MJ Melendez DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Kansas City outfielder MJ Melendez revamped his swing during the offseason. Anne Rogers of MLB.com noted that the 26-year-old lowered his leg kick and adjusted his hands, making his stance more "balanced." Melendez decided to revamp his swing in hopes of tapping into his power more consistently. Throughout his three-year MLB career, Melendez has flashed upside power at times but has yet to show it across a full season. Last season, Melendez held a .206/.273/.400 line with 17 home runs and four stolen bases. He held a strong .440 SLG against right-handed pitching but struggled when facing southpaws, as he posted a .219 SLG. The previous season, he hit 16 home runs and held a similar .235/.316/.398 line. Given his lack of consistency and drastic splits, fantasy managers should expect him to continue to be deployed primarily on the strong side of a platoon in left field. However, a strong spring could open the door for a full-time role.

Kansas City Royals outfielder MJ Melendez (ankle) was activated off the 10-day IL on Sunday and will bat in the six-hole as the Royals play the rubber match of a three-game set against the Chicago Cubs. In a corresponding move, the Royals optioned outfielder Drew Waters to Triple-A Omaha. The 25-year-old hit the IL on July 16 due to a sprained ankle and did not need too much time to recover. Melendez sits with a .195/.260/.392 line with 11 home runs and two stolen bases through 85 games this season. He could be worth a look in DFS this afternoon as he will face Chicago right-hander Javier Assad, who has posted a hefty 6.40 ERA and 2.40 WHIP in his past three starts.

Kansas City Royals outfielder MJ Melendez (ankle) will begin a minor-league rehab assignment on Thursday night with Double-A Northwest Arkansas. Melendez is getting closer to a return to the Royals lineup after spraining his ankle on July 14. If the 25-year-old can avoid a setback with his ankle at Northwest Arkansas, there's a chance he could be back for the weekend series against the visiting Chicago Cubs. Before getting hurt just before the All-Star break, Melendez was serving as Kansas City's starting left fielder. The former second-round selection in 2017 is hitting just .196 (52-for-265) on the year with 11 home runs, 29 RBI and 26 runs scored in 85 games, making him useful as outfield depth in AL-only leagues for his power.

Kansas City Royals outfielder MJ Melendez (ankle) is recovering in Kansas City and has already started hitting in the cages and doing some defensive drills on the field. Melendez's timeline to return from a sprained left ankle could be 10 days to two weeks, putting him in line to rejoin the Royals by either the end of July or early August. Whether or not a minor-league rehab assignment is required will be determined later this week after seeing how the 25-year-old former top prospect progresses. Veteran utility man Adam Frazier has taken on an everyday role as in left field as KC's primary leadoff man in Melendez's absence, but his fantasy appeal remains minimal while batting 35-for-175 (.200) with three home runs, 13 RBI, 20 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 65 games.

The Kansas City Royals placed outfielder MJ Melendez (ankle) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to July 15) with a left-ankle sprain on Tuesday. The move to the IL comes after Melendez sprained his ankle in Sunday's contest against the Boston Red Sox. At the very least, the 25-year-old will miss the first six games of the second half of the season. He'll be eligible to return to the Royals on July 26. Melendez, a left-handed hitter, does have 11 home runs in 85 games this year and is on track to set a new career-high in that category, but he's also hitting just .192 (51-for-265) and lacks speed (two steals). For however long he's out, both Dairon Blanco and Garrett Hampson could see more playing time in Kansas City in left field. Melendez has hit .273 (9-for-33) with three homers in 10 games in July.