Welcome to this edition of the Royals Beat newsletter. My name is Anne Rogers, and I’ll be delivering news and insight to your inbox all season long. Thanks for following along! MILWAUKEE -- While the Royals offense works through the inconsistencies it has displayed through the first two series of the season, there is one hitter who has been the most consistent when it comes to his process and his results in the small sample size that is six games. Maikel Garcia has hit safely in all five of the games he’s taken a plate appearance in so far this season. Four of his six hits (in 17 at-bats) have gone for extra bases, including two home runs. The monster shot he hit Monday afternoon traveled 428 feet to the batter’s eye at American Family Field, according to Statcast, for the longest home run of his career and the second-hardest-hit ball of his career at 108.8 mph. All the swing changes Garcia implemented in the spring have helped him in this early part of the season, he and the Royals believe. The small toe tap helps with timing. He’s keeping his weight in the center of his stance rather than falling forward. His bat is resting on his shoulder, and he’s not incorporating the bigger hand pump that he found himself using last year. “He’s had more reps with the toe tap and is feeling really relaxed in his setup,” hitting coach Alec Zumwalt said. “You see how his bat is on his shoulder and he’s not rushing up. I think it shows how much time he’s got to make decisions right now. He’s controlling the zone, and that was something he told me he wanted to get better at. He’s had success with that in the past, so I don’t think it’s something we’re trying to invent -- we’re just trying to pull it back out. “It’s giving him more time, bottom line.” But it’s not just the swing that has Garcia feeling good. He feels more settled in his pregame routine in the weight room, batting cage and even the training room, which he says is new this year. So far, Garcia is taking care of his body better than last year, utilizing the cold and hot tubs and other resources the Royals have available for their players. |
Something assistant hitting coach Joe Dillon said to Garcia one day resonated with the 25-year-old: “When my body is fresh, I can make good contact. When my body is tired, my legs are tired, I start to push the ball and try to use more of my body to hit.” Part of a hitter’s challenge is being available every day and staying on top of recovery to get through a full season of games. In that regard, Garcia learned from two of the best. “I see Salvy [Perez], Bobby [Witt Jr.], and a lot of guys do a lot of things in the training room and the weight room,” Garcia said. “Hot water, cold water. And they play good every single day. They really take care of their body. So now, I’m trying to do that.”
With Jonathan India in the lineup every day, moving around the field, the Royals are able to keep Garcia fresher and put him in better positions to succeed, like down in the lineup and against better pitching matchups. His style of hitting -- hard contact and speed -- can help lengthen the Royals’ lineup.
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And everything looks great right now for Garcia. The hits are falling. He’s getting on base. He’s even leading the team in home runs -- who would have thought? The real test begins when Garcia inevitably falls into a slump like every hitter does. Remember how great he started out last year? Then he fell into a hole he couldn’t hit his way out of, finishing the year with a .213 average, .613 OPS and a 69 wRC+, which was the worst in the Majors among qualified hitters. Sticking with his process, mechanics and routine will be key as Garcia goes through the course of a long season. “That’s the whole idea: The more consistent you are with your mechanics and your thought process, the easier it is to get back to that when things do go awry,” manager Matt Quatraro said. “You’re going to be tested mentally -- you hit a few balls hard, they don’t fall, all of a sudden you’re a couple days without a hit. Maikel’s speed, his ability to bunt, his ability to use the whole field, and not only that, but his ability to play on the other side of the ball, he helps us win. If he keeps his focus on team goals, those slumps will be a lot shorter.” |
For now, though, Garcia is riding the wave of good results that his swing is giving him. “I love to walk. I like to get hits,” Garcia said. “Just helping to do something good in the game. Walk or hitting, defense, running. Whatever it is.” |
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“Pitchers have been great. As an offense, we’ve got to find a way to get them some run support. I’m confident that as we go, guys in here are just too good of players not to get it going." -- Michael Massey on the Royals’ offensive inconsistencies
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The Royals had announced before the season began that they would wear their full powder blue uniforms -- pants and jerseys, with the retro hats and batting helmets -- for all Saturday home games. But then they pulled them out on Monday afternoon -- for a road game in Milwaukee. Turns out, the Royals will be wearing these uniforms a lot more in 2025. According to a team spokesperson, there’s no set schedule, but the idea is to eventually make the full powders the primary road uniform. The full gray uniforms -- the one the Royals wore Tuesday night -- will get phased out, while the royal blue jersey (with Kansas City across the front) and gray pants will serve as the alternate road jerseys. It helps that Witt and Perez love wearing them. And if those two like them, that goes a long way toward the team wearing them more. |
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