MJ MELENDEZ NEWS

Royals option MJ Melendez to Triple-A Omaha after disappointing start to season The Royals have made a roster move regarding a struggling MJ Melendez.

APRIL 19 • KANSASCITY.COM

Optioned to Triple-A The Royals optioned Melendez to Triple-A Omaha on Saturday.

Impact Melendez has logged just one base hit across his last seven games and only three since the beginning of April. He'll now head to the minors in order to sort things out at the plate, making room on the active roster for Mark Canha (hip) to return from the IL.

APRIL 19 • ROTOWIRE

Sitting again Saturday Melendez isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against Detroit.

Impact Melendez has now been absent from the starting nine in each of Kansas City's last three games, which may indicate a change in the depth chart following a 4-for-47 start from the 26-year-old. Drew Waters will start in left field and bat seventh.

APRIL 19 • ROTOWIRE

Sitting Friday Melendez is not in the Royals' starting lineup against the Tigers on Friday.

Impact Melendez will sit for a second straight game while Drew Waters starts in left field and bats eighth against Tigers right-hander Jackson Jobe. Melendez has gone 1-for-20 with a solo home run and eight strikeouts over his last five games.

APRIL 18 • ROTOWIRE

Absent from lineup Melendez is not in the lineup for Thursday's game in Detroit.

Impact Right-hander Reese Olson is on the bump for the Tigers, but the left-handed-hitting Melendez will grab a seat. Drew Waters will start in left field and bat eighth for the Royals.

APRIL 17 • ROTOWIRE

Hits first homer of 2025 Melendez went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Yankees.

Impact Melendez entered Tuesday's game with a .285 OPS, 36.4 strikeout rate and zero RBI across 44 plate appearances, but he managed to get the Royals on the board with a solo homer off Max Fried in the third inning. Melendez's early-season play has put him in jeopardy of losing out on his starting role, but Tuesday's homer is hopefully a sign of things to come for the Royals and the 26-year-old outfielder.

APRIL 16 • ROTOWIRE

Hitting bench Monday Melendez is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Yankees.

Impact The Royals will move both of their struggling corner outfielders to the bench Monday, as Melendez (.285 OPS, 36.4 percent strikeout rate in 44 plate appearances) and Hunter Renfroe (.363 OPS, 27.9 percent strikeout rate in 43 plate appearances) give way to Drew Waters and Cavan Biggio in left and right field, respectively. Melendez's track record at the big-league level will likely buy him some time to work his way out of the extended slump, though his grasp on an everyday role has loosened since the beginning of the season. He's now started in just three of the Royals' last six games.

APRIL 14 • ROTOWIRE

Moves to bench Wednesday Melendez is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Twins.

Impact The Royals often shield the left-handed-hitting Melendez from opposing southpaws, but he'll take a seat Wednesday while the Twins send a right-hander (Joe Ryan) to the hill. Melendez's move to the bench comes while he's gotten off to a horrid start to the season, slashing .115/.258/.154 with a 38.7 percent strikeout rate over 31 plate appearances. If Melendez is unable to turn things around soon, he could find himself out of the lineup versus righties on a more consistent basis.

APRIL 9 • ROTOWIRE

Moves to bench Wednesday Melendez is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Twins.

Impact The Royals often shield the left-handed-hitting Melendez from opposing southpaws, but he'll take a seat Wednesday while the Twins send a right-hander (Joe Ryan) to the hill. Melendez's move to the bench comes while he's gotten off to a horrid start to the season, slashing .115/.258/.154 with a 38.7 percent strikeout rate over 31 plate appearances. If Melendez is unable to turn things around soon, he could find himself out of the lineup versus righties on a more consistent basis.

APRIL 9 • ROTOWIRE

Kyle Isbel goes 3 for 4 with a home run as the Royals beat the Twins 4-2

Kyle Isbel went 3 for 4 with a home run and two RBIs, Michael Lorenzen allowed one run in six innings and the Kansas City Royals beat the Minnesota Twins 4-2

APRIL 8

Sitting against lefty Melendez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Orioles.

Impact Melendez and fellow left-handed-hitting outfielder Kyle Isbel will head to the bench for the series finale while the Orioles send southpaw Cade Povich to the bump. The Royals will roll out a starting outfield of Mark Canha, Maikel Garcia and Hunter Renfroe from left to right.

APRIL 6 • ROTOWIRE

MJ Melendez reflects on slow start with Royals: 'I know (results) will come' How long will the Kansas City Royals stick with MJ Melendez?

APRIL 5 • KANSASCITY.COM

Absent from lineup Melendez is not in the lineup for Wednesday's tilt in Milwaukee.

Impact The Royals have faced all right-handers so far this season and Melendez has now been in the lineup for four of six contests. He will yield left field to Cavan Biggio, who is batting seventh in Wednesday's game.

APRIL 2 • ROTOWIRE

Out of lineup Sunday Melendez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Guardians.

Impact Melendez went 0-for-6 with two strikeouts in the first two games of the year and will sit for Sunday's series finale. Jonathan India will move out to left field while Freddy Fermin replaces Melendez in the lineup against Cleveland righty Tanner Bibee.

MARCH 30 • ROTOWIRE

AL Central Preview: Four solid teams, and then the White Sox

The American League Central was a surprisingly strong division last season, with four teams finishing above

MARCH 17

Showing off revamped swing in camp Melendez said Tuesday that he spent the offseason in Miami revamping his swing during workouts, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Impact Specifically, Melendez has adjusted his positioning at the plate, decreased his leg kick and demonstrated a more balanced stance in the batter's box. Melendez is hopeful that the change will simplify his movements and allow him to be more consistent at the plate, after he struck out at a 25.1 percent clip and slashed a career-worst .206/.273/.400 in 450 plate appearances a season ago. Melendez doesn't believe the adjustment will result in him sacrificing power, which was his main calling card during his minor-league career and through his first three seasons in the majors. The lefty-hitting Melendez should be poised to open the 2025 campaign as a strong-side platoon player in left field, though after catching in 10 games in 2023, he will no longer carry eligibility at catcher in any fantasy league since he didn't see any action behind the plate in 2024.

FEBRUARY 19 • ROTOWIRE

Avoids arbitration with Kansas City The Royals and Melendez avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $2.65 million contract Thursday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Impact Melendez regressed in 2024 with just a .674 OPS over 135 games. The Royals will start off 2025 playing him regularly at least versus right-handers, but with the playoffs in mind they might not have as much patience with Melendez if he can't take some strides.

JANUARY 9 • ROTOWIRE

Sitting out Game 2 versus lefty Melendez is absent from the lineup Monday in Game 2 of the ALDS against the Yankees.

Impact It's southpaw Carlos Rodon on the hill for the Yankees, so the left-handed-hitting Melendez will begin the festivities on the bench. Tommy Pham will be in left field and batting seventh for the Royals.

OCTOBER 7, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Out again versus lefty Melendez is absent from the lineup for Friday's game in Atlanta.

Impact The Royals are facing a left-hander -- Max Fried -- for the fifth game in a row and the left-handed-hitting Melendez has now been on the bench for four of them. Tommy Pham is in left field and batting leadoff.

SEPTEMBER 27, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Sitting versus lefty Melendez is absent from the lineup for Thursday's contest against the Nationals.

Impact It's left-hander Patrick Corbin on the bump for the Nationals, so the lefty-swinging Melendez will begin the game on the bench. Tommy Pham is playing left field and batting leadoff for the Royals.

SEPTEMBER 26, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Not in lineup against lefty Melendez is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game versus the Nationals.

Impact The left-handed hitting Melendez will yield to Tommy Pham in left field as southpaw Mitchell Parker toes the rubber for the Nationals. Melendez has been out of the lineup all four times the Royals have faced a lefty this month.

SEPTEMBER 24, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Sitting versus southpaw Melendez is not in the lineup for Sunday's contest against the Giants.

Impact With left-hander Blake Snell toeing the rubber for the Giants, the lefty-swinging Melendez will begin the festivities on the bench. Tommy Pham will occupy left field for the Royals.

SEPTEMBER 22, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Getting night off Melendez is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Tigers.

Impact The lefty-hitting Melendez will unsurprisingly take a seat in the series finale while the Tigers send ace southpaw Tarik Skubal to the bump. Tommy Pham will fill in for Melendez in left field.

SEPTEMBER 18, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Not starting Sunday Melendez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates.

Impact Melendez is sitting Sunday for the second time in three games despite the fact right-hander Jared Jones is starting for Pittsburgh. Tommy Pham will shift to left field while Adam Frazier receives a start in right.

SEPTEMBER 15, 2024 • ROTOWIRE

Idle against RHP Melendez is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Pirates.

Impact Despite right-hander Luis Ortiz taking the mound for Pittsburgh, the lefty-hitting Melendez will retreat to the bench. It'll be Melendez's first time out of the lineup against a right-handed pitcher since Aug. 4. Tommy Pham, Kyle Isbel and Hunter Renfroe fill the outfield from left to right.

SEPTEMBER 13, 2024 • ROTOWIRE