Noah Cameron's sophomore season with the Kansas City Royals is off to a rocky start, as the 26-year-old left-hander saw his ERA balloon to 5.40 after Thursday's 6-3 loss to the Athletics. That mark now stands as the highest among the Royals' starting rotation, a far cry from the promise he showed as a rookie.

In Thursday's outing, Cameron labored through 5.1 innings, surrendering five runs (four earned) on nine hits. The damage was done early, with all five runs crossing the plate in the first two frames. While he managed five strikeouts against two walks, the early deficit proved too steep for Kansas City's offense to overcome.

This start is a stark contrast to the pitcher Royals fans saw last season. The Missouri native and former seventh-round draft pick (2021) posted a stellar 9-7 record with a 2.99 ERA over 24 starts in his rookie campaign, earning recognition as the organization's No. 5 prospect according to MLB Pipeline.

Cameron has shown glimpses of that form in 2025. He opened the season with two outings where he allowed just one run each, working five innings in the first and 5.2 in the second. He also turned in a solid performance on April 24, giving up three runs over 6.1 frames in a 6-3 win over the Los Angeles Angels. However, in his other three starts, he's been tagged for four or more earned runs, leaving the Royals searching for consistency from their young arm.

Meanwhile, the rest of the rotation has been more dependable. Veterans Michael Wacha (2-2, 3.13 ERA), Seth Lugo (1-1, 2.63 ERA), and Kris Bubic (2-1, 3.74 ERA) have provided stability. The only other starter facing similar struggles is fellow lefty Cole Ragans, who sits at 1-4 with a 5.00 ERA.

There's still plenty of time for Cameron to turn things around, but his early-season troubles are part of a larger picture that has the Royals sitting last in the AL Central at 12-19. The team showed signs of life after a 9-17 start, sweeping the Angels from April 24-27 and scoring 29 runs in the process, including a dominant 12-1 win. But the bats went quiet in Oakland, managing just nine runs over three games. Tuesday's 4-1 victory was the lone bright spot, with star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. delivering a three-run homer in the top of the 10th inning to break a 1-1 tie. The Royals couldn't sustain that momentum, dropping the next two contests.

For Cameron and the Royals, the road ahead is about finding that rookie magic again—and quickly.