Royals rookie Noah Cameron continued his strong debut season Saturday, allowing two runs over five innings in a 5-1 loss to the Padres. The left-hander leaned on his changeup to work through a tough San Diego lineup.
Cameron gave up early runs in the second and third innings but managed to escape further damage with timely ground balls and double plays. He threw 88 pitches, including 20 changeups, which drew a 30% called strike plus whiff rate.
Over eight starts, Cameron has a 2.08 ERA and 0.97 WHIP. Six of his 11 earned runs came in one outing against the Yankees. Without that game, his ERA would sit at 1.07.
Manager Matt Quatraro and catcher Salvador Perez both praised Cameron’s work and focus. With Cole Ragans still on the injured list, Cameron’s debut campaign has helped stabilize Kansas City’s rotation.
