Dobnak dazzles in seven scoreless innings for 1st MLB win since 2021

MINNEAPOLIS — For those who’re having hassle explaining the Royals’ 2026 season amid the entire struggles, disappointment and a number of accidents, listed below are two extra issues that may be perplexing to learn:

Tyler Tolbert homered and Salvador Perez tripled to assist the Royals to a 4-0 win over the Twins at Goal Area on Wednesday.

Sure, that’s the Royals’ pace specialist Tolbert, who entered the sport with three profession residence runs, taking Twins starter Joe Ryan deep for a Statcast-projected 405-foot homer. And Perez, the Royals’ newly topped franchise residence run king, legged out a triple on a ball that Twins middle fielder Luke Keaschall misplayed off the wall.

Nonetheless they obtained there, the Royals will take the runs and the win, particularly as a result of it backed seven scoreless innings from starter Randy Dobnak. He has been probably the most stunning and one of the crucial impactful gamers over the previous month that he’s been with the Royals. That additionally may not have been one thing you’d’ve anticipated to learn when the season began, as a result of Dobnak wasn’t even acquired by the Royals till June 17.

Making his first profession look towards his former workforce, Dobnak matched his profession excessive in innings, which he set on Sept. 3, 2021 — his final begin within the Main Leagues earlier than this 12 months.

Since then, he’s handled accidents, a transfer to the bullpen and many time in Triple-A earlier than the Twins traded him to the Tigers in 2025. He spent the primary a part of the season on a Minor League contract with the Mariners earlier than becoming a member of the Royals.

A couple of weeks later, Dobnak was again within the massive leagues with Kansas Metropolis. In 5 video games with the Royals (three begins), the right-hander has allowed simply three runs in 26 innings for a 1.04 ERA. That features 12 scoreless innings in his previous two begins towards the Tigers and Twins.

Dobnak was at his greatest on Wednesday, attacking the Twins together with his sinker, making them whiff on his sweeper and conserving them off steadiness together with his changeup.