Royals Report: 5 Things About 4-3 Loss In Philadelphia

Jul 1, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Kansas City Royals designated hitter Kendrys Morales (25) hits a two run home run during the eighth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. The Philadelphia Phillies won 4-3. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

1) Kendrys Morales Shows His Feet Of Clay In Right

After two solid defensive performances in right field, Kendrys Morales looked like a designated hitter playing in a corner outfield spot Friday night. Morales simply doesn’t have good speed and can take a long time to get to line drives if he has significant ground to cover. If opponents get some air under the ball, his ability to read the ball off the bat allows him to compensate.

However, on Friday night, he looked awkward fielding a double in the fourth, and was slow to close the gap on a double in the fifth inning. The ball ended up rolling to the wall, allowing a runner to score from first base.

Despite his shortcomings in the field, Morales did crush a two-run home run to pull the KC Royals within one run in the eighth inning. So, even with his limitations in right, expect Morales to play the field again on Saturday against the Phillies. The Kansas City Royals can’t afford to do without his bat, especially with Lorenzo Cain on the disabled list.

On a more positive note, Morales extended his hitting streak to seven games, though his six game streak of multi-hit games ended. His home run tied him for the team lead at 12 with first baseman Eric Hosmer and catcher Salvador Perez.

Next: Kendry Morales: The Sleeping Giant Has Awakened

In other news, Alcides Escobar extended his hitting streak to 12 games. Escobar’s batting average improved to .264, up from .240 on the day it began.

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