Karns (2-2) allowed two runs on six hits and two walks while striking out 10 batters over 6.1 innings during Monday's win over Tampa Bay.

EDGE Analysis

While it's been an up-and-down start to the season for Karns, he's now won consecutive games with just two runs allowed and 17 strikeouts over 12.1 innings. Karns currently owns a 9.2 K/9 and 56.7 groundball rate for the season, which bodes well for him continuing to chip away at his ERA, which has dropped from 6.26 to 4.58 over his past two outings. He'll look to turn in another sharp outing at home against Baltimore this weekend.

Karns (1-2) tossed six scoreless innings Wednesday. allowing only one hit and one walk while striking out seven, in a 6-1 win over the White Sox.

EDGE Analysis

It was by far Karns' best start of the season, and he shaved more than a run off his ERA in the process. The right-hander's 26:10 K:BB through 29 innings is strong but he'll need to get his 1.9 HR/9 under control if he's going to make the most of his strikeout ability. He'll next take the mound Monday in Tampa Bay.

Karns (0-2) surrendered four runs on seven hits while striking out five batters over six innings during Wednesday's loss to Chicago.

EDGE Analysis

Karns has allowed 10 runs through 10.2 innings over his past two starts and sports a 6.26 ERA for the season. He flashed potential during his rookie campaign in 2015 with a 3.67 ERA and 8.9 K/9, but he couldn't stick in the Seattle rotation last year and pitched out of the bullpen over the final two months of the season. It's probably best to wait for Karns to string together a few solid outings before relying on him in most fantasy settings.

Karns (0-1) gave up six runs on five hits and three walks while striking out six over 4.2 innings in Friday's 6-2 loss to the Rangers.

EDGE Analysis

Four of those five hits left the yard, as Joey Gallo and Robinson Chirinos each took Karns deep twice. It was a typically inefficient outing for the right-hander, who threw 59 of 100 pitches for strikes, and his 6.35 ERA and 1.53 WHIP through 17 innings so far are well earned given his 14:9 K:BB and 2.7 HR/9. Karns will try to turn things around Wednesday on the road against the White Sox.

Karns pitched six innings of one-run ball, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out three in Saturday's no-decision versus the Angels.

EDGE Analysis

After being blasted in a relief role on April 5, the right-hander has given up just two runs in his first two starts (11.2 innings) as a Royal. Karns allowed his lone run in the first inning Saturday before sitting down 16 of the next 17 batters he faced. He ran into trouble in the sixth, but ended his night by escaping a bases loaded jam and turning over a 2-1 lead that the bullpen immediately squandered. Karns, who's 6:4 K:BB and 1.46 WHIP suggest less impressive outings are on the way, is scheduled to make his next start Friday on the road against the Rangers.

Karns delivered 5.2 innings, allowing one run on six hits and two walks while striking out three in Sunday's no-decision against the Astros.

EDGE Analysis

Karns, making his first start of the campaign, gave up a leadoff home run in the bottom of the first, and surrendered hits to five of the first seven batters he faced in Sunday's contest. To his credit, the right-hander did a fine job tip-toeing around serious damage, and found a nice groove the rest of the way. He gave up just one hit to the final 15 batters he faced. Karns' next start will be Saturday versus the Angels.

Karns came on in relief of Ian Kennedy during Wednesday's 9-1 loss to the Twins, allowing four runs on two hits and two walks in 0.2 innings.

EDGE Analysis

Both his outs came via strikeout, but otherwise this wasn't the beginning to the campaign Karns or the Royals were hoping for. Given his past control issues the walks weren't a good sign, but the right-hander is still set to be the team's fifth starter and will get his first turn in the rotation Sunday in Houston.

Karns tossed six scoreless innings in Wednesday's 6-2 win over the Padres in Cactus League play, conceding four hits and no walks while striking out nine.

EDGE Analysis

The Royals had already named Karns as their fifth starter earlier in the week, but the right-hander validated that decision by turning in his most dominant outing of the spring. He showed pinpoint command throughout the start, as 54 of his 72 pitches went for strikes. Considering that Karns still owns an unremarkable 4.76 ERA for the spring, it's probably not worthwhile to put too much stock in Wednesday's outing, but if nothing else, he might have given himself some more security in the rotation heading into Opening Day.

Karns was named the fifth starter in the Royals' rotation on Monday, Rustin Dodd of The Kansas City Star reports.

EDGE Analysis

After being acquired in the offseason in a trade for Jarrod Dyson, Karns was the frontrunner to win the final rotation spot, although he was battling with Chris Young and Travis Wood. The 29-year-old posted a 5.15 ERA across 94.1 innings with a 101:45 K:BB last year with the Mariners before being shut down in July with a back injury. If he's able to stay healthy, his ability to strike batters out could carry him to a solid year with the Royals.

Karns struck out three over two scoreless innings against the Cubs in his spring debut Wednesday. "I was able to dial it back, stay within myself and make quality pitches," Karns told the Kansas City Star. "So to be at this point in spring and kind of right the ship, (that) was what I take as a progressive step."

EDGE Analysis

The right-hander made quite an impression in his first start in a Royals uniform, holding the defending World Series champions without a baserunner and needing just 19 pitches to complete the two frames. He took trip to the bullpen afterward to build up to 30 pitches for the day. Karns, whose FIP was more than a run lower than his ERA with Seattle last year, is competing with Travis Wood and Chris Young for the final spot in the starting rotation.