SURPRISE, Ariz. -- Rockies rotation candidate Ryan Feltner quickly figured he didn¡¯t need to waste time or pitches, or even think much.

The starter in the Rockies¡¯ 4-3 loss to a Royals split squad, Feltner gave up a hit and a walk over two scoreless innings. The right-hander¡¯s best sequence was an eight-pitch second inning, after a 20-pitch first.

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At times in his 32 Major League appearances over three seasons, Feltner has seen potentially solid outings spin out of control when he couldn¡¯t put innings away. But just before he missed four months with a fractured skull, Feltner committed to being a power pitcher and saw progress.

Feltner, who maintained velocities at 97-98 mph, can be given to overthinking. That wasn¡¯t a problem Tuesday.

¡°Zero,¡± Feltner said, when asked how much he scouted the Royals before the game. ¡°I¡¯m typically that type of guy, but I didn¡¯t do that today. It was good to see [veteran catcher Jacob] Stallings back there and work with him for the first time. We were just trying to get on the same page.

¡°That was an aggressive lineup. I didn¡¯t really know that they were going to be that way going into the game. That was a game where [with a normal pitch count] I would have done some things differently, as far as approach. But it¡¯s good to get quick outs, especially as a starter.¡±

Maybe Feltner doesn¡¯t have to be all that different when he¡¯s expected to pitch deep into a regular-season game.

¡°He¡¯s got great talent,¡± said Rockies manager Bud Black, who groups Feltner with fellow righties Dakota Hudson, Peter Lambert and Noah Davis in competition for two rotation spots. ¡°Sometimes overthinking can get in the way of performance. No matter who you¡¯re playing, it comes down to location. No matter what the hitter¡¯s weaknesses are, you¡¯ve got to get the ball down and away, you¡¯ve got to get the ball up and you¡¯ve got to change speeds. As a starter, you¡¯ve got to work both sides of the plate.

¡°He can make pitches, because he¡¯s got good stuff.¡±

Notes
? Switch-hitting Michael Toglia finished last year with a .109 average from the right side against left-handed pitching. His adjustments were reinforced with an RBI single on the first pitch he saw from Royals lefty starter Daniel Lynch IV in the first inning. Meanwhile, Toglia¡¯s work as a left-handed hitter has paid off with two homers this spring, one a pull shot and the other to the opposite gap.

? From the leadoff spot, Sean Bouchard displayed his strike-zone discipline with walks in his first two plate appearances. He also stole second base against Lynch and catcher Salvador Perez. Bouchard is 0-for-1 in steal attempts in 48 regular-season games over two seasons. But the makings of a runner are there. Bouchard stole 22 in Class A in 2018, and had 12 in Triple-A in '22, the year he debuted in the Majors. Bouchard ran on Tuesday because of Lynch¡¯s high leg kick.

¡°He¡¯s a savvy player,¡± Black said. ¡°Against a lefty with a big leg kick, you can maybe take advantage, going on the first move.¡±

? Rockies prospect Yanquiel Fernandez drew gasps of excitement and concern when he leaped and crashed into the right-field wall to rob the Royals¡¯ River Town of an extra-base to end the seventh inning. Fernandez stayed down for a few seconds, but climbed to his feet before a trainer could make it out to see him.