Perhaps he did not want to risk seeing one of his players pull a muscle on the mound or perhaps he simply fancied doing it himself. Either way, Thomas Tuchel could not smile widely enough as he threw the ceremonial pitch ahead of the Kansas City Royals’ game against the St Louis Cardinals on Thursday. With his name and the number 26 emblazoned on the back of a Royals jersey, Tuchel threw a strike, albeit at a very gentle velocity. High-fives all round. Harry Kane laughed as he looked on, almost