KC Royals won't have to face fireballing ex-teammate in weekend series vs. Dodgers

It's counterintuitive to label a pitcher whose major league résumé consists of just 10 appearances as a "journeyman," but that's precisely how Will Klein's big league career seems to be shaping up. After the Kansas City Royals called him up for his major league debut last season, the three times he's been traded since probably make him one of the most well-traveled players with less than a full season of major league service time.

First to move Klein were the Royals, who shipped him to the Athletics last July as part of the three-prospect package the A's wanted before they'd give up Lucas Erceg. They traded him to Seattle in January, and the Mariners swapped him to the Dodgers for pitcher Joe Jacques in early June.

Klein didn't have to wait long to get back to the majors with LA — the Dodgers called him up from their Oklahoma City Triple-A affiliate last week, and the move worked out well for Klein and his new club. He worked 1.2 innings against Washington last Saturday, allowing one inherited run to score but no others, and struck out three in two scoreless frames against Colorado Wednesday night. Those efforts seemed to put him in good standing with the Dodgers, who've been hit with a series of pitching staff injuries this season.

Until Thursday, that is, when Klein hit baseball's road again. Los Angeles sent him back to Oklahoma City to make room for Luis García, who they just reactivated from the Injured List. So, barring another pitching injury necessitating his immediate recall, Klein won't face the Royals when the Dodgers and KC square off in a three-game weekend series that kicks off Friday evening at Kauffman Stadium.

It looks like the KC Royals will miss former teammate Will Klein

This weekend's is a key series for Kansas City. Because they ended Thursday's game with Tampa Bay 12.5 games out of first place in the American League Central and four games behind in the AL Wild Card race, the Royals can ill afford a bad showing against the 2024 World Series champions, who are once again leading the National League West. And facing Klein might have worked to the Royals' advantage.

Why? Because Klein is a feast-or-famine type hurler, one who can be good one day and bad the next. Two critical faults — throwing too many balls and surrendering too many runs — have plagued him since Kansas City picked him in the fifth and final round of the abbreviated 2020 amateur draft. Klein's minor league BB/9 is an unsightly 6.75, and he's walked seven batters in 11 major league innings. His five-season minor league ERA is 5.33, and he's given up nine runs in those 11 big league frames.

On the other hand, Klein, who once seemed to be developing as a potential KC closer, can shut down opposing batters. His four-seam fastball averages 98 mph and has much to do with his 9.82 major league K/9 and 12.92 minor league career rates; add to that the breaking stuff that impressed KC manager Matt Quatraro last season, and the Royals might have had a tough time with Klein.

Now, though, it appears the Royals won't find out how they would have fared against Klein this weekend.