Alec Marsh makes the rotation, Jordan Lyles to the pen
The Royals round out their starting rotation.
The Royals will have 25-year-old right-hander Alec Marsh in their starting rotation, according to manager Matt Quatraro, with veteran Jordan Lyles to pitch out of the bullpen.
Marsh pitched in 17 games with 8 starts last year with the Royals, posting a 5.69 ERA and 85 strikeouts in 74 1⁄3 innings. A former second-round pick in 2019, Marsh had pitched well this spring with a 1.93 ERA and 16 strikeouts in 14 starts. Lyles was signed to a two-year, $17 million deal before last season, and struggled in his first season with the Royals. He led the league in losses with 17 and earned runs allowed with 124, posting a 6.28 ERA with 39 home runs allowed in 177 2⁄3 innings. The Royals had praised his ability to “eat innings”, and he led the league in complete games with three. He had given up five runs in five innings this spring, including four home runs.
Matt Quatraro on what dictated the fifth starter decision: "It was a competition. Marsh exceeded, in the spring, what we could have hoped for. Really just made that decision to put Jordan in the bullpen for how we thought we were going to put the best 13 together." #Royals
— Anne Rogers (@anne__rogers) March 21, 2024
Marsh will start today’s exhibition game against the Guardians, while Lyles will relieve in the exhibition game against the White Sox. Marsh joins a rotation that will have Cole Ragans on Opening Day, with Michael Wacha, Seth Lugo, and Brady Singer likely to follow.
Marsh had been competing for a rotation spot with not only Lyles, but Angel Zerpa, Daniel Lynch IV, and Anthony Veneziano. Lynch and Veneziano were assigned to minor league camp, and Zerpa will make the big league roster as a long reliever.