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Nelson Velazquez, Royals Bid to Avert Sweep vs. Padres
The Kansas City Royals are hoping to keep away from a compass in their three-game series against the San Diego Padres on Sunday evening. One brilliant spot for the Royals has been the resurgence of Nelson Velazquez’s power hitting, which they trust will fuel a triumph in the series finale.
Velazquez’s Power Surge
Nelson Velazquez has been on a tear as of late, hitting six grand slams in his last 14 games. This flood is suggestive of his breakout execution in 2023 when he hit 14 homeruns in only 40 games. Before this streak, Velazquez had battled, overseeing just two homers in 37 games. Recognizing the need for adjustment, he put in extra work with the hitting coaches.
“I’ve been working in the cage with hitting coaches,” Velazquez said. “Everything we’re trying together has been working so far.”
Royals manager Matt Quatraro attributed Velazquez’s success to improvements in his mechanics. “They’ve been working on some of the mechanics, trying to get him back closer to where he was last year,” Quatraro said. “A little more stabilized legs, you see better swings, you see better takes. It usually starts with the foundation. If your legs are strong, your base is strong, you usually put better swings on it.”
Despite being known for his all-or-nothing approach, with 54 strikeouts and eight homers in 168 at-bats, Velazquez has shown more selectivity at the plate. He even recorded his first two-walk game of the season on May 22 against Detroit.
“I just stay (with) my plan,” Velazquez explained. “Just trying to stay in the middle, hit the ball, and see what happens. I think when you put everything together, walks, hits, good things happen.”
Royals’ Pitching: Cole Ragans
Left-hander Cole Ragans, with a 4-4 record and a 3.36 ERA, will start for the Royals. Ragans has yet to face the Padres in his career. In his most recent outing, he took the loss against the Minnesota Twins, surrendering three runs (two earned) on eight hits over five innings in a 4-2 defeat.
Padres’ Pitching: Michael King
Right-hander Michael King, likewise with a 4-4 record yet a 4.09 ERA, will pitch for the Padres as they look for their most memorable series clear of the time. King has confronted the Royals in five vocation appearances (two beginnings) with a 0-1 record and a 4.50 ERA. In his last trip, King permitted one sudden spike in demand for three hits while striking out seven more than five innings in a no-ruling against the Miami Marlins.
Padres’ Injury Concerns
The Padres’ rotation has been hit hard by injuries. Joe Musgrove experienced a recurrence of right elbow inflammation, and Yu Darvish was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left groin/hamstring strain.
“The last pitch of Joe’s last side he felt, in the same area, some inflammation in the back of the elbow,” Padres manager Mike Shildt said. “Structurally, we feel like everything’s good. Just the repetitiveness of the inflammation in the back of his elbow is not going to let him finish his pitches the way he wants to finish his pitches.”
Randy Vasquez, recalled from Triple-A El Paso, filled in for Musgrove on Saturday, allowing three runs on four hits in San Diego’s 7-3 win. “We’re going to support Joe and Yu while they’re out, and people are going to step up and do great things in their stead,” Shildt said. “It was a good job by Randy.”
The Padres are expected to make another roster move to cover Darvish’s scheduled start against the Los Angeles Angels on Tuesday. “The feedback from yesterday was better, but we know (those injuries) can be tricky,” Shildt noted. “We want to make sure we get it behind him. We don’t think it’s anything long-term serious, but it’s something that’s going to require some rest.”
Conclusion
As the Royals strive to avoid a sweep, Nelson Velazquez’s recent power surge provides a glimmer of hope. With Cole Ragans on the mound, Kansas City will look to combine strong pitching with Velazquez’s revitalized offense to secure a win. Meanwhile, the Padres, despite their injury woes, aim to capitalize on their current momentum and complete the sweep with Michael King leading the charge. Sunday’s game promises to be a pivotal matchup for both teams.
