KC Royals farmhand outshines MLB counterparts with once-in-a-lifetime performance

Every now and then, baseball has a funny way of shuffling the deck. No two games are exactly alike—even if the Kansas City Royals' recent skid has fans feeling like each loss is just a repeat of the last.

But that volatility, the sheer number of factors that shape every ballgame, creates space for some truly odd endings and unexpected moments. Royals prospect Chandler Champlain found himself at the center of one of those moments on June 13.

Interesting things are happening on the KC Royals farm

At Triple-A Omaha, Storm Chasers pitcher Chandler Champlain took the mound against the International League's Toledo Mud Hens. Both Champlain and the Omaha lineup were cruising early, with the Storm Chasers holding a two-run lead heading into the sixth inning.

But that sixth inning never began—thunderclouds rolled in, the tarp came out, and a lengthy rain delay followed. Since the game met the minimum requirements for an official contest, Champlain was credited with the win and a rare five-inning complete game shutout.

MLB rule 7.01(d)(1) says that a game is considered a regulation game as long as five innings are in the books. Such short games are rare enough, but Champlain has the distinction of tossing a shutout with two hits, a rare dominant start from the righty in 2025.

Even rarer still is a starter having a five-inning complete game shutout, allowing two hits or fewer. That hasn't happened for a Royals starter since Paul Splittorff did so in 1971 against the Washington Senators. Veteran pitcher Nathan Eovaldi was the last MLB pitcher to have such a game in the 2022 season.

This marked Champlain’s second shutout start of the 2025 season—and, like the first, it came under unusual circumstances. That previous outing, on April 17, lasted just one inning.

The California native has had a rocky road at the Triple-A level after dominating with Double-A Northwest Arkansas in 2024. Since his promotion to Omaha, Champlain holds a 6.81 ERA and 1.67 WHIP across 32 Triple-A starts. Walks haven’t been the issue for the University of Southern California product—it’s been the quality of contact. Opponents are hitting a staggering .301 against him over that span.

Champlain was a non-roster invitee to big-league spring training for the second straight year, earning that nod once again ahead of the 2025 season. Originally a ninth-round pick by the New York Yankees in the 2021 MLB Draft after three seasons at USC, Champlain joined the Royals organization in 2022. He was part of the return package—alongside fellow pitchers Beck Way and T.J. Sikkema—in the trade that sent outfielder Andrew Benintendi to the Yankees.