Royals' MJ Melendez: Sitting out Game 2 versus lefty
Rotowire
Melendez is absent from the lineup Monday in Game 2 of the ALDS against the Yankees.
It's southpaw Carlos Rodon on the hill for the Yankees, so the left-handed-hitting Melendez will begin the festivities on the bench. Tommy Pham will be in left field and batting seventh for the Royals, while Hunter Renfroe will handle right and hit eighth.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Out again versus lefty
Rotowire
Melendez is absent from the lineup for Friday's game in Atlanta.
The Royals are facing a left-hander -- Max Fried -- for the fifth game in a row, and the left-handed-hitting Melendez has been on the bench for four of them. Tommy Pham is in left field and batting leadoff.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Sitting versus lefty
Rotowire
Melendez is absent from the lineup for Thursday's contest against the Nationals.
It's left-hander Patrick Corbin on the bump for the Nationals, so the lefty-swinging Melendez will begin the game on the bench. Tommy Pham is playing left field and batting leadoff for the Royals.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Not in lineup against lefty
Rotowire
Melendez is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game versus the Nationals.
The left-handed hitting Melendez will yield to Tommy Pham in left field as southpaw Mitchell Parker toes the rubber for the Nationals. Melendez has been out of the lineup all four times the Royals have faced a lefty this month.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Sitting versus southpaw
Rotowire
Melendez is not in the lineup for Sunday's contest against the Giants.
With left-hander Blake Snell toeing the rubber for the Giants, the lefty-swinging Melendez will begin the festivities on the bench. Tommy Pham will occupy left field for the Royals.
Melendez is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Tigers.
The lefty-hitting Melendez will unsurprisingly take a seat in the series finale while the Tigers send ace southpaw Tarik Skubal to the bump. Tommy Pham will fill in for Melendez in left field.
Melendez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates.
Melendez is sitting Sunday for the second time in three games despite the fact right-hander Jared Jones is starting for Pittsburgh. Tommy Pham will shift to left field while Adam Frazier receives a start in right.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Idle against RHP
Rotowire
Melendez is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Pirates.
Even with right-hander Luis Ortiz taking the mound for Pittsburgh, the lefty-hitting Melendez will retreat to the bench. It'll be Melendez's first time out of the lineup against a right-handed starter since Aug. 4. Tommy Pham, Kyle Isbel and Hunter Renfroe fill the outfield from left to right.
Melendez is not in the starting lineup for Monday's game against the Yankees.
Melendez will begin Monday's contest on the bench with the Yankees sending left-hander Carlos Rodon to the mound. Tommy Pham, Garrett Hampson and Hunter Renfroe will make up the Royals' starting outfield in the series opener.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Notches steal in win
Rotowire
Melendez went 1-for-4 with a stolen base and a run scored in Friday's 5-0 win over the Twins.
Melendez has started to slump again, going 4-for-27 (.148) over his last nine games. He has just one extra-base hit as well as a 4:7 BB:K in that span. The outfielder hit .311 in August, but if his bat stays cold, he could face extra pressure for playing time from Tommy Pham and Robbie Grossman, the two players the Royals added via waivers at the end of August. Melendez is at a .212/.272/.416 slash line with 17 home runs, four steals, 43 RBI and 42 runs scored over 404 plate appearances while mostly serving as a strong-side platoon option in the corner outfield.
Melendez is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Astros.
With lefty Framber Valdez on the mound for Houston, Melendez will yield to Dairon Blanco in left field. Melendez is 7-for-22 (.318) with a pair of homers in his last six games.
