Cameron puts finishing touches on memorable rookie season

WEST SACRAMENTO -- Nearly five months ago, Noah Cameron made his big league debut at George M. Steinbrenner Field in Tampa, the temporary home of the Rays.

On Friday night, Cameron made his final start of his rookie season at Sutter Health Park, the temporary home of the A’s.

His rookie year might have been bookended by starts at Minor League ballparks. But Cameron established himself as a Major League pitcher in 2025 -- a good one, and someone the Royals can factor into their future plans.

Cameron allowed three runs in 4 2/3 innings on Friday in the Royals’ 4-3 walk-off loss to the A’s, a disappointing opener of the final series of the season. Kansas City (80-80) was unable to keep its three-run lead nor add on late in the game, held to just four hits Friday. Wobbly defense in the ninth led to the walk off. Jonathan India’s three-run homer in the fourth inning was the Royals’ first hit of the night off their former prospect, Mason Barnett, who was part of the package Kansas City traded to the A’s last summer for reliever Lucas Erceg.

Friday wasn’t Cameron’s sharpest start, the line inflated because of the four walks he issued. But it did close the book on an excellent rookie season for the 26-year-old lefty from St. Joseph, Mo., pitching for the team he grew up watching.

Across 24 starts at 138 1/3 innings, Cameron posted a 2.99 ERA, becoming just the third Royals rookie (min. 20 games started) to record a sub-3.00 ERA season, following Royals Hall of Famers Paul Splittorff in 1971 (2.68) and Kevin Appier in 1990 (2.76).

“Definitely beat my expectations,” Cameron said. “Super proud of the way this season went. The leadership from vet guys, top to bottom, the coaches, it made it a lot easier on me. … Excited to go into the offseason and just continue to get better. Work on the fastball a little bit, command-wise. Come in next year strong and ready to go.”

Cameron entered Friday night leading rookie pitchers with a 3.9 bWAR this season and ranking second among all rookies (including position players) to A’s first baseman Nick Kurtz (5.3). Kurtz is the heavy favorite to win American League Rookie of the Year, but Cameron could get consideration on the ballot, although voters can only submit three names.

It’s hard to overstate how important Cameron was to the Royals this year, given all the injuries that hit their rotation. He began the year in Triple-A as the club’s No. 5 prospect, but he was needed at the end of April with Cole Ragans dealing with a groin strain.

Cameron debuted on April 30 and took a no-hit bid into the seventh inning.

He was optioned the next day but recalled less than a month later when the Royals placed both Ragans and Seth Lugo on the IL. Cameron put together four consecutive quality starts, pitching into the seventh in three of them, and allowed just three runs in that span. He pitched so well that the Royals were wrestling with the decision on what to do with him when Lugo and Ragans returned.

They didn’t need to make a decision because Ragans hit the IL again with a left rotator cuff strain in June. And Cameron never gave up his spot. He only missed one start the rest of the way, with the Royals skipping his turn at the end of August because of workload. Cameron threw 166 1/3 innings this season between Triple-A and the Major Leagues, surpassing his previous career high of 128 2/3 last year.

The Royals needed all of them.

“His first year at the Major League level and above his innings from last year,” pitching coach Brian Sweeney said. “We asked him to pick up the slack for a little while. He was so willing to help. [Michael] Wacha and [Michael] Lorenzen, too. They were like, ‘Hey, I can go on short rest. You need me to go on three days’ rest?’ We didn’t have to do that, but that’s the type of people they are.”

Injuries in the rotation were one of the reasons why the Royals didn’t make the postseason this year. Depth was thin at times. There’s no substitute for your frontline starters.

But the Royals found out what kind of homegrown pitcher they have in Cameron.

“We stayed in this race a long time, and a lot of it was because of what he did,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “Other guys as well, but he kept giving us good starts and giving us a chance to win every time he took the ball.”