Keuchel threw a total of 15 changeups during his Opening Day start against the Mariners, Jake Kaplan of the Houston Chronicle reports. The left-hander all but abandoned the pitch last season when he pitched through a shoulder injury.
The return of Keuchel's changeup, his third most frequent pitch thrown during his Cy Young-winning season in 2015, is a positive sign. It's something the Royals will have to keep in mind when facing Keuchel on Saturday night at Minute Maid Park.