SURPRISE, Ariz. — Meaningless Cactus League game in early March or not, there was no brushing off the unsettling results of Dylan Cease’s second start Wednesday night.

Cease, the runner-up to Justin Verlander in the American League Cy Young voting last season, got hit hard and often by the Kansas City Royals, allowing a grand slam to Michael Massey after walking three straight batters in a five-run first and was pulled with one out as his mounting pitch count reached 23.

In Cactus League games, pitchers may re-enter and Cease started the second, only to give up four more runs without recording an out. He was charged with two more, and posted a line of 11 runs allowed on seven hits and four walks with no strikeouts in 2/3 of an inning.

Health is what matters most now, and Cease said what needed to be heard.

“It was a lot of walks, a lot of hits, a lot of runs,” Cease said. “Definitely not a good night. But I left healthy. Thankfully it’s spring so I’m just going to learn from it and kind of flush it.”

Cease retired two of the 13 batters he faced.

“Just a rough night,” Cease said. “Sometimes it’s not the worst thing to get punched in the face a little, get you going. But obviously not ideal.”

Cease’s command was off, missing the plate to his glove side by sizable margins at times, with his breaking pitches in particular. The Surprise Stadium scoreboard showed his fastball sitting at 95 mph.

“I didn’t get my slider in the zone at all and pretty much they were able to spit on it and then they got to the heater,” Cease said.

In his first start against the Reds, Cease allowed one hit over two scoreless, striking out two and walking two.

“If I did this four, five times in a row, I’d get a little worried,” Cease said. “Honestly I’m just going to flush this one.”

“I need to just keep getting reps, honestly. Just sharpen up a little bit.”

Cease owns a 2.58 ERA against the Royals in 12 career starts. He pitched to a 1.53 ERA against them last season.

Grifol cuts the cord

First-year manager Grifol faced the Royals, the organization he came from, Wednesday night but said before the game there would be few emotions, if any.

“You’re probably going to think I’m lying like everybody else, but I don’t really feel anything or nothing extra,” Grifol said. “It’s another game that we need to prepare ourselves for Game 1. And that’s the truth. My 10 years there were my 10 years there and I’m here now.”

Grifol, 52, was the Royals bench coach the last three seasons. He has had multiple jobs with multiple organizations.

“It conditions you,” he said. “You’re in and out of clubhouses, you build relationships. You’re in and out of relationships. I have a lot of friends there still, but I’m here now. I know we’re playing Kansas City. But there’s nothing extra here.”

This and that

Left-hander Aaron Bummer is slated for his first bullpen Friday.

*Michael Kopech, who hasn’t pitched in a game yet, pitched two innings in live batting practice.

*Outfield prospect Yolquei Cespedes hasn’t played in a game due to a sore right quad.