Kansas City Royals: What to Watch For in the Second Half

Mandatory Credit: Bruce Kluckhohn-USA TODAY Sports

The reinforcements are coming

Despite their excellent record, the Kansas City Royals starting rotation has been decimated by injuries this season. Three of the five starters in the Opening Day rotation have missed time, making the signing of Chris Young perhaps the best of the Royals previous offseason. It is a far cry from last season, when the Royals enjoyed generally good health amongst their starters.

With all of those injuries, it may not be a surprise that the Royals rank 23rd in baseball with a 4.32 ERA from their starting rotation. Likewise, Royals starters have pitched the fewest innings in baseball, tied with the Colorado Rockies with 476.2 innings this season. That bullpen depth that Moore put together in the offseason has been pressed to the limit.

Fortunately, reinforcements are coming. Both Danny Duffy and Yordano Ventura have already returned, while Jason Vargas and Kris Medlen are expected to be back shortly after play resumes for the second half. Medlen is going to be quite the Wild Card, as he is coming off his second Tommy John surgery and is entering virtually uncharted water. However, if Medlen can be close to what he was during his excellent two year run from 2012 and 2013, when he posted a 2.47 ERA and a 1.096 WHiP with excellent control, the Royals could have that pitcher they needed.

The Kansas City Royals need help in the starting rotation. With Jason Vargas and Kris Medlen due back soon, they reinforcements may finally be arriving.

Next: Replacing the irreplaceable