they’ll need a fifth and they haven’t announced the starter for Wednesday against the Mariners at Kauffman Stadium.
Among the pitchers in the conversation are Heath Fillmyer, Scott Barlow, Arnoldo Hernandez and Glenn Sparkman. Barlow is currently in the Royals bullpen while the others are at Triple-A Omaha.
Bullpen options: Right-handed relief pitcher Drew Storen remains in extending spring training, and appears a ways off from being an option to help the Royals bullpen. Storen spent last season out of baseball rehabbing from Tommy John surgery.
Yost described Michael Ynoa, who is in the bullpen for Triple-A Omaha, as a pitcher “on the radar.” The Royals have an open spot remaining on their 40-man roster after designating Chris Ellis for assignment last week. However, a consideration with Ynoa is that he is out of options, which means the Royals would risk losing him if they wanted to send him back to the minors after having been called up.
Sunday’s lineup
1. Whit Merrifield, 2b
2. Adalberto Mondesi, ss
3. Alex Gordon, lf
4. Jorge Soler, rf
5. Ryan O’Hearn, 1b
6. Hunter Dozier, 3b
7. Lucas Duda, dh
8. Cam Gallagher, c
9. Billy Hamilton, cf
Starting pitcher: Brad Keller (rh, 1-0, 2.08)
This story was originally published April 7, 2019 at 11:38 AM with the headline "Royals first baseman Frank Schwindel breaks through with first big-league hit."
