KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Kris Medlen is back — and in the bullpen.
Medlen, who missed last season after having his second Tommy John surgery in March 2014, was activated by the Kansas City Royals on Monday after six minor league rehab starts.
Before the night was over, Medlen was needed when Royals starter Yordano Ventura was pulled in the fifth. Medlen threw 52 pitches, 37 for strikes, while allowing four runs on four hits and striking out four in 3 1/3 innings during Kansas City’s 10-7 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates.
“He’s worked so hard to get back from the second Tommy John surgery and the rehab,” Royals manager Ned Yost said. “It took about a year and a half to get through it. He provides depth down there. He’s a really good big league pitcher.
“He’s got what we call pitch-ability. He commands the baseball well. He changes speeds extremely well. He’s a nice guy to have down in the ‘pen right now.”
Medlen had not pitched in the majors since Sept. 27, 2013, with the Atlanta Braves. Was he relieved to get this one out of the way?
“I guess so,” he said. “I guess having a few years in the big leagues, the game didn’t speed up on me at all, which was the most exciting part. I’m real energetic, and a lot of times I’ll get the ball and go, get the ball and go.
“I feel like I did a better job of kind of controlling myself and not losing myself in the moment. I kept giving them runs.”
While Medlen, who won 15 games as a Braves starter in 2013, is in the bullpen for now, that could change. Yost said Medlen’s arrival gives the Royals seven starters.