KC Royals Injury Update: Alex Rios Closing in on Rehab Assignment

The KC Royals already boast one of the best offenses in baseball based on the statistics. While they may not be hitting for much power, at least when it comes to home runs, the Royals offense has been dramatically different than it was last year. It has certainly been enjoyable to watch the Royals offense perform this season.

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For as good as that offense has been, it appears as though there may be a reinforcement on the way. Alex Rios, who suffered a fractured left hand after being hit by a pitch, has taken batting practice and could be approximately a week from a rehab assignment. From there, it may be another week or two before Rios would be ready to come back to the Royals and take over the right field spot.

The return of Rios could have a major impact upon the Royals lineup. While the overall production has been stellar from the offense thus far, Jarrod Dyson and Paulo Orlando just have not played to that same level. While Orlando has had his moments, and is still the American League leader in triples, KC3PO and Dyson have contributed to Royals right fielders being 27th in baseball with a .625 OPS. That just is not good enough.

Prior to landing on the disabled list, Alex Rios was looking exactly like the player that Dayton Moore and the KC Royals had hoped for. While it was a small sample size of only seven games, Rios’ strong Spring Training had carried over into the first week of the season, as he produced a .321/.345/.464 batting line, hitting a home run and stealing two bases. Rios looked like the perfect fit to the Royals lineup, a solid blend of power and speed to match what the Royals needed.

Obviously, it is impossible to expect that Rios will be that same player he had been prior to the hand injury. Even with some time in the minors, it may still take Rios a bit to hit his stride. However, even 75% of what Rios had been before would be an upgrade offensively, and if he can flash that leather, that could be exactly what the Royals need to boost their production to the next level.

The KC Royals offense has been quite good this year. With Alex Rios getting closer to coming back, that offense is set to be even better than it has been.

Next: Danny Duffy and the Weight of Expectations