Royals Journeyman Must 'Step Up' To Help Struggling Offense Get Back On Track

Kansas City needs an offensive resurgence

Aug 17, 2024; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Kansas City Royals right fielder Hunter Renfroe (16) hits a base hit against the Cincinnati Reds in the fifth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Albert Cesare/The Cincinnati Enquirer-Imagn Images / The Cincinnati Enquirer-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Royals aren't panicking yet after snapping a seven-game losing streak Wednesday night in a 4-1 victory over the American League Central rival Cleveland Guardians.

Despite dropping seven games in a row, the Royals still hold a 5 1/2 lead over the Boston Red Sox for the final American League Wild Card spot and are only 4 1/2 behind the Guardians for first place in the AL Central.

The Royals' offensive struggles must end if they are to make the playoffs and one slugger needs to turn things around quickly to help his team regain its mojo.

Kansas City outfielder Hunter Renfroe was mentioned by MLB.com's Anne Rogers for being a player who needs to 'step up' and help his team score more runs to finish the season.

Renfroe is batting .237 with 30 extra-base hits including 12 home runs, 47 RBIs and a .710 OPS in 104 games played for the Royals in 2024.

It's surprising to see Renfroe with only 12 home runs this far in the season, given that he hasn't played in an entire season without logging at least 20 HRs. The only years he did were his rookie year, when he played only 11 games and the shortened schedule of 2020 due to COVID-19 restrictions.

It's now or never for Renfroe to start slugging for the Royals lineup, which currently ranks No. 24 in the league with 52 runs scored in the last 15 days. The 32-year-old should still be capable of getting hot at any moment, so hopefully, that happens sooner rather than later.

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