Singer, Royals Poised for Rebound Game vs. Dodgers
The Kansas City Royals enter Saturday night boasting a 5-1-1 record in 2022 spring training, with their last loss coming on Friday afternoon against the Texas Rangers.
Starter Carlos Hernandez simply couldn't get going against Texas, as Brad Miller and Eli White hit first-inning home runs and got the Rangers out to a 3-0 lead. They never looked back, even tacking on another three runs courtesy of Jackson Kowar. All in all, The Royals were doubled in the runs department and ended up dropping their first game of spring training by a final score of 8-4. On Saturday, Kansas City has vengeance on its mind as the Los Angeles Dodgers come rolling into Surprise Stadium with just one win on the year thus far.
Here's how the Royals will line up in tonight's game as they look to get back on track.
Starting Pitchers
Kansas City: RHP Brady Singer
Los Angeles: RHP Andre Jackson
Kansas City Royals Starting Lineup
- Whit Merrifield (R) - RF
- Bobby Witt Jr. (R) - 3B
- Salvador Perez (R) - C
- Andrew Benintendi (L) - LF
- Carlos Santana (S) - 1B
- Hunter Dozier (R) - DH
- Adalberto Mondesi (S) - SS
- Edward Olivares (R) - CF
- Nicky Lopez (L) - 2B
Brady Singer looks to settle in for spring
In his opening appearance of 2022 spring training, Brady Singer was a bit too jacked up. Not only did he admit so after his pre-season opener, but he looked like it on the mound. In addition to committing a throwing error early in the game, he walked two batters and even let a wild pitch fly out of his right hand. In a couple of innings of work, he ended up simmering down and fought through command that was less than stellar. He'll have to continue working past adversity in order to stick in the Royals' rotation moving forward, and each outing presents a learning experience.
In his second start of the spring, watch how Singer handles the first couple of hitters he faces. If things go well, that could pave the way for an easy-going inning or two of work. If they don't, then the secondary things to watch are his composure and changeup usage. When Singer gets rattled, he tends to ditch the pitch he's been hard at work trying to hone in on. Spring training allows him to tweak things as needed, so Saturday's outing is still a very important one despite not counting towards the club's regular-season record.
Hunter Dozier eyeing continued success at the plate
Despite playing in just five games while some others have participated in six or even seven, Hunter Dozier enters Saturday's game tied for the team lead in at-bats this spring with 14. He's made the most of them, recording a hit in half of those appearances. The veteran is on as hot of a seat as anyone in the Royals organization, and he's playing like he knows it. Dozier is off to a great start, which makes sense given his close to the 2021 campaign. After battling injuries and inconsistency throughout last season, Dozier settled into a groove down the stretch.
In 79 games spanning from July 1 to October 1, Dozier hit .267 with a .458 SLG and a .794 OPS. Anything in the neighborhood of .800 would be a welcomed sight for the Royals this season, and it isn't as if Dozier isn't capable of doing that. In 139 games in 2019, his .279/.348/.522 line combined for a .870 OPS. Health, confidence and consistency are the keys to getting him back to the player he once was and with his 31st birthday coming in August, the time for Dozier to prove that he's a part of the Royals' future is now. If he can continue to enjoy a great spring, perhaps he can parlay that into success once the regular season rolls around.
Follow Along
First Pitch: 8:05 p.m. CST
TV: Bally Sports Kansas City
Radio: KCSP 610 AM
Jordan Foote is the editor-in-chief of Inside the Royals, as well as the deputy editor of Arrowhead Report and a producer for Kansas City Sports Network. Jordan is a Baker University alumnus, earning his degree in Mass Media with a minor in Sports Administration. Follow him on Twitter @footenoted.