Kansas City Royals give Trevor Rosenthal next chapter in comeback story

Trevor Rosenthal’s comeback story is ready for the next chapter, as the Kansas City Royals have added him to their 40 man roster.

It is difficult to imagine the lows that Trevor Rosenthal had sunk to. His start to 2019 was the stuff of nightmares, as he could neither get anyone out or find the strike zone. He had gone four consecutive outings where he failed to record an out, with all of those runners coming around to score. It was fair to wonder if the end had come.

However, Rosenthal was not ready to give up just yet. He signed a minor league contract with the Kansas City Royals, hoping to prove that he could still be a weapon in the bullpen. For the Royals, it was an easy decision to make – they are rebuilding, and if Rosenthal can prove to be competent once more, he could bring back a prospect or two. Otherwise, it would not cost much to cut him loose.

As it turned out, Rosenthal surprised everyone during the abbreviated spring training. He dominated, allowing just three hits over his five innings while recording nine strikeouts. Even more impressively, he did not issue a single walk. For at least a few weeks, he was able to turn the clock back to 2015.

While the Royals would have liked to see more from Rosenthal, time was not on their side. He had an opt-out clause in his minor league contract for March 26, which he could have triggered had he not been added to the 40 man roster. With the shutdown due to the coronavirus, some teams and players had worked to extend those dates.

The Royals, on the other hand, were not one of those teams. They had seen enough from Rosenthal to make their determination, as they added him to the roster. To make room, Kansas City designated Eric Skoglund for assignment.

This is not the final chapter in Rosenthal’s comeback story. He still needs to prove that he can be an effective relief pitcher once the regular season begins.  But this is certainly a step in the right direction, as Rosenthal is climbing out of the abyss that had been 2019.

Trevor Rosenthal’s comeback story is starting to progress. He still has a lot of work to do, but being added to the Kansas City Royals roster is a step in the right direction.