KC Royals: Kendrys Morales Back Locks Up

By John Viril | Jul 6, 2016

Jul 4, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Kansas City Royals designated hitter Kendrys Morales (25) hits a solo home run against Toronto Blue Jays in the seventh inning at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Dan Hamilton-USA TODAY Sports /

KC Royals designated hitter Kendrys Morales back locked up on him Tuesday night, on the same day he earned his first American League Player Of The Week award. He’ll sit Wednesday night, and his return is a day-to-day decision according to Kansas City Star beat writer Rustin Dodd:

Ned Yost said Kendrys Morales' back "locked up on him" last night. He'll sit tonight. He's day to day.
— Rustin Dodd (@rustindodd) July 6, 2016

The injury parade continues without a break for the Kansas City Royals. Last night, Kris Medlen got pulled from his rehab start at AAA Omaha and has returned to Kansas City for an exam on what the KC Royals are calling a shoulder strain. Wade Davis went to the 15-day disabled list on Tuesday with a strained forearm, and starter Yordano Ventura sprained an ankle in his last start (though Ventura is expected to take his regular turn on Friday).

There’s really no other way to cut it: the Kansas City Royals seem cursed with the injury bug in 2016.

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Losing Kendrys Morales for any significant time would be a difficult blow to absorb, given that he’s been driving the offense. Morales’ AL Player Of The Week award came for hitting .577, 4 home runs, and 10 RBIs between June 27 to July 3.

Morales has really been hot the last month. He’s slashed .381/.435/.705 with 7 doubles, 9 home runs, and 25 RBIs in 29 games since June 1. The hot stretch has made up for a terrible first two months of the season in which he hit .193/.262/.330. He’s now hitting .263/.326/.470 with 15 home runs and 46 RBIs for the 2016 season.

He’s really returned to the switch-hitting power bat that keyed the 2015 World Champion’s line-up, and earned Kendrys Morales the Silver Slugger award at designated hitter.

Next: Should Royals Move Yordano Ventura To Bullpen?

I guess when it rains, it pours. How the KC Royals handle this deluge of injuries is apparently going to determine the team’s ability to defend their 2015 title.

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