The Royals reach the All Star break 2.5 games back of the White Sox after an 8-6 start to July. A game closer than the start of the month but frustrating after dropping five of six going into the break.
The Royals had four All Stars with LF Enny Mijhail Van Dyke earning his first selection, 1B Jeremy Rogerson his second, and Billy Mumaugh and Drew Burress their third.
The American League won the game with Rogerson going 1-2 but the other three were hitless, although Mumaugh did take a walk in one of his two at-bats.
The Royals bats reach the All Star Break in good shape. Mijhail Van Dyke is slugging at an absurd .747 rate with 22 HRs, and a .333 average. Rogerson is also batting over three hundred, at .315 while slugging .580, the same slugging rate as Billy Mumaugh.
The Royals continue to have their most successful stealing season of the Stewart era, built on Bobby Witt Jr.’s 24, Mumaugh’s 16, and Drew Burress’s 14. Burress had a day-to-day leg injury for a month which caused the Stewart to dial down the stealing aggressiveness but that will be ramped back up in the second half of the year.
Defensively, Dan Colligan has been exceptional as part of a LHP platoon with Tim Storer while the left hand side of the diamond has been a struggle as Danny Petty, Witt Jr. and Mumaugh have combined for a -5.5 ZR!
Petty has struggled generally, dropping about .020 across AVG, OBP, SLG, and going from a 7.5 ZR 3B to -0.9. Zesati has also struggled this year, his 10 HR not masking a .231 average.
Some major changes which will be covered at the end of the month is the tale of the pitching staff after season long struggles. Marcos Paz is the only starting pitcher with a FIP- over 100 but Curt Bogans is also the only pitcher with a FIP under 4.00. Mike Hoffer and Cade Townsend have complimented his well, both offering over two WAR over the first half of the season while Mason Barnett is exactly the 5th starter the Royals wanted, providing 1.6 WAR even if he isn’t lasting as deep into games as they would like.
In the bullpen, William Schmidt (a very underrated contributor to the Royals) has been as consistent as always, as he looks to end a 4th year as a Royal with a 4th consecutive year of a sub 100 FIP. Eddie Baquerizo has been strong in the closer role, with 24 saves at a .889 clip for the year. Jon Holtz looks to make this year the year he sticks in the Majors, a 77 FIP- to go with an 11.3 K/9 rate is music to Royals fans ears.