Royals Opening Day Roster Projection 2.0: Changes!

KC Royals Bullpen

Royals bullpen: Projection 1.0

• Will Smith
• John Schreiber
• Matt Sauer
• Jake Brentz
• Chris Stratton
• Nick Anderson
• Carlos Hernández

Royals bullpen: Projection 2.0

• Will Smith
• John Schreiber
• Matt Sauer
• Chris Stratton
• James McArthur
• Alec Marsh
• Sam Long
• Jordan Lyles

The changes are obvious — Jake Brentz, Nick Anderson, and Carlos Hernández are out, while James McArthur, Alec Marsh, Sam Long, and Jordan Lyles are in.

First the "outs". Brentz put himself in a bind with some bad early pitching and although he's been better lately, he's still walked 11 in 4.1 innings, which means he isn't improving his historically questionable control. The Royals are better off starting him in Triple-A, where he can work on that control and his comeback from 2022 Tommy John Surgery. Hernández continues to deal with shoulder soreness, rendering his ability to pitch effectively in two weeks questionable. The Royals also need to make room for the "ins" and the pair of options Anderson has make him expendable.

And those "ins"? McArthur has been too good this spring (1.23 ERA, 0,68 WHIP, 10 strikeouts, and only one walk in 7.1 innings) to leave off the big league roster. The situation is the same with Marsh (0.90 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, 12 strikeouts in 10 frames) and Long (1.42 ERA, 0.79 WHIP, 12 strikeouts and one walk in 6.1 innings). Marsh can be a swingman and Long gives Quatraro the lefty he loses if Brentz heads for the minors. And Lyles? Expect him to begin the year in the bullpen stretching out until he's ready to start ... or continue working in relief if the starters are performing well.

KC Royals infield: Projection 1.0

• Vinnie Pasquantino (1B)
• Michael Massey (2B)
• Bobby Witt Jr. (SS)
• Maikel García (3B)
• Adam Frazier (UTIL)
• Salvador Perez (C)
• Freddy Fermin (C)

KC Royals infield: Projection 2.0

No changes here. Everybody stays.

Moving on...