3 KC Royals that will benefit from a shortened season

KC Royals’ fans held their breath not once, but twice, when this dynamic shortstop left two different games due to shoulder injury.

After battling back from a shoulder subluxation, a fancy way of saying his shoulder popped out of place and then back in, in July, Adalberto Mondesi reaggravated it just a few days before the end of the year. That led to surgery to repair a labral tear and it was estimated he would be out five to six months.

While we were hearing he was on pace to make an Opening Day return, Mondesi did not face any action in a Kansas City spring training game prior to play being suspended on March 12th.  This extra time will help him build strength in the shoulder and be fully recovered for a mid-summer start-up.

The Royals can definitely use a healthy Mondesi as they strive for contention in 2021.  Despite playing in only 102 games, he tied other Kansas City players for the Major League lead in triples with 10.  He batted .263 and swiped 43 bases.  That makes a total of 75 steals in just 177 games the last two seasons.

Defensively he made spectacular plays and his fielding average was 14 points above the league.  He was only charged with seven miscues in 440 chances.

The hope is that upon his return he will be still be diving after balls and stealing bases right and left.  The reality, though, is will he have the confidence to make plays and slides like he used to?  And will his shoulder hold up if he does?  The optimistic outlook is that the extra time will give Mondesi the ability to strengthen that area and return to his old form.