KC Royals resurgence in July has been fueled by power surge from their main core

Baseball is the ultimate test of resolve and patience. Playing 162 games in a season forces you to consider the big picture and the long game when evaluating performance.

Sometimes, you must live with the results if the process is correct. It also means trusting the "back of a player's baseball card" or their history, when they go into a slump.

For the Kansas City Royals' "big three" of Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez, it's crucial for them to consistently click on all cylinders for the Royals to win ball games.

That has been a challenge this season, as it has been well-documented that the offense has performed poorly relative to expectations at the beginning of the year.

Pasquantino got off to a sluggish start (33 wRC+ in April), Witt Jr was good but not great (108 wRC+ in May), and Perez was not hitting for any power (44 wRC+ and .111 ISO in May).

June was treacherous for the Royals. Although the big three saw increased numbers, a sluggish month for the lineup nearly sank the Royals' chances of staying competitive in the AL. They went 8-18 (.308 winning percentage) and only one team scored fewer runs than them in June (the Cleveland Guardians).

But with how the Royals have burst onto the scene in July, it seems that turning the calendar to July was all this team needed.

Top of KC Royals' lineup is getting hot thanks to power surge

As much heat as Matt Quatraro and hitting coach Alec Zumwalt have taken for this team; the pressure should be squarely on the shoulders of the leaders on this team, who all hit behind one another.

July has been a breath of fresh air for a team that was drowning, trying to keep up with the rest of the American League.

Although it’s a minimal sample size, the Royals are 7-2 in July and find themselves right back in the thick of the Wild Card race - they sit 3.0 games back of the Mariners and Red Sox for that final spot.

The Royals' offense's resurgence can be traced back to the series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at the end of June. Since that series, the Royals' offense has averaged 4.4 runs per game, a far cry from their season average of 3.41.

The main difference in the lineup's performance, other than cashing in with runners in scoring position, is their ability to hit for more power. Let’s dive into how the middle of the Royals' order has turned up the heat lately.

Vinnie Pasquantino has been the perfect 3-hitter for the KC Royals

Pasquantino has been hitting .314 since the start of May, but his power numbers have increased since early summer. Pasquantino hit eight home runs in May and June combined. He already has three through less than two weeks into July with a .361 ISO and 178 wRC+

His two-homer, six-RBI game against the Diamondbacks on the fourth of July was a massive boost to the Royals' offense, but it also got him in a rhythm as well. He’s collected 11 total bases with two doubles, a homer, and an RBI since that breakout game.  

With 15 dingers to his name, Pasquantino has a shot at becoming the first Royal since Jorge Soler in 2019 to hit at least 18 home runs before the All-Star break.

Salvador Perez looking like old self at the plate

Salvy has looked more like the captain we know and love after a prolonged slump to start the season. He hit five home runs in June after hitting only four from March through May.

Since June 1st, he’s slashing .286/.326/.556 with a 119 wRC+. But since July, he’s caught fire with a 233 wRC+ and an ISO of .457 in 37 plate appearances.

He'll have to have more games like the one he had against the Diamondbacks on July 6 when he demolished a pitch 415 feet to dead center and started jawing at opposing second baseman Ketel Marte as he trotted around the bases. Or when he went 2-for-4 with a homer and two RBI in the first game against the Pirates on Monday. Or of course, when he belted a pair of homers in the series finale against the Pirates on Wednesday.

The Royals have to start capitalizing on offense, and it makes it easy when you can get a run or more from just one swing. It makes the game easier overall and creates less pressure to score.

Bobby Witt Jr. has transformed back into “Bobby Baseball” in July

Witt has historically heated up in July through the course of his young career, and he’s holding on to that trend this season.

I’ve talked about how the Royals needed the “real Bobby Baseball” earlier this season, and he has stood on business since that request.

Before June 18, Witt Jr was slashing .281/.340/.479 with a 118 wRC+ and .198 ISO. Since that date, he’s slashing .341/.374/.565, and his wRC+ has climbed to 156, and his ISO sits at a robust .224.

Since the calendar turned to July, Bobby has put on his cape and turned in some vintage games. He’s had 14 hits in 39 plate appearances (.400) and is slugging .629 with two homers and seven RBI and a 191 wRC+.

He even had a "Witt Magic" moment against the Mariners on July 3 with the smoothest slide into home you will ever see. The Royals have won six of seven since that play.

KC Royals need to ride current power streak as long as possible

Kansas City has to start capitalizing on offense, and it makes it easy when you can get a run or more from just one swing. Hitting home runs creates less pressure to score, and that's the job of the hitters.

Even players outside of the Salvy, Bobby, and Vinnie have started hitting for power, which puts the Royals in an even more favorable position. Loftin has gone yard in back-to-back games, and Jac Caglianone hit his first home run at The K on Tuesday and followed it up with his second on Wednesday.

The hope is that this July resurgence can be the beginning of a turned corner for the Royals when it comes to their offense. Because their season depends on it.