Finally, time for baseball: Royals ready to roll with punches in MLB’s season of COVID
Major League Baseball’s 60-game season amid the COVID-19 pandemic has widely been characterized as a “sprint” as opposed to baseball’s typical 162-game marathon.
While a fair comparison, the last three weeks have also shown that this summer’s 60-game slate will also be a test of endurance.
The Kansas City Royals have already endured multiple coronavirus-related shakeups to their pitching staff and their starting lineup ahead of Friday night’s season opener against the Cleveland Indians at Progressive Field (6:10 p.m. Central Time on FSKC).
The harsh reality of this season is that the roster, under steady assault since before so-called “spring training 2.0” began, may remain in a state of flux throughout the season.
“I’m sure it’s going to be,” Royals pitcher Danny Duffy said. “It’s something we can’t see. All we can do is just kind of be prepared, wash our hands, wear our masks. I’m not wearing it right now, so you can hear me, but I feel like I’ve got a tan-line on my face from wearing it as much as I have.
“I’m obviously taking every precaution as much as I can. It’s something we’re going to have to deal with for the foreseeable future, but we’re all grown men in here and we’ll be able to do everything we’ve got to do to avoid it as much as possible.”
The Royals have announced eight positive COVID-19 tests among their players. Most have been asymptomatic and several who tested positive — including star catcher Salvador Perez — have already been medically cleared to return to baseball activities.
First baseman Ryan O’Hearn has also returned to workouts with the team, but he’ll begin the season on the injured list. Ryan McBroom, who had an impressive spring training, will assume the starting job.
The pitching staff has taken two big hits, as starting pitchers Brad Keller and Jakob Junis will each begin the season on the IL as they continue to ramp up after the coronavirus interrupted Keller’s progression and delayed Junis’ camp workouts Kansas City.
Projected opening day right fielder Hunter Dozier will also miss the start of the season because of a positive test result, the club revealed Wednesday. Players must give the team permission to reveal their results before the club can announce a positive test.
“It’s tough, but we kind of knew this coming in that this could happen with guys testing and being out for a while and losing that momentum,” Royals left fielder Alex Gordon said earlier this week. “Hopefully, we’ve got enough guys that can step up behind them and take over. Every team is going to have to deal with this. You’ve got to have a positive mindset.
“I know it sounds bad, but just kind of move on and keep the train rolling. Hopefully, when they get healthy they can come back and keep producing. We knew this was going to be a part of it.”
The Royals will rely on young pitchers, such as top prospect Brady Singer, to fill in key roles. Singer will make his MLB debut when he starts Saturday’s game in Cleveland.
The Royals have focused heavily on college pitching in recent drafts, and Singer is one of several highly regarded young arms who could be called upon this season.
“This young pitching staff — just facing them in live BPs and stuff like that — is electric,” Gordon said. “For them, the stuff is there. The attitude is there. It’s just about getting that experience and that big-league pace of the game and speed of the game.”
If the Royals are able to navigate the opening stages of the season and the absence of key players early, the randomness of a 60-game campaign could allow them a chance to contend in the AL Central.
“I think we’re all getting used to the rhythm of the COVID thing to where we can figure out to say, ‘Hey this happened. Not what we’d like, timing isn’t perfect, (and move on,’” Royals manager Mike Matheny said.
Dozier finished the 2019 season with career highs in batting average (.279), on-base percentage (.348) and slugging percentage (.522), as well as runs (75), doubles (29), triples (10), home runs (26) and RBIs (84).
The Royals began the year believing their lineup had been made much stronger by the return of Perez, a two-time Silver Slugger, as well as the acquisition of third baseman Maikel Franco. Fanco has three seasons of 22 home runs or more in the majors.
The pitching staff’s depth was a bit more tenuous. While the bullpen appears improved with the additions of Trevor Rosenthal and Greg Holland, along with added experience for youngsters like Josh Staumont, the starting rotation lacked depth behind Mike Montgomery, Duffy, Keller and Junis.
The club is closing in on a minor-league deal with former All-Star New York Mets pitcher Matt Harvey, according to a club source. Known well to Royals fans thanks to the 2015 World Series, Harvey would not be viewed as an immediate option for KC’s 30-man roster. If the deal gets done, which could happen in the next few days, he’d likely report to the Royals’ alternate training Site: T-Bones Stadium in Kansas City, Kan.
Keller started the Royals’ 2019 season opener at Kauffman Stadium against the Chicago White Sox. He went 7-14 with a 4.19 ERA in 28 starts. He struck out 122 in 165 1/3 innings and posted a 1.35 WHIP.
Junis, 27, led the Royals’ pitching staff last season in wins (nine), starts (31), innings (175 1/3) and strikeouts (164).
Keller and Junis could be ready to return to the team in a matter of weeks.
“It’s not ideal, obviously,” All-Star infielder/outfielder Whit Merrifield said. “This whole situation is strange. We have 60 guys here, 60 guys who want to play in the big leagues. When guys go down, I guess, it’s a chance for other guys to step up, get some action, get some reps and make their case that they should be up here contributing.
“We feel like we have more depth this year than we had before, and this is not great, having Keller and Junis a little bit behind, but it’s a chance for some other guys to get some work in.”
This story was originally published July 24, 2020 at 5:00 AM with the headline "Finally, time for baseball: Royals ready to roll with punches in MLB’s season of COVID."
