Manager Ned Yost met with the media in the hours leading up to Tuesday night’s contest against the visiting Oakland Athletics.
In last night’s game, the Royals used two position players as pitchers — a first in franchise history. The veteran manager said he knew early in the contest that he’d have to rely on a non-pitcher to take the hill, noting the unavailability of relievers Tim Hill, Kevin McCarthy and Scott Barlow after the trio was used heavily over the weekend in Cleveland. He acknowledged that Alex Gordon, the first position player to toe the rubber last night, had lobbied for his opportunity to pitch throughout recent seasons.