Royals’ Jakob Junis disappointed to see past troubles cropping up after bullpen move

The painful familiar feeling has been the most head-shaking and frustrating part of the last two outings for Kansas City Royals pitcher Jakob Junis.

Junis, who moved back to the bullpen this week after having been a formidable piece of the starting rotation in April, has allowed six runs in two relief appearances — all on home runs.

After starting the season in the bullpen in what manager Mike Matheny described as a “hybrid role,” being available for shorter relief outings, longer relief outings or as a spot stater, Junis made four starts, went 1-1 and posted a 3.80 ERA and a 1.17 WHIP in those starts with 24 strikeouts and seven walks in 21 1/3 innings.

“The transition is the same as it was before, just the results aren’t there,” Junis said Wednesday of going back to the bullpen. “I had a really tough one the other night, didn’t get the job done again tonight. But I felt great tonight. I thought my stuff was pretty good. Just one pitch. In the later innings of a game, that’s all it takes sometimes.”

With top pitching prospect Daniel Lynch inserted into the rotation and injuries having sidelined Jesse Hahn and Kyle Zimmer, the Royals turned to Junis as an option to pitch in pivotal relief situations this week.

In the seventh inning of Monday night’s loss to Cleveland, Junis gave up a three-run home run to Eddie Rosario and a two-run homer to Josh Naylor.

In the eighth inning of Wednesday night’s loss, he intended to throw a cutter up and inside to Indians’ offensive centerpiece Jose Ramirez. Instead, it drifted down and in — typically a hot zone for left-handed power hitters — and Ramirez smacked it over the right-field wall and into the bullpen for a game-tying homer.

Prior to Ramirez’s homer, Junis got a ground out to first base. He got the next two batters after Rarmirez to also hit grounders, but the damage had been done.

“I got three ground balls and a home run,” Junis said. “I just missed my spot on that one. Ramirez is a good hitter. He’s going to take advantage of a mistake down in his bat path.”

Prior to this week, Junis had allowed only one home run in 23 1/3 innings this season, including two relief appearances before he went into the starting rotation.

In previous seasons as a starting pitcher, Junis had been heavily victimized by the long ball. He gave up 32 homers in 30 starts in 2018, 31 homers in 31 starts in 2019 and seven home runs in eight games (six starts) in 2020.

“It really hurts because I’d given up, I think, one home run in 20-something innings to start the season,” Junis said. “Obviously, that’s a big deal to me given years past that’s been an issue that I’ve tried to correct. So to give up three in two innings the last two outings is pretty frustrating and something I definitely need to limit.”