The Royals Flashed Some Hope Heading Into August
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Folks, we've reached the month of August. It’s been a long summer for Royals fans, but there have been some flashes from young talent to give a glimmer of hope for the future. This past week wasn’t the best from the boys in blue, but they did bookend the week with two victories despite losses in every game in between. Let’s dive into what took place this past week.
At the beginning of every week, 'Mondays with Mark' will dive into the latest developments with the Royals. Have something you want to be discussed? Let Mark know on Twitter @MarkTheOverseer or find Inside the Royals @InsideRoyals.
Andrew Benintendi traded to New York Yankees
This was the biggest headline of the week. The Royals made their second trade of the season, with the first being Carlos Santana to the Mariners. The second one was Andrew Benintendi to the Yankees. Many around the league were anticipating Benintendi being moved, and the Royals got it done. In return, Kansas City added three young pitchers to their minor league arsenal. The move made sense, although some were hoping to get more in return for the Royals' lone 2022 All-Star.
Shutouts dominate early in the week
The Royals had four consecutive games to begin the week where they shut out a team or were shut out by a team. They won their series-opener against the Los Angeles Angels 7-0 before losing back-to-back games by final scores of 6-0 and 4-0. They then began their road trip to New York by being shut out 1-0 against the Yankees.
Brady Singer dominates tough Yankee lineup
Brady Singer continued his dominant streak, going seven strong innings against a brutal Yankee lineup to face. He only allowed one hit and one walk while striking out 10 batters in the process. It was an incredible performance that lowered his ERA to 3.51 on the season. Singer’s resurgence as a starter has been one of the highlights of a season that hasn’t had a lot of positivity surrounding it otherwise.
Whit Merrifield collects 1,000th career hit
Whit Merrifield collected his 1,000th career hit on Saturday against the Yankees. Merrifield’s story is well documented by now, but it is an impressive feat for a player who was called up to the big leagues later than the typical 1,000-hit player would be. He has been the Royals' iron man ever since he was called up, and the nickname “Two-Hit Whit” will always be remembered in Kansas City. There’s still a chance that he could be traded to a contender so if this was the last series he played in a Royals uniform, it was a great way to go out.
Salvador Perez returns to the lineup
Salvador Perez was back after a decent stretch on the injured list. Many thought he could be out until September, but he somehow manages to make it back before August. He looked comfortable at the plate, hitting a home run in his first game back and also hitting a game-winning home run in the ninth inning to close the series out against the Yankees. Everyone can smile when he is in the lineup.
It looks like the Royals could be leaning into their younger lineup as the season progresses. Infielder Maikel Garcia received a good amount of playing time in New York. Nick Pratto, Vinnie Pasquantino, MJ Melendez and Bobby Witt Jr. continue to be everyday players for the squad. It will be interesting to see how things go after the trade deadline.
The Royals will stay on the road to start the week with a three-game series in Chicago against the White Sox, then they will finish the week with a four-game homestand against the Boston Red Sox. Kansas City's next game will be at 7:10 CT with a projected pitching matchup of Brad Keller facing Michael Kopech.
