Why Royals optioned struggling MJ Melendez to Omaha — and what they hope to see
The Kansas City Royals have sent outfielder MJ Melendez down to Triple-A Omaha.
On Saturday, the Royals announced the roster move ahead of a game against the Detroit Tigers. The club activated outfielder Mark Canha from the injured list in a corresponding move.
KC fell 3-1 on Saturday, extending the club’s losing streak to six games. KC is 8-14.
“It was something that we had been discussing for the last week or so, knowing Mark was going to be back,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said pregame. “You know, unfortunately, somebody is going to be left out. In this case, it was MJ. We just want to see him go back to the minor leagues and continue the work he’s doing.”
Melendez, 26, has struggled to begin the season. He is hitting .085 (4-for-47) with one home run and 20 strikeouts. Additionally, Melendez has a .343 OPS (on-base plus slugging) in 16 games.
Melendez showed encouraging signs in recent days. On Tuesday, he homered off New York Yankees ace Max Fried at Yankee Stadium. In that game, he also hit the baseball hard to the opposite field.
However, Melendez hasn’t played since April 16. The Royals have relied on Cavan Biggio and Drew Waters in recent games to fill out their outfield rotation.
The Royals made their decision Friday night. Melendez was informed postgame after the club’s 7-3 loss to the Tigers.
“(He was) certainly disappointed,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “Not in any way disrespectful or anything. It was very professional. ... We think the world of him and we care about him. It’s not a banishment and it’s not a punishment. It’s something to get his career and season on the right trajectory so you can come back here and flourish as a big leaguer for a lot of years.”
This offseason, Melendez worked to simplify his swing. He made vast chances that included getting rid of a leg-kick and working on hand placement.
Melendez will now work on his swing in Triple-A Omaha. Canha, a new addition this offseason, returns after a hip contusion that required a 10-day injured list stint.
“I give him a lot of credit,” Picollo said. “He spent the whole offseason working on something and we believe he is on the right path. Made a couple of other adjustments while we were in New York and saw it pay off a little bit. But changes like that will take a little bit of time. Sometimes the setting is best not at this level. Maybe in Triple-A where he can relax a little bit and reset.”
The Royals are hopeful Melendez can return to form. He is a homegrown talent after being selected in the second round of the 2017 MLB Draft. Melendez flashed power potential with 41 home runs across two minor-league levels during the 2021 season.
KC expressed patience as Melendez developed at the MLB level. He hasn’t hit for a consistent average and has struck out at an alarming rate.
A move to Triple-A Omaha will allow Melendez to correct some timing issues. The Royals hope he can return to form with additional playing time.
“It’s certainly not the end of his career,” Picollo said. “We like to think it’s the start of a new beginning. Take advantage of the opportunity to go out and play in Triple-A. Play well and get back here.”
The Royals know the majors is all about performance. The club is not playing well offensively and now will rely on a few others to get the job done.
Canha is expected to hold a key role in the lineup. The Royals will continue to rotate guys through the outfield based on matchups as well.
“I’m certainly happy that I’m back this quick,” Canha said.
This story was originally published April 19, 2025 at 9:30 AM.
