KC Royals believe they have ‘much deeper team.’ Hunter Renfroe is the latest example

Hunter Renfroe has experienced his share of roller-coaster moments.

Early in his MLB career, Renfroe rose to new heights with the San Diego Padres. He recorded 89 home runs, 70 doubles and 204 RBIs in a four-year stretch. He also played in a World Series with the Tampa Bay Rays.

But Renfroe also dealt with a few lowlights. He bounced around the league and split time with the Los Angeles Angels and Cincinnati Reds last season.

Renfroe admitted he didn’t finish the 2023 campaign well. The Angels placed him on waivers and he didn’t produce with the Reds. He had a .128 batting average in 14 games after joining Cincinnati.

“I felt like I’ve been up on a roller coaster and done really, really well, and then really, really bad,” Renfroe said. “I’ve had seasons where the whole year I’ve done incredibly well, coasted to the postseason and went to the World Series.”

The roller coaster took a sharp turn, but it also presented a new opportunity.

Renfroe signed with the Kansas City Royals this offseason. In a corresponding move, the Royals designated pitcher Max Castillo for assignment.

“This place has always been at a forefront in my mind where I wanted to be most because the talent that came before me,” Renfroe said. “Obviously the guys I played with like (Mike) Moustakas, (Eric) Hosmer, (James) Shields, all those guys like that could say nothing but great things about this organization and this place.

“And that just makes me think about being here next year. It’s pretty special, possibly like raising my little girl here and moving forward with my playing career and obviously trying to win a division.”

The Royals, who are coming off a franchise-worst 106 losses, know quite a bit about roller-coaster moments. The organization hasn’t produced a winning season since the 2015 campaign.

KC unraveled after winning its second World Series. Since then, it’s been a continuous struggle to get back on track.

Renfroe, who signed a one-year contract with a player option for the 2025 season, is ready to change the narrative. Renfroe is one of several free-agent imports this offseason. He follows pitchers Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Will Smith and Chris Stratton.

There is a central theme among the veteran signees. The Royals purposely pursued them because they were proven winners.

“The experience is invaluable,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said. “But also, you know, just looking from what we needed to gain going back to our goals this offseason, our plans, we need more production from the outfield.”

Renfroe adds a different element to the Royals’ lineup. He has six seasons with at least 20 home runs. Renfroe is also a solid run producer. He notched 31 doubles and 60 RBIs last season.

By comparison, the Royals had two players hit at least 20 home runs and collect 60 RBIs last season. KC didn’t have a player log 30 doubles.

“He’s not going to be up there trying to hit a ground ball to the right side very often to move a runner,” Royals manager Matt Quatraro said. “But I know the competitor that he is and he’s going to try to execute every time he gets up there.”

The Royals expect to plug Renfroe in the outfield. He adds protection behind Royals superstar Bobby Witt Jr., first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino and catcher Salvador Perez in the starting lineup.

Additionally, Renfroe is excited to play at Kauffman Stadium. He looks forward to roaming a spacious outfield to showcase his athletic ability.

“I can go cover ground,” Renfroe said. “I don’t have to worry about the center fielder being right there to my right. (I can) go out there and just be an athlete.”

Renfroe has 65 outfield assists since his MLB debut. He also was named a Gold Glove Award finalist during the 2019 and 2021 seasons.

With this move, the Royals have largely completed their objectives this offseason. They addressed their starting rotation with the additions of Lugo and Wacha. The bullpen was fortified by Smith, Stratton and reliever Nick Anderson.

Renfroe solidified the need for an impact bat. Now, Picollo is excited to see how the pieces fit together in spring training.

“It’s a much deeper team,” Picollo said. “It’s a more experienced team. It’s a more mature team. And we still have 56 days until pitchers and catchers report to try to keep working on tweaking this thing along the way. So we’re in a really healthy spot right now. I know our fans are excited about it.”