The Kansas City Royals turned to rookie pitcher Noah Cameron to start Wednesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays. Matt Quatraro needed someone to fill Cole Ragan’s spot after he skipped his start. Cameron obliged and was impressive in his debut in the major leagues.
Cameron’s start ended in the seventh inning after giving up a single to Christopher Morel. He got through his first six innings in the majors without giving up a hit, according to Tampa Bay Times Rays reporter Marc Tompkin. Cameron carried the no-hitter into the seventh inning in one of the best pitching debuts Major League Baseball has seen in a while.
The Royals offense made sure to give the young pitcher some support in his first major league game. Vinnie Pasquantino hit a two-run home run to kick things off in the first inning. Bobby Witt Jr. added another run when he hit a RBI single in the fifth inning.
Ragans is struggling to settle in to a rhythm to start 2025. This isn’t the first start he skipped, a concerning pattern for one of the league’s best young arms. Him missing Wednesday’s game could end up having a silver lining, though.
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Cameron’s successful debut makes it difficult for Quatraro to send him back down to the minors. The Royals rotation is weak on the back end. If Cameron sticks around, an opportunity might arise for him to be a spot starter, stepping in to give the rest of the Kansas City staff a safety net if injuries re-emerge.
After bursting onto the scene in 2024, the Royals find themselves in a dogfight this season. They are fighting for the top spot in the American League Central division with the Cleveland Guardians and Detroit Tigers.
However, Cameron’s emergence could be all that Kansas City needs to vault over their rivals and win the division themselves. If they can, they are a dangerously talented team in the postseason.
