SURPRISE, Ariz. -- The first major decision of this Royals camp came down Monday, as manager Ned Yost named right-hander Nathan Karns as his No. 5 starter.
Karns, acquired in the offseason from the Mariners for Jarrod Dyson, had been battling with right-hander Chris Young and left-hander Travis Wood for the No. 5 spot.
"[Yost] called me in this morning and said 'Congratulations, you're our No. 5 starter,'" Karns said, smiling. "It's something I have worked really hard for."
In four starts this spring, Karns has had mixed results; he has given up seven earned runs in his last two outings and has a 7.