Renfroe an exciting but disappointing signing
Kansas City had a busy offseason, bolstering their roster with new additions. With a focus on acquiring pitching and a corner outfielder, the Royals made significant moves, including signing outfielder Hunter Renfroe to a lucrative two-year contract worth $13 million. Renfroe's arrival signaled the team's willingness to take calculated risks, with Seth Lugo being another notable addition.
Renfroe's career trajectory, particularly at the plate, has been intriguing. Bursting onto the scene with the Padres in 2016, he showcased considerable power, tallying an impressive 89 home runs during his tenure in San Diego. Despite his notable contributions, Renfroe often found himself vying for playing time amidst stiff competition from sluggers like Wil Myers and Franmil Reyes.
Reflecting on a 2018 article from Friars on Base, which highlighted Renfroe's challenge for consistent playing time, it's evident that his path has been marked by competition for outfield spots. Myers and Reyes, known for their power hitting during that period, added to the challenge.
Renfroe's departure from the Padres saw him play for five different teams before landing in Kansas City. Despite his knack for power hitting, Renfroe's high strikeout rate has been a point of concern. However, General Manager J.J. Picollo remains optimistic about Renfroe's potential impact, emphasizing his ability to drive in runs and deepen the team's offensive lineup.
Renfroe on defense is a completely different story. According to Kings of Kauffman, his defense isn't super great but it could be much worse: "Renfroe is not known for his defensive abilities, with a career -9 Outs Above Average in his MLB career." Renfroe's struggles were definitely a red flag when Picollo brought him into the mix. MJ Melendez is kind of in the same boat as Renfroe, but unlike Renfroe, Melendez didn't come up through the minors as an outfielder but as a catcher.
What keeps Renfroe in the outfield, aside from his bat, in the team's lineup? Renfroe has a cannon for an arm; in fact, he has one of the best in the majors. During his time with the Angels, third base coach Phil Nevin said the outfielder has one of the best arms in the game: "He made me look bad,” Nevin said, recalling one particular throw that Renfroe made against Nevin’s New York Yankees when he was with the Boston Red Sox. “He’s got a game-changing arm. You’ve got to be very careful. … I’m excited to see it on my side this time.”
Nevin isn't the only one to take notice of Renfroe's arm. Brewers manager Craig Counsell said a very similar thing: "It’s like the traditional arm you thought of when you thought of right fielders growing up,” said Milwaukee Brewers manager Craig Counsell, who had Renfroe last season. “He really likes to throw. He enjoys it. He likes the impact on a game that throwing out a runner can have. I think he takes pride in it.”
Renfroe himself said in an interview that fans love his arm as well and why shouldn't they it's incredible: "Throwing someone out, whether it’s the third out of an inning or a big inning, that’s pretty exciting,” Renfroe said. “The fans love it. It’s intense … I love it.”
Renfroe's powerful arm is definitely great to have in a giant outfield like at Kauffman Stadium, but his offense needs to catch up, and I definitely believe it will sooner or later. Finally, although many fans would love to see the team move on from the outfielder, many have got to remember that when he hits the ball, he hits it hard. The strikeouts definitely need to decrease, but if he continues to hit the snot out of the ball, it will either go over the fence or find the outfield grass. Let's hope Renfroe's bat can catch up to his powerful arm and get that pop back in his bat this season and next season if the team decides to keep him past this season.
