KC Royals 2 biggest losers, 2 winners from May

Winner: Freddy Fermin

Fewer MLB teams have a better situation at catcher than Kansas City. Franchise legend Salvador Perez is having a career revival, at the plate and behind it. But, it is his backup Freddy Fermin reestablishing himself that raises Kansas City's 2024 ceiling even higher.

Last season, Fermin was quietly Kansas City's rookie success story. The catcher turned an MVP campaign in the 2022-23 Venezuelan Winter League into a strong 70 games in 2023. He led the Royals with a .281 batting average and threw out nine would-be base stealers in 30 stolen base attempts, for a 30% rate.

This year, Fermin started the season slow as Perez's backup. He wasn't a batting liability, but Fermin wasn't performing like he did in 2023. Thankfully, warmer temperatures also warmed up his bat in May where he, once again, was quietly one of Kansas City's best batters.

The Venezuelan had a career-best nine-game hit streak spanning from May 5-26. During the streak, he hit .441 with four doubles and seven RBI, and at one point had a streak of five multi-hit games too. All in all, his 145 wRC+ in May ranked fourth among the Royals, and was one of Kansas City's most valuable defenders again.

The Royals lineup looks immeasurably better when it goes five or six batters deep. The top four in the lineup are set, but Quatraro needs someone to step up outside of Maikel Garcia, Vinnie Pasquantino. Witt, and Perez. Fermin staked a strong claim as Kansas City's fifth-best batter this past month.