Juan Soto's return might've just killed an ex-Royal's comeback story

Losers of eight of their last nine games and holding an MLB-worst 8-17 record, 2026 has not been much fun for the Kansas City Royals. While their lowly bullpen, which sits dead-last in MLB with a 6.29 ERA, and recently shaky starting staff all of sudden have contributed to their shortcomings, it's been the offense that's been the popular focal point among disgruntled fans. They sit at or near the bottom across the board statistically, headlined by a 27th ranking in runs scored and 24th standing in wRC+.

What hasn't made things easier for the Royals faithful has been seeing former players thrive in their new homes all of sudden. Of those names, and arguably the most painful, has been MJ Melendez. After signing with the Mets this winter, he's looked unbelievable in the early stages of the year in his new home. Since his call-up on April 15, he's slashing .313/.389/.625 with a homer, two RBI and a well-above average 183 wRC+ in 18 plate appearances.

This is quite the shock to many among the Royals faithful, as he looks night and day in comparison to his time in Kansas City last season. He made just 65 plate appearances in 2025, after being a staple in their lineup the three years prior, thanks to a pitiful .083/.154/.167 slash line with a -14 wRC+.

However, the good times may very well be over Melendez in Queens, as while he wasn't the coinciding move in Juan Soto's return from the injured list, the perennial MVP threat will surely takeaway from Melendez's game time moving forward. And it didn't take long for the Mets manager Carlos Mendoza to make said switch, opting to place Soto in the DH spot Melendez had occupied the five games prior and sending the former Royal to the bench.

And with an outfield already featuring the likes of the great Soto, former All-Star and Silver Slugger Luis Robert Jr. and the recent prized prospect Carson Benge, along with utility man Brett Baty, a split contract name like Melendez sort of loses his appeal in comparison, despite his hot start. He may be doing enough to warrant remaining on the active roster, however, the organizational need for him to perform just isn't there like it is in the rest of the outfield unit. He's simply been a pleasant surprise for their depth.

Melendez's Mets surge has brought Royals' hitting strategy into question

As alluded to earlier, Royals fans really can't believe how well Melendez is faring now that he's not under the tutelage of KC hitting coach Alec Zumwalt and his staff.

And Melendez unfortunately isn't the only recent example of this sort of breakout. Not only has Ryan O'Hearn elevated himself to All-Star status since leaving the Royals, but he looks to be sustaining that form in another new home. In 22 games since signing a two-year deal with the Pittsburgh Pirates this winter, O'Hearn is sporting an excellent .325/.413/.519 slash line with four homers, 16 RBI, a 13.0% walk rate, just a 16.3% K-rate and a 157 wRC+.

The reality is, Zumwalt's offense just hasn't performed up to par since his appointment as hitting coach back on May 16, 2022. In that span, the Royals' offense has scored the 10th fewest runs in baseball and hold just the 20th best OPS 24th best wRC+.

Whether or not it's merely a coincidence that names like Melendez and O'Hearn are thriving becomes less and less relevant in the conversation of whether the Royals hitting system has a problem. The stats show they haven't been able to meet the mark under Zumwalt's reign.

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