Clarke is having great start for the Royals


Kansas City baseball this season has been a disaster for the most part; however, there have been some young players that have had good starts to the season like Vinny Pasquantino, Nick Pratto, and a few others. The bullpen has been up and down this season, but Taylor Clarke has been a bright spot in the pen. Clarke returned to the Royals on a major league contract. During the 2022 season with Kansas City, the right hander posted an ERA of 4.04. Clarke's 2023 season to this point has seen him cut his ERA nearly in half to 2.89. Sometimes a change in off-season training routine can help players improve their game, but Clarke didn't change anything with his off-season routine: "Pretty normal off-season, just my usual regiment of working out and playing catch to get my arm and body in shape for the season." The right hander in that same interview said one change he has made this season is more off speed pitches thrown: "I don’t think I’ve changed anything from the past. I just try to do my daily routine each day I get to the field so that way I’ll be ready for the game. I’ve been throwing more off speed pitches this season that probably has helped out the most.''  The 29-year old in my opinion has been overlooked in the Kansas City bullpen with Barlow and Chapman also having solid seasons. The right hander's stats are pretty impressive for being on a team that struggles in many categories, mainly on the offensive side of the ball, causing a lack of run support. Before signing with Kansas City last season, Clarke owned a career ERA of 4.99 during his tenure with the Diamondbacks. Joining Kansas City seemed to be the right move for Clarke, and the hot start for the reliever could possibly draw some trade interest from ball clubs looking to bolster their bullpen. Although it's unlikely, it's always a possibility with a Kansas City team that struggles to win ball games and the trade deadline is just around the corner. Let's hope Clarke can continue his great start to the season and become an important veteran piece of the Royals bullpen for years to come.

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