KANSAS CITY -- Father's Day carries special meaning for many, and Royals right-hander Chris Young is no exception. A father of three, Young made his second straight Father's Day start on Sunday, when the Royals topped the Tigers, 2-1, in 13 innings.
But for Young, Sunday wasn't just about being a father. The day served as a reminder of his own father, Charles, who died last September.
"I thought about [my father] a lot today," Young said. "It's been a little emotional, but [I'm] certainly glad I could go out and honor him and play a game we both love."
With thoughts of his dad in his mind, Young went out and shined, putting together one of his best outings of the season. He went six innings, giving up just three hits and one run on what he described as an emotional day.
After all, it wasn't only the first Father's Day since his father's passing, but an anniversary of sorts.
"I think [last year's] Father's Day was the last time he saw me pitch," he said.
And with reminders of his father everywhere, Young carried a lot of memories as he took the mound, but it wasn't anything out of the ordinary.
"My dad was a good man. I try to emulate him and just give my best effort every day, regardless of whether it's Father's Day or not," he said. "He's been a huge influence in my life."
Young said he felt comfortable during the game and that he wasn't fighting himself as much as he had in other outings. That control showed, both in his demeanor and in the box score, as he posted seven strikeouts against just one walk.
"C.Y. was classic C.Y.," manager Ned Yost said. "He's back to being [the] Chris Young that we saw last year."
Yost noted that Young finding his form could carry extra importance moving forward, and the crowd seemed to agree, giving Young a huge ovation as he left the mound for the final time.
All things considered, Young's performance was stellar: He notched his second quality start of the season while limiting the opposing team to one run for the first time this year. But in "classic" Chris Young fashion, there was only one statistic he cared about.
"Well, we won," he said. "That's the bottom line."