6 days agoKansas City Royals outfielder/first baseman
Hunter Renfroe is not in the starting lineup on Saturday afternoon. Instead,
MJ Melendez will shift to right field, which will open first base for
Cavan Biggio. On Opening Day, Renfroe went 0-for-4 at the plate with one strikeout. Last season, Renfroe appeared in 120 games for the Royals. Across this stint, Renfroe held a .229/.297/.392 slash line with 18 doubles and 15 round-trippers. He was an elite defender in right field as he placed in the 87th percentile in arm value and 91st percentile in arm strength. However, in the batter's box, he generated an underwhelming .291 xwOBA and .223 xBA, which placed him in the 18th and 13th percentile, respectively. Given his lack of consistent production, he should only be rostered in deeper AL-only formats.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: MLB.com
5 months agoKansas City Royals outfielder
Hunter Renfroe and relief pitcher
Chris Stratton both had their 2025 club options exercised according to Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. Renfroe had a down year in 2024 as he hit just 15 home runs, his lowest total in a full season throughout his career. He held a .229/.297/.392 slash line. Stratton served as a high-leverage reliever this past summer and posted a 5.55 ERA and a 1.47 WHIP with four saves and five holds. Fantasy managers should expect Renfroe to be deployed as a platoon option early on in right field with the opportunity to grow into a full-time role if he can get back on track. He could be worth a look as a late-option for power in deeper formats. Stratton should be in the mix to see a handful of save opportunities in 2025.
--Andy Smith - RotoBallerSource: Mark Feinsand
6 months agoKansas City Royals outfielder
Hunter Renfroe is not in the team's starting lineup for Game 1 of the wild-card series on Tuesday against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards. With Renfroe riding pine, the Royals will roll with
Tommy Pham in right field, and he will hit seventh against Orioles right-hander
Corbin Burnes. Renfroe's playing time in the postseason might be more spotty now that first baseman
Vinnie Pasquantino (thumb) is back from the injured list to take over designated hitter duties, at least for the wild-card series. If the 32-year-old Renfroe does get into a game at any point during the series in Baltimore, it will likely come against a left-handed pitcher. In his first year with the Royals in 2024, Renfroe hit just .229/.297/.392 with a below-average .689 OPS, 15 home runs and 52 RBI in 120 games played. In 23 games with KC, Pham went 23-for-101 (.228) with two homers and eight RBI.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Kansas City Royals
7 months agoThe Kansas City Royals reinstated outfielder
Hunter Renfroe (hamstring) from the 10-day injured list on Thursday and optioned right-hander
Steven Cruz to Triple-A Omaha in a corresponding move. The team also designated right-hander
Dan Altavilla (oblique) for assignment. Renfroe, who is hitting just .237/.312/.398 with a .710 OPS, 12 home runs and 47 RBI in 334 at-bats for the Royals this year, will be a platoon bat for the Royals against left-handed pitchers, at best, upon his return after the addition of right-handed-hitting outfielder
Tommy Pham. With
Vinnie Pasquantino (thumb) expected to miss the rest of the regular season, some of Renfroe's playing time could come at first base down the stretch. He has been out since late August with a strained right hamstring. He went 8-for-21 (.381) with a homer and three RBI in six games before landing on the IL, so KC will be hoping he can pick up where he left off.
--Keith Hernandez - RotoBallerSource: Kansas City Royals
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