Kansas City Royals: Lorenzo Cain’s Year Could Be Over
Outfielder Lorenzo Cain of the Kansas City Royals will wait a week before deciding the fate of his season.
The Kansas City Royals just cannot seem to catch a break this year, with recent reports suggesting that Lorenzo Cain could miss the rest of the season. As MLB Trade Rumors’ Connor Byrne has reported, Cain has been having a hard time swinging a bat due to a sprained left hand.
Jeffrey Flanagan of MLB.com wrote on Saturday that the outfielder told FOX Sports Kansas City that he would likely shut himself down for the season. This initial news came as quite a disappointment since he had just returned to the lineup after missing over a week of games. It turned out that the extra rest had done little to help his body, and the swings still felt uncomfortable.
Since those initial accounts, however, ESPN has revealed that the Kansas City Royals want to wait a week before making a decision about the rest of Cain’s season. Despite Cain’s statements about wanting to be done for the season, manager Ned Yost said that Cain will probably continue to play through his injury.
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Clearly, this appears to be a sizable differing in opinions about the outfielder’s status, which is not a great sign for the team. One never wants to have a player on the field who does not want to be there. On the bright side, Rustin Dodd Tweeted that Cain and the Royals are now “on the same page” with regards to his wrist injury. The 30-year-old will indeed rest for another week before a final decision will be made.
If all goes well, Cain may be able to add some more value to the Kansas City Royals before the year is over. Still, this season has been a disappointment for both the team and the player. Neither has performed as well as they did last year, with the Royals finding themselves four games out of a wild card berth and Cain missing a month earlier this season while on disabled list.
When Cain was not on the shelf with injuries, he never quite looked the same as last year. His defense has been characteristically great, but his offensive production has declined. He played a major role in the Royals’ lineup last year, bringing a unique combination of speed, contact, and power. Over 140 games, he batted .307 with 16 dingers and 28 stolen bases.
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After turning 30 years old in April, he has seen all three categories dip. Over 103 games, his .287 batting average and .121 isolated power are clearly worse than last season’s marks, and his speed has regressed from elite to good. Still, he has been an above-average player in that time, and he is still a valuable member of the Royals’ lineup. It seems likely that Kansas City will exercise his $11 million option for next season, but further fears of injuries or aging could cause them to explore other options.