Omar Infante Designated For Assignment

The day of reckoning has arrived. Omar Infante has been DFA’d.

We have long awaited this day. The Royals have finally parted ways with Omar Infante.

The move was expected, with Infante registering just eight plate appearances in June. In his 149 plate appearances this season, Infante slashed .239/.279/.321 with a 58 wRC+.

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The 34-year-old Infante signed a four-year, $30 million deal before the 2014 season after enjoying a terrific 2013 season with the Detroit Tigers. Infante slashed .318/.345/.450 that season, drawing interest from numerous teams in free-agency in the winter of 2014, including the KC Royals and New York Yankees.

Unfortunately for the Kansas City Royals, they won the bidding.

Infante has been a disappointment from the moment he signed. His high-water mark at the plate came in his first KC Royals season when he slashed .252/.295/.337 for an OPS+ of 76 (24% below league average). It only got worse from there.

In Infante’s two and 1/3 seasons with the Kansas City Royals, he hit an anemic .238/.269/.328 for an OPS of .597.

That’s a far cry from what the KC Royals had hoped. General manager Dayton Moore signed Infante to stabilize the second base position which had become something of a black hole in the Royals lineup. Instead, Infante provided more of the same.

Just for funsies, shortstop Alcides Escobar has been even worse than Infante at the plate this season, slashing .244/.268/.287 with a 47 wRC+.

In a corresponding move, the Royals recalled Brian Flynn, who has a 4.91 ERA in 7.1 IP this season.

The DFA will force the Royals to some pretty legitimate cash, however. Infante was in the third year of a four-year, $30.25 million contract that he signed in 2013.

This more or less cements Whit Merrifield as the Royals second baseman, at least for the time being. With rookie Whit Merrifield taking charge of the second base position by his outstanding play at the plate (.326/.340/.505, in the field, and on the basepaths, there was no longer any role for Infante on the team.

It may also signal an increase in playing time for Christian Colon. 

Next: John Fogerty Called. He Wants His Song Back.

Either way, it definitely signals the last of Omar Infante in Royal blue.