Kansas City Royals: Five Players to Watch Vs San Francisco Giants

Apr 16, 2017; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals shortstop Alcides Escobar (2) leaps into the arms of Mike Moustakas (8) after hitting a walk-off single against the Los Angeles Angels during the ninth inning at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals won 1-0. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports /

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Kansas City Royals relief pitcher Joakim Soria (48) – Mandatory Credit: Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports /

JOAKIM SORIA

For all of the crap that Joakim Soria got in 2016 (and deservedly so), he’s been great through five innings thus far. Soria has pitched in six innings and still has a sparkling 0.00 ERA.

Soria needs to have a bounce back season this year and while it’s still super early, he’s looked great in his five appearances to this point in 2017.

Soria impressed the Royals faithful when he pitched 1.2 innings of one-hit baseball in the second game of the series against Los Angeles. He did allow the Angels to tie the game, but the runner was inherited from Mike Minor, so Soria did the best job he could considering the circumstances.

That appearance gave Soria his first win of the season, as after he pitched a clean eighth inning, Moustakas put a baseball over the fence to give the Royals the lead.

I hadn’t mentioned Joakim Soria in any of my “Five Players to Watch” pieces, but it was hard not to after his nice outing on Saturday. Soria needs to have a bounce back season this year and while it’s still super early, he’s looked great in his five appearances to this point in 2017.

Perhaps the Joakim Soria that Royals fans loved in the early 2010s is making a return to the mound in 2017. No one would complain if that did happen.

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