MJ Melendez DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

The Kansas City Royals have optioned outfielder MJ Melendez to Triple-A Omaha. This transaction opened a spot on the roster for Mark Canha (hip), who was activated off the injured list in a corresponding move. Melendez has had a rough start to the campaign and will look to find his footing in the minor leagues. Through the first 16 contests, Melendez has posted a .085/.173/.170 slash line with just one double and one home run. He has held a low 5.8 percent walk rate and a high 38.5 percent strikeout rate, which placed him in the first percentile among qualified hitters. In addition, Melendez generated a weak .224 xwOBA. With Melendez heading to Triple-A, fantasy managers should expect Jonathan India, Mark Canha, and Drew Waters to share time in left field.

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.