The Los Angeles Dodgers handed the Kansas City Royals a 6-0 loss at Camelback Ranch on Saturday in spring training play. Despite Elih Marrero's 1-for-1 effort at the plate, the Royals could not overcome a sizable deficit. Mitch Spence worked 3.0 innings on the mound, allowing 3 earned runs on 7 hits. The Dodgers out-hit the Royals 13-3 on the day. The loss is a minor bump as the Royals continue fine-tuning ahead of Opening Day. The exhibition season is about preparation, and today provided the kind of reps the coaching staff needs to see.
Key Performers
Elih Marrero was the offensive highlight at the plate, going 1-for-1. His consistent contact set the tone for the lineup. The Royals will be hoping for more of the same as the spring continues.
Connor Scott also contributed, going 1-for-1 and Connor Kaiser chipped in, going 1-for-3. The Royals showed flashes of offense but could not piece together the big inning they needed.
On the other side of the diamond, Freddie Freeman led the Dodgers offense with a 2-for-3 with three RBI day. Teoscar Hernández also contributed, going 3-for-3 with a double and two RBI. Miguel Rojas added a 3-for-3 effort as well. The Dodgers offense proved to be too much for the Royals pitching staff to contain on this particular day.
On the Mound
Mitch Spence took the loss after battling through his outing, working 3.0 innings while allowing 3 earned runs on 7 hits. He threw 42 pitches in the outing. The coaching staff will review his performance as they continue mapping out the pitching plan for the regular season.
The bullpen combined for 5.0 innings of work, allowing 3 earned runs while striking out five. The Royals continue to sort through their relief options as they build their Opening Day bullpen. Every inning pitched in the spring is an opportunity for pitchers to make their case for a spot on the roster when the games start counting.
Among the relievers, Nick Mears stood out with 1.0 innings of scoreless work, striking out two. It was an impressive showing that could factor into roster decisions.
How It Happened
Dodgers got on the board first with three runs in the first inning. Dodgers plated three runs in the fourth. Dodgers out-hit the Royals 13-3, with 1 error committed between the two clubs. A crowd of 11,346 was on hand to take in the action.
Looking Ahead
Despite the result, the Royals will take the lessons learned from this game and move forward. Spring training is about preparation and evaluation, not wins and losses, and the coaching staff gained valuable information about the roster today. There is still time to make adjustments before the regular season begins, and games like this one are part of that process.