3 hot takes from a 'perfect' KC Royals weekend

Franmil Reyes is showing the potential to prove the KC Royals were right

To contend Franmil Reyes has a 2023 Kansas City roster slot already locked up would be premature. After all, the slugger whose poor 2022 hitting prompted the Cubs to waive him in August and the Guardians to refrain from bringing him back for 2023 after rescuing him from the waiver wire, is only two appearances into Cactus League play.

It's what he's done with those two chances, though, that's encouraging.

Reyes, who the Royals recently signed to a minor league deal and invited to spring camp, took the day off Saturday after going 1-for-3 in Friday's Cactus League opener. And Sunday, he did this in the first inning:

The three-run bash, Reyes' first homer of the spring, scored Kyle Isbel and Salvador Perez to give Kansas City a 4-0 lead.

So it is that Reyes isn't wasting time trying to provide proof that his surprising acquisition wasn't Royal folly. Reyes can help the club's too-frequently anemic offense, but only if he recaptures the form that produced 37 homers in a 2019 campaign split between San Diego and Cleveland, 30 two seasons ago for the Guardians, and 16 in 87 rookie-season games for the Padres in 2018.

Is he making progress? So far, so good.

THIRD TAKE: It's early, and Franmil Reyes has a ways to go, but he seems to be on the right path.