KC Royals: Questions abound for Spring Training 2.0

The KC Royals resume their 2020 training camp workouts Friday. Several questions face the club in Spring Training 2.0.

KC Royals baseball, something seen only in television reruns for over three months, returns to Kauffman Stadium Friday when the club reopens spring training. This long-awaited resumption of the game’s annual rite of preparation–now almost universally referred to as Spring Training 2.0–marks the beginning of three weeks of searching for answers to the abundance of personnel questions left unresolved when COVID-19 shut down camps in mid-March.

Those unanswered questions, and more raised by the historic and unfortunate pandemic-forced baseball hiatus, must be addressed by new Kansas City manager Mike Matheny, his coaching staff and general manager Dayton Moore and other key members of the club’s front office before the club’s late July Opening Day.

Will Salvador Perez, returning after missing 2019 following Tommy John surgery, and Adalberto Mondesi, working his way back from two shoulder injuries and offseason surgery, be ready for Opening Day?

Will Ryan O’Hearn keep his first base job, lose it to Ryan McBroom, or will the two Ryans platoon?

Are Whit Merrifield and Hunter Dozier ready to begin a new, albeit shorter, season in their new positions in the Royals’ outfield?

Can Bubba Starling win an outfield reserve job? What about Brett Phillips? Will Starling and Phillips both win outfield reserve jobs? If they don’t, who will?

Who will be the fifth member of Kansas City’s starting rotation? Will Greg Holland land a spot on the active roster? What will the bullpen look like, and will it be stronger than in the recent past?

The Royals named their 60-man Player Pool Sunday. Who among those players are most likely to contribute this season?

Such are the main questions Matheny and the rest of the Royal personnel brain trust need to answer. Let’s take a closer look at the questions and issues and confronting them.

Spring Training 2.0 should tell us whether two KC Royals stars will be ready to play, who will win the first base job and what the outfield will look like.

Hanging over the heads of the KC Royals when spring training started was the uncertain status of two lineup staples. Veteran catcher and team backbone Salvador Perez suffered a UCL injury before 2019’s spring training ended and missed the season after undergoing Tommy John surgery; Adalberto Mondesi, an emerging star at shortstop, hurt his shoulder twice and required offseason surgery.

The club moved cautiously with both as spring training progressed. Perez appeared as a DH but was preparing to catch, and Mondesi was scheduled to play for the first time the day MLB shut down spring training.

Perez appeared in 13 games and was batting .250 with a home run, six RBIs and a .717 OPS. Although Mondesi just missed playing, that the Royals deemed him ready bodes well. Both should be ready for full action after over three months of additional recovery time.

Ryan vs. Ryan.  The uncertainty clouding first base also haunted the club when camp opened in February. Incumbent Ryan O’Hearn won the job with a good 2018 rookie season, but a disastrous 2019 (.195/.281/.369 and a remedial trip to the minors) hurt his chances to keep it. KC acquired first baseman Ryan McBroom from the Yankees in late August; he played himself right into the Royals’ first bag picture by hitting .293 in 23 games.

Spring training did little to resolve the matter–O’Hearn slashed .343/.395/.857 with a 1.252 OPS and hit five homers in 13 games while McBroom was .314/.368/.657 with a 1.026 OPS and three homers in 15 games.

Whether O’Hearn and McBroom will take up Friday where they left off in March remains to be seen. If they do (or even if they don’t), Matheny will have a tough decision to make. Only one can play first at a time, but there’s been talk of a platoon. If the players don’t give their manager a clear choice, O’Hearn’s incumbency may give him the upper hand.

New outfielders.  Whit Merrifield moves to center field this season and the winter acquisition of former Philadelphia third baseman Maikel Franco forced Hunter Dozier to right. Both were struggling at the plate when spring training stopped, Dozier at .192 in 10 games and Merrifield at .172 in 11. Neither, however, should slump long or have trouble adjusting to the outfield–Merrifield saw plenty of outfield action in the minors, and 148 games in the outfield (47 in center) since debuting with KC in 2016, and Dozier has 29 big league games in right.

Starling and Phillips.  With the returning Alex Gordon joining Merrifield and Dozier in the outfield, only the question of backups remains unanswered. Utter 2019 disappointments Bubba Starling and Brett Phillips were battling for at least one spot when baseball stopped. Starling had the edge with three homers, a .367 average and 1.208 OPS in 12 games; Phillips hadn’t homered in 13 games and was hitting .269.

The club needs to finally determine both players’ futures, although the short season may give them a reprieve. And with the expanded roster, both may make the team…at least until the cut-down dates.

Player Pool members Nick Heath, Khalil Lee and Kyle Isbel have shots at reserve roles if Starling or Phillips fail.

Who will round out the KC Royals’ starting rotation? Will a former closer return to the team? Can the bullpen be strengthened?

The biggest pitching question remaining when COVID-19 interrupted spring training was who would join Danny Duffy, Brad Keller, Jakob Junis and Mike Montgomery in the KC Royals’ starting rotation.

Jorge Lopez, possessor of occasionally mesmerizing stuff but unable after four big league seasons to establish himself as a full-time starter or full-time reliever, was making a case for the rotation in March–in five games (10.2 innings), he was 2-0 and had 12 strikeouts against just two walks. An encore could land him in the rotation.

Although he has only one professional season’s experience, KC’s top 2018 draft pick may also be in the mix. Brady Singer made the Player Pool after drawing a non-roster invitation to spring training and pitching four times with no decisions. His 4.76 ERA and four walks in 5.2 innings doesn’t look quite like the 2019 2.85 ERA, 8.4 SO9 and 2.4 BB9 he posted between High A and Double-A, but speculation about him starting hasn’t been a secret. Bringing him back to camp suggests the clubs is taking a long look; Singer’s work before Opening Day will tell the tale.

Other Player Poolers who may warrant some consideration are Glenn Sparkman, who struck out 12 in 8.1 innings in the spring, Kyle Zimmer and Rule 5 pick Stephen Woods Jr.

Greg Holland’s quest to rejoin the club.  The Royals signed two former feared closers to minor league deals in the offseason–Trevor Rosenthal, whose best years came under KC manager Mike Matheny when both were Cardinals, made good before spring training stopped (no runs, no walks and nine strikeouts in five innings) and was signed to a big league contract before rosters were frozen, while former Royals’ closer Greg Holland got off to a good start but had one shaky outing.

Holland made the Player Pool; a strong showing should secure him a spot on the active roster. He won’t be the KC Royals’ closer again, but just being back will likely be good enough for Holland.

Can the bullpen improve?  Kansas City’s weak bullpen figured prominently in the club’s two straight 100-plus loss campaigns. But if spring training is any indication, the 2020 pen should be better.

Although Ian Kennedy didn’t resemble the 30-save closer he was last season in his four spring outings (8.44 ERA in 5.1 innings), he didn’t walk anyone and should regain his 2020 form. (If he doesn’t, Rosenthal may step in).

Josh Staumont‘s 0.00 ERA and 10 strikeouts in six innings more than impressed; expect him to land a key relief role. Non-roster invitee and promising prospect Tyler Zuber may also fit–he struck out eight, walked just one and allowed only a run in six frames. And Jake Newberry didn’t give up any runs in 5.1 innings.

Kyle Zimmer could get another chance as a long reliever, as could Jorge Lopez if he doesn’t break into the rotation.

Add 2019 setup man Scott Barlow, and possibly spring camp standout Randy Rosario, to the mix, and the KC Royals should have an improved relief corps.