By ANNE RODGERS
MLB.com
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Royals cut ties with a struggling outfielder on Friday, as veteran Hunter Renfroe was designated for assignment ahead of their series opener against the Twins at Target Field. In a corresponding move, Kansas City recalled infielder/outfielder Nick Loftin from Triple-A Omaha.
The 33-year-old Renfroe was slashing .182/.241/.242 with zero home runs in 35 games this season. Renfroe’s playing time dwindled significantly with the lack of production; he wasn’t hitting the ball hard (88.5 mph average exit velocity), and he wasn’t getting on base (7.4% walk rate).
Renfroe signed a two-year, $13 million contract with the Royals ahead of the 2024 season, with the second year being a player option that Renfroe triggered this past offseason. The club will owe him the full $7.5 million he was making this season.
That contract was what led the Royals to continue to give Renfroe a chance as their everyday right fielder in 2025, despite his .689 OPS and 0.0 Baseball-Reference WAR last year. They had hoped a healthy season -- after dealing with toe, back and hamstring injuries last year -- would yield better results.
Renfroe ends his time with Kansas City with a .647 OPS and -1.5 WAR.
Now, both of the options the Royals had hoped would give them more power and middle-order protection are not on the active roster with Renfroe gone and MJ Melendez in Triple-A. Kansas City (28-23) is averaging 3.4 runs per game through 51 games of the season and rank last in the Majors with 32 home runs.
Loftin, 26, is slashing .295/.451/.468 in Triple-A this year, with four homers, 12 doubles and more walks (39) than strikeouts (22).