Singer's sinker strikes winning chord in 100th career start

KANSAS CITY -- Brady Singer is quickly becoming the grizzled veteran of Kansas City’s rotation, whether he realizes it or not.

Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo may have years of experience on the starting staff, but the one constant in the Royals’ rotation has been Singer, who the club relied on once again in a rubber game. And once again, he delivered.

In Singer’s 100th career start, the 27-year-old tossed 5 1/3 innings of one-run ball to seal the Royals’ 6-4 series-clinching victory over the Brewers on Wednesday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium.

Just how much has changed in Singer’s tenure with the Royals? Well, since making his debut in 2020, there is only one player still on the active roster -- Salvador Perez. Singer is also the only starter from the Opening Day rotation of Cole Ragans, Lugo, Wacha and Alec Marsh to have pitched a single inning for the team prior to 2023.

“I feel like I was talking about this the other day with someone, but this career has gone by really, really quick,” Singer said. “It’s flown by -- so just sit back and enjoy it.”

After Singer’s third win of the year, it’s just the second time the Royals have had a winning record this late in a season (2021) since the right-hander’s arrival.

Considerable turnover in recent years has put Kansas City in position to compete in 2024, but one constant has been Singer.

“I was surprised, in a good way, to [learn that] he’s the 26th Royal to [make 100 career starts],” manager Matt Quatraro said pregame on Wednesday. “When you see those numbers, that’s pretty amazing for all the games that have been played in the [56] years. It’s impressive, the longevity. I think all of those milestones are impressive because there are such few people that get to reach them in the history of the game.

“Brady is somebody that really embodies what we like here. We’ve talked about him a lot in his competitiveness and his desire to improve, and that’s what really sticks out to me.”

Singer, who was the 18th overall pick in the 2018 MLB Draft, spent just one season in the Minors ('19) before coming to Kansas City. He had a career year in ‘22 with a 3.23 ERA over 153 1/3 innings before he stumbled to a 5.52 mark in ‘23.

But with the addition of two pitches this offseason, Singer has reloaded and pitched to a 2.36 ERA with 46 strikeouts across 45 2/3 innings.

“He’s just doing Brady Singer things,” said Bobby Witt Jr., who scored three runs and homered for the first time since April 11. “He’s going up there and competing. He’s a dog up there. It’s so much fun to play defense behind him.”

Singer labored with 29 pitches in the first inning against Milwaukee, but pitched into the sixth by attacking the zone. He created just four whiffs, but movement and deception generated weak contact, and Singer was able to set down nine straight batters from the end of the first to the fourth inning. He has now pitched into the sixth inning in five of his eight starts, and has yet to allow more than five hits in an outing.

“I felt good,” Singer said. “The sinker had a lot of action and I was able to locate that pretty well on the right-handers.”

So well, in fact, that Singer got 16 called strikes on his sinker.

“I call him Picasso for that -- painting the corners,” Witt said. “It’s a lot of fun to see him do that, bringing the sinker back and run it back inside. It’s fun to watch.”

The Brewers almost tied the game in the seventh, but MJ Melendez threw a 91.1 mph dart to home plate to nab Oliver Dunn, who was inches away from tying the game before catcher Freddy Fermin applied the tag.

“I have confidence in my arm and ability to throw,” Melendez said. “I feel like that’s what I’ve always done best, even when I was a catcher. I got it before he touched third base and I felt like I had a pretty good shot.”

Kansas City tacked on three runs in the eighth before James McArthur came in with one out in the ninth and picked up his eighth save to secure the Royals’ first series win against a team currently over .500.

“We have to believe we are one of those teams, too,” Witt said. “That’s what we are supposed to do against these teams. Go up there and compete, and be the best team we can possibly be.”

This Royals team has plenty of new faces on the roster, but with Singer on the mound, the sense of familiarity, and trust, is undeniable.