(kcroyals.com/ap) The Kansas City Royals held their first day of summer camp or training camp 2.0 Friday.
Manager Mike Matheny promised earlier in the week that the Royals would hit the ground running in terms of camp by going straight to live batting practices the first day.
He wasn’t kidding.
Closer Ian Kennedy pitched live to hitters including Whit Merrifield. Other pitchers such as Jorge López, Brad Keller and Greg Holland also threw to hitters such as Jorge Soler and Ryan O’Hearn during the part of the day open to the media.
Matheny also watched Bobby Witt Jr. take his first Major League camp live at-bat. It was a 12-pitch at-bat that ended with a one-hopper off the right-field wall.
Matheny said liked everything he saw on the day.
Day 2 of summer camp is on tap Saturday at Kauffman Stadium.
For the first time since World War II, Major League Baseball’s All-Star Game will not be played in 2020, due to health circumstances created by the COVID-19 pandemic, MLB announced on Friday. The Dodgers, who had been scheduled to host the game and surrounding events, will host the next available Midsummer Classic in 2022.
The Braves’ Truist Park remains the host of the 2021 All-Star Game.
