Eric Skoglund had gone more than three weeks without throwing a baseball in an actual game, his last 12 days spent as a spectator in the Royals dugout. And so 24 hours before he was set to return to the mound and open his 2018 season, he walked toward his locker and uttered one word.
“Finally,” he said.
The long wait left more rust than sharpness.
The Mariners pounced on Skoglund in the opening two innings, the impetus for an 8-3 victory Tuesday in front of an announced crowd of 14,850 fans at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals fell to 3-6.