MJ Melendez - Page 8 - MLB News, Rumors, & Updates

Rookie MJ Melendez posts 6-RBI game as Royals smash Red Sox 13-5 MJ Melendez hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning and had a career-high six RBIs to help the Kansas City Royals beat the Boston Red S...

AUGUST 8, 2022 • ORLANDOSENTINEL.COM

Drives in six runs Melendez went 2-for-3 with a home run and six RBI in Sunday's 13-5 win over Boston.

Impact Melendez hit an RBI single in the third inning before drilling a three-run shot in the fifth. He later added two RBI sacrifice flies in the contest. After a nine-game homerless drought in which Melendez went 7-for-33 (.212), he has three long balls and 10 RBI over his last four appearances. On the year, the 23-year-old rookie is slashing .236/.320/.442 with 29 extra-base hits and 38 RBI through 78 games.

AUGUST 8, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Kansas City Royals rookie MJ Melendez drives in 6 in win over Red Sox Kansas City Royals rookie catcher/outfielder MJ Melendez hit a home run and had 6 RBIs in a 13-5 win over the Boston Red Sox at Kauffman Sta...

AUGUST 8, 2022 • KANSASCITY.COM

Melendez posts 6-RBI game as Royals smash Red Sox 13-5

MJ Melendez hit a three-run home run in the fifth inning and had a career-high six RBIs to help the Kansas City Royals beat the Boston Red Sox 13-5

AUGUST 7, 2022 • Associated Press

Opens scoring with 12th homer Melendez went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's 5-4 win over the Red Sox.

Impact Melendez hit a leadoff homer for the second time in three games, and this one wasn't cheap. He took Red Sox starter Nathan Eovaldi deep on a 434-foot blast that left the bat at 107.9 mph. Melendez's power has translated well in the majors -- he's logged a 10 percent barrel rate while popping 12 long balls and maintaining a .429 slugging percentage through 77 contests. He's added a .231 batting average, 32 RBI, 31 runs scored, 14 doubles and two triples across 311 plate appearances, and the departure of Whit Merrifield has given Melendez a chance to be the everyday leadoff hitter.

AUGUST 7, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Hits leadoff homer Melendez went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Thursday's 7-3 win over the Red Sox.

Impact Melendez led off the first inning with a homer, his 11th of the season and first since July 25. That blast snapped an 0-for-12 skid the plate for Melendez. The 23-year-old natural catcher has had to move to the corner outfield with Salvador Perez back earlier than expected from thumb surgery. Since the start of July, Melendez is slashing .232/.300/.455 across 26 contests, though he's also struck out at a 34.5 percent rate in that span.

AUGUST 5, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

On base thrice in loss Melendez went 2-for-3 with a double and a walk in Thursday's 1-0 loss to the Yankees.

Impact The teams combined for six hits and five walks, with Melendez accounting for two of the Royals' four hits. The catcher has found success since the All-Star breaking, putting up a seven-game hitting streak. During that span, he's gone 10-for-28 (.357) with a home run and four doubles while hitting leadoff four times as he continues to challenge Whit Merrifield for that spot in the order. Melendez is up to a .233/.316/.429 slash line with 10 homers, two triples, 13 doubles, 28 RBI and 25 runs scored through 68 contests.

JULY 29, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Slugs 10th homer Melendez went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run in Monday's 7-0 victory versus the Angels.

Impact Melendez went 0-for-4 and struck out three times in his first four plate appearances, but he turned things around with a 406-foot, two-run blast in the eighth inning. The homer was his 10th of the campaign, making him one of seven rookies to reach that mark so far this season. Melendez is slashing a modest .227/.312/.424, however.

JULY 26, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Breather Sunday Melendez will sit Sunday versus the Rays.

Impact Melendez will get a breather after he went 4-for-10 with a double and two runs scored in the first two game of the series. Cam Gallagher will start at catcher and bat ninth in the series finale.

JULY 24, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Reinstated from restricted list The Royals reinstated Melendez (personal) from the restricted list Monday.

Impact Melendez was one of 10 Royals players who will rejoin the 26-man active roster after being ineligible to play during the four-game weekend series in Toronto due his vaccination status. He closed the Royals' first-half schedule with a .217/.309/.406 slash line to go with nine home runs, 25 RBI and 22 runs across 61 games. With Salvador Perez (thumb) unlikely to be ready to return from the 10-day injured list until some point in August, Melendez will step back in as the Royals' clear No. 1 catcher when the team opens its second-half slate Friday against the Rays.

JULY 18, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Royals forced to cobble a patchwork roster after leaving 10 unvaccinated players home for series in Toronto - The Boston Globe Among the 10 players who were left home were All-Star outfielder Andrew Benintendi, two-time All-Star Whit Merrifield, righthanded starter B...

JULY 14, 2022 • BOSTONGLOBE.COM

Sent to restricted list The Royals placed Melendez (personal) on the restricted list Thursday.

Impact Melendez is one of 10 Royals on the 26-man active roster who won't be eligible for the four-game series in Toronto due to his vaccination status. He'll be formally reinstated from the restricted list for the Royals' first game coming out of the All-Star break July 22 against Tampa Bay. In addition to Melendez, fellow catcher Cam Gallagher (personal) is also on the restricted list for the Toronto series, so the Royals will bring up two backstops (Sebastian Rivero and Freddy Fermin) from the minors as replacement options at the position.

JULY 14, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Unavailable for weekend series Melendez is unable to enter Canada for the four-game series this weekend due to his vaccination status, so he'll be placed on the restricted list Thursday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com r...

Impact Melendez is one of several players for the Royals who will be unable to make the trip this weekend due to being unvaccinated. Cam Gallagher is also unvaccinated, so the Royals will need to call up some catchers from the minors to fill in against Toronto.

JULY 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Two extra-base hits in loss Melendez went 2-for-5 with a triple, a double and a run scored in Tuesday's 7-5 loss to the Tigers.

Impact Melendez hit a leadoff triple in the first inning and scored on an Andrew Benintendi single. In the ninth, Melendez added a out-out double, but he was left on base. The catcher is 8-for-33 (.242) with three homers in his last nine games. With Whit Merrifield (toe) and Michael Taylor (shoulder) out of action, Melendez has gotten some looks as the leadoff hitter. He's slashing .221/.314/.413 with nine homers, two triples, nine doubles, 25 RBI and 22 runs scored in 60 contests, so he'd likely need to show more with the bat to remain in that role long-term.

JULY 13, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Sitting for Game 1 on Monday Melendez will sit Game 1 of Monday's doubleheader with the Tigers.

Impact Melendez will get a breather after he went 1-for-11 with two RBI in the series against the Guardians. Cam Gallagher will take over behind the plate and bat eighth in Game 1.

JULY 11, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Blasts another homer Melendez went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Tuesday's 9-7 loss to the Astros.

Impact Melendez followed up his first career two-homer game Monday with another long ball Tuesday. He's had trouble putting together extended stretches of success -- he hadn't hit safely in consecutive games since June 8-11 despite receiving plenty of playing time in that span. The catcher is at a .225/.317/.429 slash line with nine homers, 21 RBI, 19 runs scored, eight doubles and a triple through 208 plate appearances, but he'll need to show more consistency to earn widespread fantasy appeal. Even amid his struggles at the plate, Melendez is firmly ahead of Cam Gallagher on the depth chart.

JULY 6, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Goes yard twice in loss Melendez went 2-for-4 with two solo home runs in Monday's 7-6 loss to the Astros.

Impact The rookie backstop launched solo shots off Jake Odorizzi in the third inning and Phil Maton in the eighth. Melendez snapped an 18-game homerless drought with the performance, a stretch during which he'd slashed a woeful .127/.253/.159 with only two RBI. Despite his recent struggles, the 23-year-old will remain the starter at catcher for the Royals until Salvador Perez (thumb) is ready to return, something which may not happen until late August.

JULY 5, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Gets rest amid slump Melendez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Tigers.

Impact Melendez has started each of the Royals' last 12 games as either a catcher, right fielder or designated hitter, going 6-for-44 with 12 strikeouts over that span. The Royals will extend the slumping rookie a breather for the series finale, but Melendez should continue to shoulder one of the heavier workloads among catchers while top backstop Salvador Perez (thumbs) remains on the injured list. Cam Gallagher will replace Melendez behind the dish Sunday.

JULY 3, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Supplies RBI in win Melendez went 2-for-3 with an RBI in Wednesday's 2-1 win over the Rangers.

Impact Melendez has been a boom-or-bust hitter in his last 13 games -- he has three multi-hit games and 10 hitless efforts in that span. He's offset some of those struggles at the plate by posting a 10:12 BB:K in those contests. The rookie is slashing .228/.323/.395 with six home runs, 18 RBI, 16 runs scored, eight doubles and a triple through 192 plate appearances. Melendez should have a chance to play through his inconsistent hitting, as top catcher Salvador Perez (thumb) is out at least until late August.

JUNE 30, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

What's Wrong With MJ Melendez? It's Simple, Yet Complicated Despite not changing a ton himself, the results have been different for Kansas City’s young catcher.

JUNE 28, 2022 • STAR-TELEGRAM.COM

Riding pine Saturday Melendez isn't starting Saturday's game against the Athletics, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.

Impact Melendez will get a breather after he went 0-for-7 with an RBI, five walks and three strikeouts over the last three games. Hunter Dozier is serving as the designated hitter while Nicky Lopez enters the lineup at second base.

JUNE 18, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

It's Early, but MJ Melendez Looks Like a Professional Hitter Melendez is far from perfect, but his bat should be here to stay regardless of everything else.

JUNE 16, 2022 • SACBEE.COM

Hunter Greene, Julio Rodríguez Headline Ben Verlander's Rookies of the Week | Flippin' Bats

JUNE 14, 2022 • FOX SPORTS

Blasts three-run homer Melendez went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run and a double in Friday's 8-1 win over the Orioles.

Impact Melendez turned Friday's game into a rout with his fifth-inning blast off Orioles starter Bruce Zimmermann. This was Melendez's second homer in as many games, and he's picked seven RBI and four runs scored in his last three contests. The 23-year-old is up to a .268/.344/.500 slash line with six long balls, 16 RBI, 14 runs scored, six doubles and a triple in 33 games. As long as he continues to hit well, manager Mike Matheny will continue to find room in the lineup for his bat.

JUNE 11, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

Homers in win Melendez went 1-for-2 with a two-run home run, an additional run and two walks in a 7-5 win against the Orioles on Thursday.

Impact Melendez got the start at DH and produced a two-run shot to right field in the third inning. The long ball snapped an 11-game homerless drought, though Melendez reached base in all but two contests during that stretch. He is slashing .259/.339/.463 with five home runs and 13 RBI on the campaign.

JUNE 10, 2022 • ROTOWIRE

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Melendez posts 6-RBI game as Royals smash Red Sox 13-5

Hunter Greene, Julio Rodríguez Headline Ben Verlander's Rookies of the Week | Flippin' Bats