After enduring a season marked by 100 losses, the Kansas City Royals were intent on stabilizing their starting rotation during the winter. This determination prompted an aggressive spending spree, acquiring seasoned arms to complement their promising young pitchers. While the organization’s pitching development program has faced criticism in recent times, signs of progress emerged, notably with breakout pitcher Cole Ragans being officially designated as the team’s Opening Day starter earlier in the week.
Another indication of the system’s potential success surfaced on Friday when Royals manager Matt Quatraro announced Alec Marsh as the team’s fifth starter. Marsh emerged victorious in the competition, outperforming veteran Jordan Lyles and young pitchers Angel Zerpa, Daniel Lynch IV, and Anthony Veneziano. Lyles and Zerpa will contribute from the bullpen, while Lynch and Veneziano will begin the season with the Triple-A Omaha team.
Quatraro informed reporters that Marsh earned the role primarily due to his impressive performance in spring training. “It was a competition,” Quatraro explained. “Marsh exceeded our expectations during the spring, leading us to the decision to utilize Jordan in the bullpen to assemble the strongest roster possible.”
During the spring, Marsh demonstrated a 1.93 ERA over 14 innings, recording 17 strikeouts and only four walks. The former second-round pick refined his repertoire, notably developing a sinker late in the 2023 season, which yielded positive results this spring. Despite struggling in his previous 74 1/3 big league innings, Marsh’s performance with his new pitch suggests a potential turnaround.
Updated Kansas City Royals Opening Day roster/depth chart projection:
•Alec Marsh (14 IP, 3 ER, 8 H, 4 BB, 17 K) will be in the starting rotation; Jordan Lyles moved to bullpen.
Roster: https://t.co/vGV5qxGF53 pic.twitter.com/KKgyKRR6Sx
— Jason R.R. Martinez (FanGraphs/RosterResource) (@JasonRRMartinez) March 21, 2024
Although Lyles, earning $8.5 million as a veteran, may have been considered a front-runner entering camp, his underwhelming performance last season prompted the Royals to prioritize results and victories for the 2024 season. Lyles yielded eight hits, five runs, and four homers in two spring starts, following a campaign where he led the league with 17 losses and posted a low ERA+ of 70. Consequently, he will likely serve as a swingman out of the bullpen for the time being.
Behind Ragans, the Royals anticipate stability from Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, and Brady Singer in their rotation. Lugo and Wacha, who performed admirably with the San Diego Padres in 2023, joined the Royals this winter, bringing much-needed reliability. While neither possesses ace potential, their consistency should keep the Royals competitive. Singer, who endured a disappointing 2023 after a promising 2022, is expected to rebound with support from the veteran influx. With Ragans and Singer leading the rotation, the Royals could boast one of MLB’s strongest pitching duos, especially in the relatively weak American League Central division.
