Kansas City Royals Q&A: Fixing the offense & Bobby Witt Jr.’s hitting streak
The Kansas City Royals enter May with a 16-15 record.
And that seems like a major success considering that the Royals’ offense has scuffled all season. KC entered Wednesday’s game averaging 3.13 runs per game, which ranked last in the majors.
Yet, the Royals continue to win games with their pitching staff. Top prospect Noah Cameron nearly threw a no-hitter in his first career start. Meanwhile, Michael Lorenzen earned his 50th career win Tuesday.
The Royals also don’t have steady relievers Hunter Harvey and Sam Long. Top ace Cole Ragans is nursing a left groin injury and the club has eclipsed four runs just four times this season.
April wasn’t pretty, but it was effective. The Royals are three games behind the Detroit Tigers in the American League Central.
Things could be a whole lot worse. Let’s dive in with this Royals Q&A...
What do you make of Bobby Witt Jr.’s hot April? Could he possibly reach Whit Merrifield’s club record 31-game hitting streak record? — Jamie W. | Overland Park, Kansas
I think we are seeing Bobby Witt Jr. operate at a new level. In recent years, we have seen Witt power the Royals lineup from the No. 2 spot. After all, Witt has recorded consecutive 30-30 seasons.
He also has a Gold Glove, Silver Slugger and has led the majors in hits and batting average.
So what does Witt do for an encore? He produces a 21-game hitting streak where he is spraying the baseball to all fields. It hasn’t been long home runs, but instead stinging line drives that consistently find the gap.
Witt owns a .322 batting average with an .863 OPS (on-base plus slugging). Fourteen of his 38 hits have gone for extra bases.
It’s a matter of time before Witt’s power returns. In his fourth season, Witt isn’t getting fooled by opposing pitchers. He is making adjustments in-game and finding a way to be a consistent threat in a dormant offense.
Can he catch Whit Merrifield’s 31-game hitting streak record? I think he has a strong chance with hitter friendly parks on the horizon.
With Hunter Renfroe hitting his stride (without power), the emergence of Drew Waters and Kyle Isbel possibly embracing small ball, is the outfield still the biggest Royals problem? — Mike | Columbia, South Carolina
The Royals have found a way to win games with a scuffling offense. I think a lot of credit goes to their pitching staff. We knew that the Royals had a dynamic starting rotation and invested in their bullpen this offseason.
Those moves have paid off. The offense was a concern in spring training and it’s still a giant question mark.
While Hunter Renfroe has played better of late, he hasn’t provided the Royals with a power threat in the middle of the order.
Renfroe has 11 hits in 66 at-bats. He has just two extra-base hits and has not hit a home run in 22 games. The Royals acquired Renfroe to add protection for Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez.
He hasn’t lived up to those expectations.
I do think that Drew Waters has shown real improvement. He has taken the opportunity afforded to him and run with it. Waters owns a .281 batting average in 17 games since arriving from Triple-A Omaha.
Waters has talked about being selective at the plate. He is working counts and taking advantage of mistake pitches. Some guys take time to develop and Waters has a lot of tools that are slowly revealing themselves.
As for Kyle Isbel, he continues to perform well in his role. There are no concerns as he provides solid defense and can flip the lineup over.
In totality, the Royals need more from their offense. It’s more mix and match right now with several players trying to define a role. Until that happens, the Royals outfield will continue to be a talking point.
What’s been the most surprising thing you’ve seen from the Royals in April and the most disappointing? — Erik B. | Lincoln, Nebraska
Hi Erik! Thank you for the question.
I think it’s easier to break this down individually. In my opinion, the most surprising players have been Kris Bubic and Maikel Garcia. Both players have shown vast improvement and are key components early in the season.
Bubic has lessened the blow of losing Brady Singer. The veteran left-hander is producing at a consistent level with a 2.25 ERA in six starts. He has limited opponents to a .213 batting average and has recorded 37 strikeouts.
And Bubic has surrendered four runs or fewer in each start.
Garcia just continues to rake. If you were to ask Royals fans, I’m not sure many would’ve expected Garcia to bat cleanup in the batting order. It actually happened this season and was warranted.
Royals coaches have raved about Garcia. He has matured and seen incremental growth at the plate. He added the toe-tap to his batting stance and it’s led to better contact balance.
Garcia has 29 hits and remains on base. Prior to Wednesday’s game, he owned a 9.1% walk rate, which ranks second among Royals this season.
I will say the most disappointing thing has been the offense. As mentioned earlier, the Royals aren’t scoring at a sustainable rate. Everything seems like a grind to scratch across runs.
The Royals need more production from Vinnie Pasquantino and Michael Massey. The duo has 45 combined strikeouts while hitting under the Mendoza line (sub-.200 average)
Pasquantino does lead the Royals with four home runs. He hit a two-run homer to help the Royals defeat the Rays 3-0 in the second game of their series.
Jonathan India has scored nine runs from the leadoff spot. The Royals have scored four or fewer runs in 27 of 31 games this season.
Where’s the more likely place the Royals will build a new stadium? In Kansas (maybe near Kansas Speedway like the Chiefs proposed) or somewhere in/near Downtown? — Kaleb V. | Lenexa, Kansas
The Royals have kept everyone guessing on their proposed new stadium.
The club has voiced interest in a venue in or around downtown Kansas City. Last year, Jackson County voters rejected a 40-year sales tax to put a stadium in the Crossroads district.
Twelve months later, the Royals are still exploring their options.
Kansas lawmakers have expressed interest as a potential landing spot. There are also rumors that North Kansas City could be back on the table. And where do the Royals stand with Washington Square Park near Crown Center?
All these questions require answers. For now, we know the Royals plan to have some type of update in the summer months.
It’s clear the Royals want a new stadium. As to where it could be, the final decision is anyone’s guess.
How soon will we see Jac Caglianone in Kansas City? Does he need a trip to Triple-A Omaha to be deemed ready? — Ben K. | North Kansas City, Missouri
Jac Caglianone is all the rage in Kansas City. He is the phenomenon that has invoked comparisons to mythical creatures. (See: Paul Bunyan!)
The Royals want Caglianone to arrive in Kansas City just like everyone else. However, they will not rush his development. He is playing well in Double-A and just began spending time in the outfield with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals.
He also got a hit off future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw. Honestly, I expect Caglianone to reach Triple-A Omaha by the summer months.
While we all wait for his arrival, I’m going to plug my colleague Vahe Gregorian’s fantastic story on Caglianone after a recent trip to Arkansas.
With Peyton Wilson having just been promoted to Triple-A Omaha, does the Royals front office see him making it up to the majors this season if he continues to produce? — Curtis N. | Lenexa, Kansas
Hi Curtis! It’s nice to hear from you.
I’m a card-carrying member of the Peyton Wilson fan club. Wilson has impressed at each level since he was drafted in the 2021 MLB Draft. He is a gap-to-gap hitter and has some power packed into his 5-foot-9 frame.
The Royals have a lot of middle infield depth. I think Wilson will march towards the big leagues at some point. I’m excited to see what he does at Triple-A Omaha. His incredible start in the Texas League can’t be ignored.
What is your favorite ballpark food? Have you tried anything unique this season? — Tyler B. | Topeka, Kansas
Hey Tyler! I’m so glad you asked this question.
For those who are new here, I absolutely am a foodie at heart. I’m not afraid to try new ballpark food items. Last season, I tackled “The Pasquwich” and the “Taste of The K” taco that went viral at Kauffman Stadium.
Oh, I can’t forget about an Easter-themed ice cream waffle sandwich that I braved uncharted waters for in Detroit.
Let’s just say, I am no stranger to testing the limits of my stomach. If I had to say my favorite ballpark food, I always go with Jimmy’s Famous Seafood inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Two words: Crab Cakes.
Sadly, Jimmy’s Famous Seafood is no longer at the stadium. That’s okay because I will still have my share of crab cakes when the Royals play the Orioles this weekend. I am asking for forgiveness in advance for my expense report.
Have you visited all 30 MLB stadiums? If so, which stadium is your favorite? — Monica S. | Omaha, Nebraska
My quest for all 30 MLB stadiums is nearing completion. I still need to visit Chase Field (Arizona Diamondbacks) and Oracle Park (San Francisco Giants).
Oh, I can’t forget about Sutter Health Park (Athletics). I’m counting the minor-league stadium because why not?
I collect magnets from each stadium I visit. So, I have 28 of the 30 MLB teams on my refrigerator at home. The Royals play the Diamondbacks and Giants this season so I expect to cross those two venues off the list.
Once done, I expect to do a comprehensive list of my top ballparks. Stay tuned for that one because that will be a doozy.
