Royals split the doubleheader with the Woeful White Sox

All told a 3-3 road trip isn't that bad. Especially when the bats are scuffling.

No team beats the Woeful White Sox seven times in a row.

The Royals split their doubleheader against Chicago on Wednesday, winning the first game by a score of 4-2 before dropping the nightcap 2-1. Drop the first game of the series into the mix—a 2-0 victory for the good guys—and you have a three-game series where the Royals plated a total of seven runs. That they somehow won two of the games is a testament to their pitching and a reminder that these Hapless White Sox are truly…hapless

The lack of offensive firepower is mildly concerning. It would demand a stronger adjective than “mildly” had we not seen how this lineup can string together hits and put up double-digits in the run column from time to time. Slumps happen. Bats go cold. Same can be said for hot streaks. That’s why sample size matters. It just so happens the slump has infected almost all parts of the lineup, resulting in some gruesome numbers from this now-completed road trip.

Maikel Garcia — 0-20

This is not what you want from any player, let alone your leadoff hitter. I remain bullish on Garcia, but this has been a brutal stretch that predates this trip. Since his last home run in Baltimore in the season’s sixth game, he’s hit .104/.170/.104 with 12 strikeouts in 53 plate appearances. In this stretch, his batting average on balls in play is .135. He’s still hitting the ball hard, with an exit velocity and barrel rate that still ranks above the 80th percentile. The hits will come, but this has snowballed and he’s pressing and lost at the plate. Matt Quatraro rightfully dropped him from the lineup for the second game of the doubleheader. He needs the time off to mentally regroup.

Bobby Witt Jr. — 6-25

Witt collected three hits in the two games on Wednesday, but damn if it didn’t feel like he left food on the table.

Here are the pitches he swung and missed or fouled off in the first game.

Some tasty four-seamers in that mix, and plenty of them in hitter’s counts of 2-0 or 3-1. Then, there’s the chart from the second game.

Sinkers up in the zone at around 92 MPH should be pitches Witt does damage on. And all of these are in hitter’s counts. These are pitches that when Witt is locked in, he’ll rock. I’m not ringing an alarm bell or anything like that because everyone has days where they’re not at their best. Rather just pointing out that Witt, despite collecting three hits in the doubleheader, could’ve done more with what he was given. He’s fine.

Vinnie Pasquantino — 6-16

Speaking of being locked in…Pasquantino hit two doubles, two home runs and walked four times in the just completed road trip. Baseball is better when Vinnie rakes.

Salvador Perez — 5-17

I don’t know what else to say about The Captain. The only thing that stops him is a rainout.

The dude suffers a grade one groin strain, misses one game has another scrubbed because of said rain then comes back and not only catches the first game of the doubleheader while DH’ing in the second, he hits the decisive home run against White Sox closer Michael Kopech in the eighth inning.

MJ Melendez — 0-18

A brutal trip for Melendez on offense. He had been so hot with an eight-game hitting streak that ended on the first game of the trip along and had reached base in each of the first 12 games of the season. What goes up must come down I suppose but baseball’s idea of gravity is absolutely maddening.

The way that Quatraro stacks his lineup, just looking at the above five names, it’s easy to see how it’s been so difficult for the Royals to post runs of late. If your leadoff guy isn’t getting on base and if your number five hitter is unproductive as well, that puts the onus on the two, three and cleanup spots. Those guys can only do so much on their own.

Nelson Velázquez — 4-18

Velázquez doubled in the first game on Wednesday when Sox center fielder Dominic Fletcher stumbled going back on the ball. It happens and the Royals were able to capitalize. After working as the DH in the first game, Velázquez sat for the nightcap. I might have given Melendez a breather instead and played Velázquez in the field, but I only get paid to write newsletters, not manage. Besides, Quatraro probably preferred the left-handed hitting Melendez against the Sox starter Erik Fedde.

Adam Frazier — 1-13

Frazier drew four walks on the road trip and also reached base via a HBP. His lone hit was a single that followed up Velázquez's double in the second inning of the first game on Wednesday. So points for finding ways to get on base and for a timely hit. His current .347 on base percentage is fifth-best among the regulars, but his lack of hits and any kind of extra base production means his OPS+ is 58. The OBP is nice, but he needs to show more.

This is a club that lacks a true leadoff hitter. Their best on base guys are also the guys who should be hitting in the middle of the order and producing runs. In my darker moments I imagine flipping Frazier in the order with Garcia. Put away the pitchforks! I’m only half-serious. Maybe a quarter. The fact is, Frazier is doing work to get on base and Garcia is scuffling at a .213 OBP. I wouldn’t make it permanent or anything. Maybe just until Garcia becomes unstuck. Crazy talk, I know. Forget I said anything. Besides, Michael Massey is due back any day now.

Hunter Renfroe — 3-16

Renfroe drove in two runs in the doubleheader and has now hit safely in 8 of his last 11 games he’s started. I’m a bit torn because that’s just nine hits total which works out to a .250 batting average, but he has reached base at a .347 clip and included in his nine hits are two doubles and two home runs so he’s providing a bit of pop at the bottom of the order. He’s basically good for one solid outcome at the plate per game.

Kyle Isbel — 1-13

I had higher hopes for Isbel coming into this year and while I do believe he’s provided some quality ABs early in the season, it just seems like he’s fallen off over the last week-plus of games. His 51 OPS+ is the lowest of the regulars and while we all know the defense is elite in center, the bat may never be strong enough to allow the glove to play. It’s a shame.

While the offense is scuffling, the pitching and defense remain strong. Part of the success of the pitching no doubt stems from playing the Woeful White Sox seven times in their first 19 games, but hey, teams have to beat the teams they’re supposed to beat. Fourteen times this year Royals’ starters have gone five or more innings while allowing two or fewer runs.

The Royals are tied for the best mark in the majors in Defensive Runs Saved at 15.

They own the best run differential in the majors as well, at +40. Cleveland follows at +36 and after that the next best team is Atlanta at +29.

The offense is scuffling but the pitching and defense is keeping them in games. That’s what good teams do. There will be a time (or times) this year when the pitching bombs out and it will be up to the hitters to pick up the slack. We’ve barely scratched the surface of this season and the Royals have still been uncompetitive in just one of 19 games. That’s a helluva run to open the year.

A test starts on Friday as the Baltimore Orioles roll into town. We know from earlier this month, that’s a legit baseball team. It’s going to be a tough series with the marquee matchup coming on Saturday as Corbin Burnes faces off against Cole Ragans in a rematch from April 3. In that one, the Royals bats got to Burnes for nine hits and two runs. He had to work to get through the lineup. Ragans outshone him that day as he allowed just one hit and struck out seven. Of course, the Orioles plated two in the eighth and two more in the ninth to walk it off. I promised myself I wouldn’t bring that up again. Shoot.

After Baltimore, the Toronto Blue Jays are in Kansas City for a four-game set. The Jays are currently in last place in the AL East, but they’re a game above .500. What a brutal division.

This will be a difficult home stand, but the Royals have done well at home to open the year. As the Hapless White Sox are off the schedule until after the All-Star Break, this next week of baseball represents a true test for the Royals. We’ll have a much better handle on this team as the month draws to a close.