The Kansas City Royals hit a bump in the road this past weekend, dropping two of three games to the Oakland A's including a deflating loss in Sunday's series finale. The defending champs still boast an 8-4 overall record, though, and will return home hoping to right the ship against the Detroit Tigers.
Read on for the latest news and rumors on the Royals.
What's Delaying Dyson?
Jarrod Dyson was expected back as early as this weekend against the A's, but now it's unclear whether he will be ready to join the Royals when they start their homestand against the Tigers. Because he strained his oblique in his only at-bat of the spring, manager Ned Yost is considering leaving Dyson down in the minors for a few more games.
Time To Demote Chris Young?
With an 0-3 record and a near-8.00 ERA, there are conflicting opinions as to whether Kansas City should keep Young in the rotation or demote him to the bullpen. The veteran has faced only top competition thus far, but longmen Dillon Gee (1.80 ERA) and Chien-Ming Wang (2.70 ERA) have both pitched well early, giving credence to both sides.
Royals Again Defying Stat Projections
Baseball Prospectus' popluar analytics tool (PECOTA) that projects every team's wins and losses gave the Royals just 72 victories in 2015. This season, coming off a World Series title, the program predicted the Royals would finish 76-86. Of course, the tool does not measure unique strategies teams employ, as well as intangibles like team chemistry — two areas where Yost and co. excel.