Royals Report: The Offensive Magic Is Gone

1) Kendrys Morales Needs To Pull The Mike Moustakas

Kendrys Morales terrible .194/.261/.325 triple slash isn’t all due to bad luck. Part of it is he’s getting the extreme shift treatment when hitting from the left side similar to what teammate Mike Moustakas faced in 2014 and 2015.

Moustakas famously recalibrated his swing to shoot balls to the opposite field and force defenses to play him honest. He also prevented pitchers from simply peppering the outside edge. Kendrys Moralas’ accidental grounder down the third base line turning into a double shows just what such an approach could accomplish.

If Morales could show opponents that he has learned to exploit the shift on a regular basis, he could get back to the formidable hitter that won a silver slugger for the KC Royals in 2015.  Of coruse, that;s easier said than done, especially in the middle of a season.

Next: Kendrys Morales Isn't Hitting The Ball Where He Should

Nonetheless, something needs to change. Slashing .194/.261/.325 isn’t doing the Kansas City Royals lineup any favors, and he’s now posted his second straight month of awful production. There’s only so long that the KC Royals can tolerate his struggling bat with the team in contention for the AL Central title.

The KC Royals will send Chris Young to the mound (2-5, 5.94 ERA) for the final game of the four game series in Cleveland. The Indians will counter with Corey Kluber (7-1, 4.15 ERA) 1:10 CST at Jacobs Field in Cleveland, Ohio, June 4, 2016.