2 KC Royals batters whose hot streaks will continue, 1 who will fade

The KC Royals suffered a roller-coaster month in June, including their first full losing month in 2024. An abysmal batting stretch from top to bottom significantly harmed this team's standing and prospects after the All-Star break. The team's performances were not ideal, but several individual hitters are on a roll. Let us look at which two hitters will keep their hot streaks going in the second half of the season and which will not.

Continue: OF Hunter Renfroe

Last 15 games: .333/.412/.667, 4 HR, 8 RBI

This time two months ago, I wondered if the Royals needed to move on from offseason acquisition Hunter Renfroe. Sure, the veteran outfielder had a solid track record of putting balls over the fence and a strong arm in right, but watching him was a big part of Kansas City's batting woes in the outfield. The unit hasn't turned things around overnight, but Renfroe's results have massively improved.

This isn't just a recent improvement, either. In 28 games from May 12 to June 29, Renfroe recorded an amazing .946 OPS, slashing .302/.388/.558 for a 163 wRC+. His success came from drawing walks at an 11.2% rate while only striking out 17.3% of the time. Renfroe has quickly turned things around at the plate, now inching closer to the lineup's upper half thanks to his resurgent value.

Home run production was Renfroe's calling card when the Royals signed him this offseason, and for good reason. His 173 home runs since his first full season in 2017 are the 23rd most in the Majors during that span, behind only Aaron Judge's 253; as an outfielder, he has hit 166 home runs during that same period, ranking fifth in MLB. Yet Kauffman Stadium is not historically the easiest place for home-run hitters.

That hasn't been a problem for the right-handed right fielder. Six of his eight home runs this season are in Kauffman Stadium, powering his .457 slugging within Kauffman.

Why Renfroe will stay hot: History of slow starts, strong summers

ZiPS projects Renfroe will be an above-average batter down the stretch, and I couldn't agree more. Their projected .241/.307/.425 slash line would make him a 103 wRC+ hitter for the remainder of 2024, a much-appreciated improvement from his form earlier this season. But this projection is stronger thanks to his multi-year history of strong summers.

Renfroe's best hitting months in his career are May and June, while March and April are his worst, by far. His ability to make adjustments and heat up as the season progresses bodes well for his future production. With a track record of strong summers, there is reason to believe that he will continue to be a valuable asset for the Royals moving forward.