Kansas City Royals: Kris Medlen Might Be Done
The Kansas City Royals haven’t fared well when it comes to the injury bug this season, and Kris Medlen has been one of those cases. Things took another possible turn for the worst on Tuesday for Medlen.
Heading into the 2015 season, Kansas City Royals fans were excited about the acquisition of former Atlanta Braves starter Kris Medlen. Medlen had done well while in a Braves uniform, sporting a 1.57 ERA in 2011 and a 3.11 ERA in 2012. That 2011 season saw Medlen go 10-1 during 12 starts.
The risk with Medlen heading into his inaugural season with the Royals, however, was that he was coming off of not one, but two Tommy John surgeries.
More from Kansas City Royals
- This Plus-Money Bobby Witt Jr. Prop Bet is on Fire (Hit in 15/21 Games)!
- The Royals Need to Extend Bobby Witt Jr. Immediately
- DraftKings + FanDuel Kansas Promos: INSTANT $150 Bonus Plus Two Chances to Win!
- 3 Royals Players Who Won’t Be on the Roster Next Year
- LAST CHANCE to Claim $250 GUARANTEED Bonus With FanDuel and DraftKings Kansas Promos!
Tommy John surgery sometimes can end a pitcher’s career, and for Medlen to have two made him a risky sign.
He first pitched for the Royals after the All-Star break and ended his regular season with an ERA of 4.01 in just ten games. He pitched in six innings during the postseason, including a shutout inning during the World Series.
The hope was that Kris Medlen could eventually come in and be another diamond in the rough for the Royals in 2016. He was named to the starting rotation, but posted an ugly 7.77 ERA before landing on the disabled list in May.
After several rehab starts in the minor leagues, however, the news on Medlen is not particularly good.
Kris Medlen leaves his 3rd AAA rehab start after 49 pitches. Through 5 rehab starts - 18 IP, 22 H, 11 ER, 7 BB, 20 K, 6 HRs 5.50 ERA #Royals
— Josh Vernier (@JoshVernier610) July 6, 2016
Bizarre moment at I-Cubs game. Omaha's Kris Medlen throws a pitch then walks off the field.
— Michael Admire 🐶 (@Admire_OnAir) July 6, 2016
More from KC Kingdom
- Win $650 GUARANTEED Plus $100 Off NFL Sunday Ticket With Caesars, FanDuel and DraftKings Kansas Promos!
- This Plus-Money Bobby Witt Jr. Prop Bet is on Fire (Hit in 15/21 Games)!
- How to Bet on the Chiefs vs. Cardinals in NFL Preseason Week 2
- The Royals Need to Extend Bobby Witt Jr. Immediately
- The 3 Most Intriguing Games on the Chiefs’ Schedule
I’m afraid things just don’t look good for Kris Medlen coming back to pitch for Kansas City. Sure, he could have just been pulled due to the poor outing on Tuesday, but there’s a part of me that’s expecting the worst here.
He was pulled after only 49 pitches in a bizarre way. If Medlen is suffering a setback due to injury, then his time as a Royal might be coming to a close. Not only that, but potentially his career as well.
I’m obviously no expert when it comes to MLB, but at this point, if Medlen is struggling this badly in the minors even if it’s not due to injury, is he really a better option than Chris Young? Young has sucked this year, but Medlen’s 7.77 ERA isn’t exactly enticing enough to throw him out on the mound either.
Next: Five Best Royals Managers of All-Time
Simply put – This year has sucked for the starting rotation in Kansas City. Just a few years ago, the Royals had James Shields, Jason Vargas, the good Yordano Ventura, and the mostly good Jeremy Guthrie to rely on. They weren’t all lights out pitchers, but we didn’t fear for the worst every night with those guys.
What do you think, Royals fans? Will Kris Medlen get another shot to pitch for the boys in blue or could he be injured again?