Kansas City Royals: Most disappointing players in 2018

The 2017 version of outfielder Jorge Bonifacio excited Royals fans for what was possibly to come in 2018.

Then the suspension came.

After smacking 17 home runs and driving in 40 runs in 113 games two seasons ago, MLB announced the 25-year-old Bonifacio would be suspended 80 games to start the 2018 season for testing positive for a performance enhancing substance.

The details of the incident didn’t matter in terms of production, all it meant was the Royals’ projected starting right fielder would miss at least half of the season.

Bonifacio ended up playing  69 games, but the by the time he stepped into the batter’s box for the first time on June 29 the Royals were already 30 games under .500. It took the slugger four games to record his first RBI and 13 to hit the first of his four home runs.

A modest seven-game hit streak in July was the highlight of Bonifacio’s season that included a 2-for-18 slump to end the year.

It appears Moore still sees a future for Bonifacio in the outfield, according to Rieper, but he may never get back to the production of his rookie season if indeed the PEDs were aiding in any way.

There are a ton of factors as to why someone may struggle in Major League Baseball, from a long-drawn out season, to off-the-field issues to the fact that the “success rate” for a hitter is failing seven out of 10 times. That can mess with the mind of a young player.

Maybe an offseason and the fact the suspension will only be a memory heading into spring training will benefit Bonifacio.

Royals fans can only hope so.