Noah Cameron keeps carving up lineups, and Sunday was his latest masterpiece.
The Royals right-hander fired a complete-game shutout in a 3-0 win over the Angels, locking down the rubber match of the series and extending a stretch on the mound that has turned heads. It was the fifth game of Cameron calling his own pitches, and the numbers in that run are eye-popping: 37.2 innings, 13 hits allowed, five runs, nine walks and 34 strikeouts. Three of those runs came after he had already left the game.
Against the Angels, Cameron was even better in the box score. He went the full nine innings, gave up just one hit - a bloop single - walked one and struck out eight. The local kid, as the source noted, has “really found something.”
Kansas City’s offense did just enough behind him. Jac Caglianone saw his hitting streak come to an end, but Michael Massey and Bobby Witt Jr. each launched solo homers, and Carter Jensen chipped in an RBI with an infield single to snap a 0-for-22 skid.
Massey also turned in a strong all-around day, finishing 3-for-4 and putting the finishing touch on a solid series.
The game moved quickly and, beyond Cameron’s dominance, there wasn’t much else to it. The Royals wrapped up their West Coast trip 2-4 and sit at 51-74 on the season.
They’ll open a four-game home series against the Athletics on Monday, with first pitch set for 6:40 p.m. CT.
In Other News...
Royals Just Made A Telling Decision On A Veteran Outfield Bet
The Royals reshaped their roster by bringing in fresh arms and infield help, recalling left-hander Connor Thomas while making room with a pair of Triple-A moves. Josh Rojas and Jose Cuas were optioned to Omaha as Kansas City continued to sort through a roster that has had to absorb injuries and patch holes while trying to stay competitive into the season.
The more telling move came in the outfield, where Starling Marte was designated for assignment after a disappointing run in his lone season in Kansas City. Signed to a one-year deal, Marte never gave the Royals the kind of return they were hoping for, and the decision suggests the club is ready to move on quickly rather than keep waiting for a turnaround. [Read more 🡒]
Diamondbacks Clear Space As Recent Pitching Addition Nears Abrupt Exit
The Diamondbacks made a roster move this week that could close the door on Andrew Hoffmanns time in Arizona. The right-hander was designated for assignment as the club created room on the 40-man roster for Justin Martnez, who was reinstated from the 60-day injured list. Hoffmann had not established himself in the majors and was already on the minor league injured list when Arizona made the move.
Hoffmann arrived from Kansas City over a year ago in the deal that sent Randal Grichuk to the Royals, but the path forward now looks bleak. Because he is injured and the trade deadline has already passed, Arizona cannot simply send him outright to the minors, which means the next step is expected to be release waivers. For a pitcher brought in as part of a notable swap, it is a abrupt turn that underscores how quickly roster churn can erase a once-promising fit. [Read more 🡒]
Royals Suddenly Have A Late-Season Boost Fans Have Been Waiting For
The Royals are starting to get some encouraging signs at exactly the right time, with manager Matt Quatraro saying Vinnie Pasquantino and Maikel Garcia are both working out as they recover from injuries and could be back in the lineup soon. For a Kansas City club still trying to sort out its late-season rhythm, the prospect of getting two key regulars back offers a real boost, especially after the offense has had to keep moving without them.
There is also a longer-view piece to this moment, because the organizations pipeline still has names worth watching even as the big-league roster waits on reinforcements. MLB Pipelines midseason update pointed to Kendry Chourio, Josh Hammond and Angeibel Gomez among the systems prospects, while former Royal Carlos Santana is back on the open market after getting his release from Triple-A Gwinnett and looking for another landing spot. [Read more 🡒]