Kansas City Royals still in holding pattern on Adalberto Mondesi’s status
Kansas City Royals shortstop Adalberto Mondesi remains absent from the starting lineup, and his return still remains uncertain five days after he left a game because of a hamstring injury.
Mondesi will not be in the lineup for Saturday’s game against the Minnesota Twins at Kauffman Stadium. He has not played since Monday night against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
Nicky Lopez will start at shortstop on Saturday. Lopez will make his third start at shortstop this week. Hanser Alberto also started a game at shortstop. The Royals had an off day on Wednesday.
Not including Mondesi, the Royals (29-26) currently have three players available on their bench. It’s unclear if they will make a roster move or place Mondesi on the injured list.
“There is progress,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “But it’s hard to put a timeline on progress, on when is it the right number or when is it the right effort level or how far can he push it that makes sense. We’re still in conversations about that, but it’s slow in progress. But there is progress.”
Mondesi felt a “tweak” in his left hamstring when he charged from deep in the hole at shortstop, gloved a chopper on the infield grass and fired across the diamond while on the run just in time to get the Pirates’ Kevin Newman sprinting down the line for the first out of the eighth inning on Monday night.
Mondesi remained in the field for the rest of the inning. Lopez pinch hit for Mondesi, who was slated to bat first in the bottom of the eighth.
Mondesi has been evaluated daily by the training staff and in recent days he has done some on-field pregame activity.
In his first seven games since returning from the injured list with an oblique strain that forced him to miss the first 45 games of the season, Mondesi went 9 for 25 (.360) at the plate with four multi-hit games and five extra-base hits. His homer on Monday gave him home runs in two of his last three games.
