How Hunter Dozier should give KC Royals hope about a current struggling player

It seems like no matter what Hunter Renfroe does, he’s destined to be the least favorite position player on the Kansas City Royals’ 26-man roster. Start every day? Critics come out in full force, pointing to his underwhelming production and questioning why manager Matt Quatraro keeps penciling him in. Shift to a backup role and start swinging the bat a little better? Doesn’t matter—fans still wonder why he’s in the clubhouse and when he’ll be sent packing for different, if not greener, pastures.

Could the KC Royals' past give hints to Hunter Renfroe's future?

General manager J.J. Picollo has a few seasons under his belt now, and while every front office has its patterns, Kansas City has generally shown patience with its veterans. But back in May 2023, that patience ran out with another struggling veteran: Hunter Dozier. Drafted eighth overall in 2013, Dozier’s road to becoming a full-time big leaguer was rocky and delayed. By the time he was an everyday player, the Royals were in the midst of some of the worst years in franchise history.

Dozier did shine once, in 2019, leading the league in triples and posting a surprising .870 OPS over 139 games. For a club without many bright spots, he looked like a possible bridge between the rebuild and something better. The Royals rewarded that promise with a four-year, $25 million extension after the shortened 2020 season.

Royals fans know how that story ended.

Back-to-back poor seasons in 2021 and 2022 soured the outlook, and by 2023, fans were ready for a change. Despite lingering questions about his contract and whether the former standout could rediscover his form, Kansas City finally designated Dozier for assignment on May 22.

Now, in 2025, that anniversary is fast approaching—and the parallels with Renfroe are hard to ignore.

Renfroe’s production this season has mirrored Dozier’s pre-release numbers. In fact, Renfroe is arguably offering less. Yet, he remains on the roster. A recent bump in performance may have cooled his seat temporarily, but a few good games shouldn’t change the broader reality. The Royals bet on Renfroe rediscovering his power in a new home, but outside of a two-month flash in 2024, the bat hasn’t delivered. Meanwhile, his arm strength and defensive value have clearly declined.

The writing is on the wall.

Now that Renfroe has passed the same threshold that ended Dozier’s time in Kansas City, it feels more like a matter of when, not if, the Royals move on. For a club trying to build something sustainable, lingering on a fading veteran feels like a step in the wrong direction.