Alec Marsh to make MLB debut on Friday

The Royals will call up Alec Marsh to start Friday’s game against the Dodgers, according to MLB.com reporter Anne Rogers. The scheduled starter, Jordan Lyles, is sick and is unable to make the start. The Royals have not officially announced a move. Marsh is already on the 40-man roster.

Marsh is ranked #11 in the Royals’ farm system by Baseball America and #14 by MLB Pipeline. A former second-round pick out of Arizona State in 2019, the 25-year-old right-hander had a 5.32 ERA with 56 strikeouts in 47 ¹⁄₃ innings for Double-A Northwest Arkansas before being promoted and posting a 2.40 ERA in three starts for Omaha. He has the ability to miss bats with 156 strikeouts in 124 1/3 innings last year, but walks can be an issue and he still allowed a lot of hard hit contact last year with a 6.88 ERA. Marsh throws in the mid-90s with a four-seamer and a two-seamer with sink, with a curveball, slider, and change up.

Marsh would become the 15th pitcher already to start a game for the Royals. Only three teams in Royals history have had more starters - 1990, 1992, and the 2006 team which had a club-record 17 starting pitchers.