A Fresh Start in the Rotation
Daniel Lynch IV is back in the starting rotation for the Kansas City Royals. This move comes after a rough first outing where he gave up four runs in just 1 2/3 innings against the Chicago Cubs. The loss ended in a 6-4 defeat at Kauffman Stadium, but the team is not looking to punish him for one bad night. Lynch posted a 1.96 ERA while working out of the bullpen earlier this year, proving he could handle high-leverage spots. Now the Royals need him to eat innings as a starter again. The decision was driven by injuries that wiped out the team’s pitching depth for this year and even into the 2027 season. Per MLB.com Royals, the organization wants to build his workload slowly to ensure he can last deep into games.
Lynch threw 35 pitches against the Cubs, which was his season high since April 1. The team plans to increase that limit with every start. He wants to prove he belongs in the rotation. “As a competitor, don’t want to give up runs,” Lynch said. He knows the job is about putting his team in a spot to win. The Royals are betting on his ability to bounce back quickly.
Building Confidence and Trust
The path back to the rotation was not easy. Lynch had to earn the trust of the coaching staff while pitching out of the bullpen. He credits pitching coach Brian Sweeney for helping him find his confidence. “I have to give a lot of credit to [pitching coach Brian] Sweeney because he was the one who instilled this in me,” Lynch said. Sweeney taught him to trust his stuff against any hitter.
This mindset shift is key for a starter who has faced adversity. The Royals want to see if he can maintain that confidence over a full season. The team is not treating this as a temporary fix. They are looking at the long term. “Our hope is that he stays in [the rotation] for the rest of the season, and we’ll see,” manager Matt Quatraro said. The goal is to have him ready to throw six or seven innings as the year goes on.
The Cost of Moving Him
Moving Lynch out of the bullpen leaves a hole in the relief corps. The Royals currently have no left-handed pitchers available in the ‘pen. This is a risky move for a team that is still trying to find its footing. The staff knows they are in a tough spot right now. They might have to use Lynch for an inning in an emergency between starts. But the bigger picture is about replenishing the pitching staff for the future. The team watched their depth disappear this year and needs to fix it. If Lynch can become a reliable starter again, the Royals will have a crucial piece for their rotation in 2027 and beyond.
The immediate result of his first start was messy. He allowed back-to-back singles in the second inning before walking Dansby Swanson to load the bases. A ground ball by Pete Crow-Armstrong led to an error that allowed another run to score. “Bases-loaded with one of the best hitters in the world. Made a pitch, and it was a really tough play. That’s just the way the game goes sometimes,” Lynch said. The team will look past the rough stats for now. They want to see growth. “When you fail at something, you want to try again,” he added. The Royals are giving him that chance.
