Matheny Praises Andrew Benintendi's Recent Play: 'It's Fun to Watch'
In what's been an up-and-down season for Kansas City Royals outfielder Andrew Benintendi, things are ticking back upward.
The 27-year-old has battled through multiple injuries this year, most notably rib and shoulder ailments. Now, finally healthy and getting back into the swing of things, he had a seven-game hitting streak dating back to an Aug. 15 game against the St. Louis Cardinals. He continued capitalizing on that momentum in Sunday's 9-1 win over the Chicago Cubs.
In the series finale, a sweep-clinching victory, Benintendi was phenomenal. He went 3-for-4 at the plate and drove in three runs in the process. Since his streak began, he's 14 for his last 31 at-bats — good for a scorching .452 batting average. After a brutal month of July, the trend is clearly positive for Benintendi. Manager Mike Matheny is excited about this recent stretch of awesome play.
"It's fun to watch when he's able to let the ball travel and he's not compromised physically," Matheny said. "He's putting together some really clutch at-bats, too. In situations where we need something to happen, he seems to be a guy who keeps coming through for us right now."
Overall, Benintendi is posting numbers that are comparable to those he had in 2019 with the Boston Red Sox. His batting average (.264 in 2020 versus .266 in 2019) and slugging percentage (.420 and .431, respectively) are strikingly similar. He's also hit just one fewer home run than he did two seasons ago, currently having 12 on the year with over a month left to go.
In what was viewed by many as the Royals taking a chance on a bounce-back candidate in Benintendi, the risk is slowly starting to pay off. A healthy version of Benintendi is valuable, and the team finally appears to have that. As the 2021 season slowly winds down, his progress will certainly be worth monitoring. For now, he's a man possessed at the plate, and the team is enjoying every minute of it.
