Mondesi hits moonshot, tweaks hamstring

KANSAS CITY — Adalberto Mondesi’s two-bustle moonshot within the Royals’ 7-3 salvage over the Pirates on Monday evening was the most modern spotlight in a reel of them that shows what a power the dynamic shortstop could presumably merely additionally be when he’s on the discipline and within the lineup.

His harm exit Monday evening confirmed how crushing it is when he’s now now not.

Mondesi was removed within the bottom of the eighth inning with a tweak in his left hamstring, manager Mike Matheny said after the Royals’ victory within the assortment opener at Kauffman Stadium. Mondesi was working with the Royals trainers postgame, so there wasn’t an additional update on the harm.

The putting off was precautionary and hopes are that it is nothing excessive. Nonetheless Mondesi has the harm history that makes any tweak or bruise touching on on some level. He has handiest been help from the injured list for a week after missing the first month and a half of the season attributable to an valid indirect strain.

“Hated to bear in mind him reach out of the game valid there,” Matheny said. “Had a tweak in his hamstring. We’re quiet getting our eyes on what that exactly is, on the opposite hand it’s melancholy. We’ll hear what the trainers possess to instruct.”

Matheny said he thinks the harm occurred on Mondesi’s defensive gem within the high of the eighth inning, when Kevin Newman hit a chopper on the infield grass. Mondesi charged in and made the very ideal throw — one more spotlight that shows how precious of a player he’s for the Royals. Nicky Lopez pinch-hit for Mondesi within the bottom of the frame.

“I’m guessing it was him coming in there,” Matheny said. “That was a in reality factual play. There aren’t many shortstops within the league that originate that play. And it did purchase a corpulent burst to originate it happen. So I’m guessing that’s where it took region, but I’m undecided.”

Mondesi has been support within the Royals’ lineup for seven games after the origin of his season was delayed attributable to the indirect harm. And in these seven games, he has looked as if he hasn’t uncared for a beat. He’s 9-for-25 with three doubles, two home runs and a scuttle since he made his debut closing Tuesday. His homer on Monday was overwhelmed, traveling 417 toes and registering at 109.8 mph off the bat. Mondesi marked it with a bat flip as he sauntered down the first-inferior line.

“That ball was hammered,” Matheny said. “Large swing, wasn’t attempting to assemble too powerful, and he’s in reality been in a factual region along with his swing.”

The homer gave the Royals two insurance runs after starter Mike Minor allowed two runs in six solid innings. No matter registering handiest eight whiffs against the Pirates, Minor had seven strikeouts, raising his total this season to 68 in 60 innings pitched (11 starts).

The Royals’ offense got right here thru again with two runs within the eighth inning on a double from Lopez, a fielder’s likelihood from Kelvin Gutierrez and a double from Michael A. Taylor.

It was a continuation of what the Royals’ offense has viewed the previous four games: Kansas Metropolis is batting .312 with 26 runs (6.5 runs per sport), including a .417 (15-for-36) moderate in scoring cases, since Friday, a stretch whereby they’ve received three of four.

The Royals ended Might presumably additionally merely at .500 (26-26) and possess received 10 of their previous 16 — on the heels of an 11-sport losing hunch.

That turnaround isn’t all attributable to Mondesi. The Royals are seeing contributions up and down their lineup currently. All nine starting up region players Monday recorded on the least one hit for the first time since Aug. 6, 2020, against the Cubs.

Nonetheless there is certainly the Royals’ offense is more healthy with Mondesi in it.

“He can valid assemble so powerful,” said Hunter Dozier, who had an RBI double within the second inning. “If he’s now now not swinging the bat, he’s going to win a technique to obtain on inferior. Bunt his strategy on after which take two bags. Or he’s going to play unbelievable defense. He can assemble it all.

“And when he’s swinging the bat relish he’s now, it’s valid a spark, no doubt. Ever since he’s gotten help, we are capable of in reality feel it. He’s taking half in in reality factual the total strategy, and we hope he’s all valid.”