'Opportunity is here': Marsh gets call for MLB debut

KANSAS CITY -- Alec Marsh was beginning to throw his bullpen session on Thursday afternoon at Werner Park, home of Triple-A Omaha, when he was told to stop throwing.

The coaching staff had a question for Marsh: Did he want to start Sunday in Omaha, or would he rather start Friday in Kansas City?

A little over 24 hours later, Marsh was on the mound at Kauffman Stadium facing the Dodgers for his Major League debut.

“The adrenaline definitely hit me out there, but I tried to control it as much as I [could],” Marsh said. “... Facing that kind of lineup, definitely better than any I’ve ever faced before. After tonight, I’m excited to get back to work.”

Mookie Betts tagged Marsh twice for solo home runs, hurting the Royals’ No. 14 prospect in a final line that left something to be desired -- five runs in four-plus innings, four walks and five strikeouts in the Royals’ eventual 9-3 loss.

But Marsh’s stuff was enticing. His 94-97 mph fastball has riding life that can flummox hitters when Marsh executes it; in the top of the third, Max Muncy struck out swinging on a 95 mph heater up and away, throwing his bat and spiking his helmet as Marsh walked off the mound. Marsh’s slider backed up on him a few times Friday, and he only threw seven curveballs. But he has two breaking balls for hitters to chase. Of the 11 swings he elicited on his changeup, the Dodgers whiffed four times (36%).

While Marsh admitted the adrenaline got to him, causing his pitches to flatten and the game to speed up when runners were on base, it was the moment -- playing in front of a big crowd that included his family, friends and former coaches cheering for him -- that caused the 25-year-old to reflect on the journey to get here.

The Royals’ second-round pick out of Arizona State in 2019, Marsh didn’t experience a normal, full professional season until 2021 because the COVID-19 pandemic wiped out the 2020 Minor League season. That fall, the Royals thought Marsh might have been their best pitcher at the prospect camp they held at The K, given his uptick in velocity. But he threw just 25 1/3 innings in ‘21 because of injuries, then struggled in ‘22 with a 6.88 ERA between Double-A Northwest Arkansas and Triple-A.

“I never stopped believing, never stopped working,” Marsh said. “... You get knocked down, you just keep getting back up. I’m going to keep getting back up every time. I think that was a big thing when they told me I was coming [to Kansas City] -- I was emotional about that. That was a tough stretch, especially last year.”

This season, Marsh looked much better; despite a 5.32 ERA in Double-A to start the year, the Royals could tell his stuff was ready for the next level. In three starts for Omaha, Marsh posted a 2.40 ERA.

As the Royals debated who should make the spot start for Jordan Lyles, who has been out a few days with an illness, they had a few options because of two off days in Omaha this week, pushing the rotation back.

But when general manager J.J. Picollo tossed out Marsh’s name to the Royals officials who surrounded him, several agreed: He should get the chance.

“The opportunity is here,” Picollo said. “And we’ve got to use our roster. If we have somebody on the 40-man roster, they need to be available to us. This is a great chance for him to show us what he’s got.”

After all, that’s what this season is about -- now more than ever. At 23-59, the Royals’ game results don’t matter as much as team growth and player improvement. The Royals already traded lefty reliever Aroldis Chapman to the Rangers on Friday, opening a spot in the bullpen -- not only for a reliever to find himself in higher-leverage opportunities, but for pitchers on the verge of the Majors to earn chances with Kansas City.

“Things like this need to happen,” Picollo said. “If [the situation] presents itself, they’re going to come up and pitch.”

After Betts’ leadoff homer, Marsh remained composed, retiring the next three batters. During his 37-pitch fourth inning with traffic on the bases, Marsh navigated a deep lineup; after Betts roped an RBI single, Marsh struck out Freddie Freeman swinging on a slider to end the frame.

“He didn’t back down from anybody,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “He lost the zone a little bit at times, but he came after them.”