Royals’ Kendrys Morales shapes up as Billy Butler’s replacement at DH

Royals designated hitter Kendrys Morales is prepared to fill the shoes of Billy Butler in more ways than one.

Morales, a 6-foot-1, 235-pounder, lost 12 pounds during the offseason, just in case the Royals ask him to steal a base, as Butler famously did in game three of an American League Division Series last year against the Angels.

“I would try it if they let me,” he said, laughing as Rene Francisco, the Royals’ vice president for international operations, translated for the Cuban-born Morales before Friday’s 11-9 exhibition win over Cleveland.

Morales, 31, has just four stolen bases in six big-league seasons, but that’s not why the Royals signed him to a two-year, $17 million contract as a free agent last December.

Morales, at one time a feared power-hitter with the Los Angeles Angels, was brought in to fortify the middle of the lineup for the Royals after Butler left for the Oakland Athletics.

“God gave Billy Butler the ability to hit. That’s his forte,” Morales said, “and I’m going to do whatever I’m capable of doing.”

Morales, a switch-hitter, hit a career-best 34 home runs with 108 RBIs for the Angels in 2009, when he finished fifth in the AL MVP voting. He was leading the Angels with 11 home runs and 39 RBIs when he suffered a fractured lower leg when celebrating a walk-off, 10th inning grand-slam on May 29, 2010.

Morales missed all of 2011 and hit 22 home runs in 2012 for the Angels and 23 for Seattle in 2013. But as a free agent, he went unsigned for the first half of 2014 before coming to terms with Minnesota in June. He managed just eight home runs in 98 games with the Twins and Mariners.

“He was just about as good as they come in the American League before he broke his leg,” Royals manager Ned Yost said of Morales. “And coming back from the rehab and a short season last year … no spring training, he was put right into the fire. … But we’re going to get him as many at-bats as we can this spring.

“He’s almost Billy-esque. He steps up to the plate, you feel like he’s going to drive the ball somewhere.”

In addition to replacing Butler as the Royals’ designated hitter, Morales will also get some turns at first base. Morales started at first on Friday, giving Eric Hosmer the day off.

“I know coming in who is our first baseman, and that’s Eric Hosmer,” said Morales, who went one for four and is hitting .455 in three Cactus League games. “If the opportunity comes along to play first base, I will play it. But I came here to be a DH.”

Butler lobbied for occasional starts at first and insisted he hit better when he played in the field, something he proved when Hosmer was out because of a fractured hand. But Morales is comfortable in the DH role.

“You won’t have a problem with me,” Morales said. “It’s a mental thing. I started as a DH at a young age, so my mindset is to be a DH. During the game, you have to stay focused, you have to stay warm, and … you’re not in the game playing defense, but from the dugout, you have to be in the leg and stay loose.”

Though he didn’t have any tough chances on Friday, Yost said Morales will acquit himself well at first base.

“Billy was pretty good at first base last year when he picked up for Hos,” Yost said. “Morales looks like he’s going to be a really good first baseman, too. He’s not going to have the range that Hos has, but he has hands, he has instincts and the ability to play the position quite effectively.

“There will be days we play a tough night game and a day game the next day, and it might be a good day to play Kendrys at first base and give Hos a break.”

Because of the weight loss and ability to take part in spring training, Morales feels in better physical condition than at any time since the broken leg.

“I feel great because it’s been almost four years since the operation,” he said of a second surgery in May 2011. “Losing the weight is helpful, but I don’t want to lose too much weight because of my body structure. I’m fortunate to have (signed) early to be in spring training. It makes a big difference coming into spring training than waiting halfway through the year to play ball.”

This story was originally published March 6, 2015 at 6:11 PM with the headline "Royals’ Kendrys Morales shapes up as Billy Butler’s replacement at DH."