Melendez is out of the lineup for Monday's game against the Yankees.
After starting in each of the Royals' last four games while the opposition brought right-handed starters to the hill for every contest, the lefty-hitting Melendez will exit the lineup while southpaw Carlos Rodon takes the hill for the Yankees. Melendez has logged just 33 plate appearances versus lefties this season and is slashing .156/.182/.156 in those matchups.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Homers in extra-inning loss
Rotowire
Melendez went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Sunday's 6-5 extra-inning loss versus the Mariners.
Melendez has just three hits over his last 10 games, but all of them have been homers. His blast Sunday tied the game at 3-3 in the ninth inning. Melendez is up to seven homers this season, but he's taken a step back overall with a .165/.228/.346 slash line through 197 plate appearances on the year. He's added 19 RBI, 17 runs scored and two stolen bases, and he's still seeing a majority of the playing time in left field despite his poor hitting.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Cracks sixth homer
Rotowire
Melendez went 1-for-3 with a homer, a walk and four RBI in Friday's win against the Mariners.
Melendez blasted a 406-foot, three-run homer off Bryce Miller in the fourth inning before adding another RBI via a groundout in the sixth. This marks the 25-year-old's second four-RBI game of the season, with the first coming April 19. Melendez will try to build upon this performance, as he entered the contest hitting a ghastly .111 (5-for-45) with 13 strikeouts over his last 15 games.
Melendez is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Guardians.
Melendez will get the day off Tuesday after making five consecutive starts in left for the Royals. Instead, Adam Frazier will fill left field and bat seventh.
Melendez went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Thursday's 7-6 loss to the Twins.
Melendez's fourth-inning blast gave the Royals a 4-0 lead before things turned south for them in the middle innings. May has been a rough month for Melendez, who has gone 12-for-69 (.174) with six extra-base hits over 23 contests in the month. His previous homer was April 19, and he now has five long balls on the year to go with 13 RBI, 14 runs scored, two stolen bases and a poor .176/.238/.346 slash line through 50 games. Melendez is in a strong-side platoon role, though Garrett Hampson has started to get more looks versus righties amid Melendez's lengthy slump.
