Royals are best in MLB at shutting down one premier spot in opposing lineups
The Royals are elite at pitching to a spot in the lineup that normally has plenty of success.
Royals are best in MLB at shutting down one premier spot in opposing lineups originally appeared on The Sporting News . Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here . The Kansas City Royals haven't had the best season so far, but it's not been due to their pitching staff.
For the most part, the Royals have gotten plenty of success from their pitching this year. There's one spot in opposing teams' lineups that the Royals have had immense success at shutting down this season. And it's within the top-four spots of the order.
According to Bleacher Report's Kerry Miller, the Royals are the best team in Major League Baseball when it comes to shutting down cleanup hitters, which, traditionally, are some of the best power-hitters in the sport. Royals are MLB's best at shutting down cleanup hitters "Kansas City Royals: Shutting down cleanup hitters," Miller writes. "Royals pitching, however, has been lights out against that portion of the opponents' lineup, allowing just a .
252 on-base percentage that ranks best in the majors. " The Royals have allowed just a . 252 on-base percentage to cleanup hitters this season, which is a very low mark for any spot in the lineup, but especially for the cleanup spot.