Lynch's night unravels in 'frustrating' end to season

CLEVELAND -- With a bunt hit and a broken-bat single in the fifth inning on Tuesday night, the Guardians had the momentum on their side against Royals starter Daniel Lynch.

It increased when Myles Straw and Amed Rosario executed a double steal against Lynch with José Ramírez at the plate. And like a script the Royals have been trying to rewrite all season, Ramírez unleashed his MVP swing for a two-run double that opened Cleveland’s scoring in Kansas City’s 5-3 loss at Progressive Field in its penultimate game of the season.

Lynch couldn’t control the momentum-building damage from there, allowing another two runs before exiting with two outs in the fifth inning of his final start of the 2022 season.

“Frustrating,” Lynch said. “I felt really good the first four innings. It’s been something that’s been tough for me this season. Couldn’t get it done there. How it started was a bunt hit and broken-bat hit. Then letting things get out of hand and not giving us a chance to win.”

The Royals' offense tried to claw back and nearly ran its way into a win thanks to Nate Eaton, whose two singles turned into runs with his hustle and heads-up baserunning.

But Owen Miller’s two-run homer against Lynch in the fifth ended up being the difference, handing Lynch his 13th loss of the season. The lefty finishes his second season in the Majors with a 5.13 ERA across 27 starts and 131 2/3 innings.

Lynch established himself in the Majors this season and flashed the elite stuff that makes the Royals believe he’s a key piece of their future. He also knows there are improvements to be made because the results weren’t where he wanted them to be.

“I just need to get better,” Lynch said. “It’s a frustrating way to end it. I think there’s some good things I improved on. A lot of things I improved on. But it’s not good enough for me. It’s not good enough for the team. I just need to get better.”

Lynch posted a 3.30 ERA in his first six starts this season, including three scoreless outings. In his last nine starts of the season, he’s 0-6 with a 6.34 ERA.

He enters the offseason with several things to work on in hopes of earning a 2023 rotation spot out of Spring Training.

“I think my delivery can get a little bit better,” Lynch said. “Clean some things up there. I think I really need to improve my slider. I think as the year went on, whatever was fooling them or tricking them started to go away. I was throwing good sliders and they weren’t swinging or they were hitting them. So that needs to improve. I like to keep it simple. I think those are two things that I can attack.”

On Tuesday, the Guardians -- who have the lowest strikeout rate in the Majors -- swung 47 times against Lynch but only registered 11 whiffs.

With two outs in the bottom of the second inning, he got to an 0-2 count against both Gabriel Arias and Austin Hedges -- who entered Tuesday hitting .187 and .167 respectively -- but walked both before getting out of the inning, his pitch count at 41 through two.

“They just weren’t chasing the slider,” Lynch said. “I was trying to throw it for a strike, ended up down and in, and those are pitches that usually guys at least offer at. So I think it comes down to the command because my mentality is fine. I’m not trying to throw balls.”

Turning that momentum around will be key for Lynch in 2023. The Royals believe he's capable, and some of it will be because of the experience of this year.

“I get not wanting to get burnt 0-2, but 0-2 is turning into trying to make too good of a pitch," manager Mike Matheny said. "Leads you into a tough count, trying to make a perfect pitch still. And then you’re behind the eight ball. That’s happened to him a lot. You get back 15 pitches throughout the course of the game. That’s a big deal.

“He’s [taken] a lot of the right steps forward. Part of it is going to be trusting himself to not run from contact. … All young pitchers have to get to the point of not being afraid of contact, trusting yourself and defense. Once he takes that step, he’s got everything he needs to be very, very good.”