Bruce Chen has served as the steady veteran for the Kansas City Royals starting rotation these last few years as the team has tried to develop young prospects around him. Against the odds, Chen turned his career around in KC after coming to the team in 2009 and Dayton Moore was happy to re-sign him again and again with solid results each year in the midst of a frustrating staff. This year it's been a bit unsettling to watch Chen fail to deliver.
Yet Chen's last start against the Chicago White Sox gave reason for hope that he might be settling. He defeated the ChiSox with solid control and allowed only two runs in six-plus innings and earned the win for the Royals. He'll hope to continue that momentum today against the Baltimore Orioles in the series finale.
"His last three or four starts, he comes out and he hasn't established his fastball," manager Ned Yost said. "All he's doing is throwing 82, 83, trying to get his control down, but he's got nothing to speed the bats up so they sit soft."
The Royals have taken two of three from Baltimore so far in the series and the winning team has scored at least seven runs each night, so both Chen and Tommy Hunter for the O's are hoping that's not the case their opponent.
KANSAS CITY ROYALS @ BALTIMORE ORIOLES
Where: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
When: 12:35pm CT
TV: Fox Sports KC
Radio: KCSP 610
For more on the Kansas City Royals, go check out Royals Review. Baltimore Oriolesnews and info can be found at Camden Chat, and all your baseball news and info is available at Baseball Nation.