Henrico native Lynch makes Major League Baseball debut for the Kansas City Royals
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Welcome to the Show, Daniel!#TogetherRoyal pic.twitter.com/EzEwpmOSO6
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) May 4, 2021
For the second time in less than a month, a Henrico native has made his debut at the highest level of professional sports.
Douglas Freeman High School graduate Daniel Lynch, a left-handed starting pitcher who also attended the University of Virginia, made his Major League Baseball debut Monday night for the Kansas City Royals, pitching into the fifth inning against the Cleveland Indians at Kansas City’s Kauffman Stadium.
Lynch, a power lefty who throws in the upper 90s, left the game with a 3-1 lead and two outs in the fifth but runners on first and second. Both runners scored on a single after Lynch was pulled by manager Mike Matheny in favor of reliever Scott Barlow.
Lynch’s final line was a respectable one: 4.2 innings pitched, four hits allowed, three earned runs, three strikeouts and four walks. He threw 74 pitches (46 for strikes) and overcame some control struggles at times to limit the damage by the Indians.
The Royals’ bullpen surrendered five more runs later in the game, and the Indians won 8-6.
Lynch’s debut came just weeks after Glen Allen native Zac Jones made his debut with the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League.
First @MLB strikeouts don't come much filthier than this. Congratulations, Daniel!#TogetherRoyal pic.twitter.com/iBx8kbOJhH
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) May 4, 2021
Lynch graduated from Freeman High in 2015 and pitched three years at UVA. He was a first-round draft pick of the Royals in 2018 (the 34th overall pick) and was considered the organization's top pitching prospect who had not yet played in the majors.
He compiled an 11-3 record with a sparkling 2.50 earned run average in 147.2 innings during two seasons in the minor leagues at the rookie league and Single-A levels, where he struck out an average of more than 9.5 batters per nine innings.
There was no minor league season last year. Lynch earned the call up to Kansas City one day before the 2021 minor league season was set to begin.
Lynch played recreational baseball at Henrico’s Tuckahoe Little League as a youngster – the same program that helped produce future Hall of Fame pitcher Justin Verlander, currently of the Houston Astros.
