It's been a successful month of June for the Kansas City Royals, and it can't have come a moment too soon, as the team has gone an overall 12-9 and inched its way back into contention for a Wild Card spot in the AL. While there's still nearly half the season to play, and question marks galore surrounding this team, one thing is certain. The bats are flying, and the runs keep coming.
The Royals finally finding a consistent level of offense has been the driving force behind these strong few weeks of baseball. Not the usual top-notch starting pitching, but rather guys emerging offensively seemingly every game in a big way. It's hard to blame the pitching when so many starters like Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, and Kris Bubic, among others, have been in and out of the lineup, forcing the likes of Stephen Kolek and Luinder Avila into roles they simply are not ready for.
Nonetheless, it's been fun to watch the Royals score runs every game, and it's especially been fun to watch the breakout of backup catcher Carter Jensen. A lot of people did not even know who Jensen was coming into this year, but he's made sure to fix that, as he's been red hot in June and one of the driving factors behind this recent surge by KC in the standings.
Royals backup catcher Carter Jensen is having a breakout season that no one expected
A 2021 third-round pick by GM J.J. Picollo, Carter Jensen did not play at all in the major leagues his first two seasons and appeared in just 20 games last year. In that limited playing time, however, Jensen made the absolute most of it, hitting a .300 batting average, three home runs, and a whopping 13 RBIs. It was a welcome sight for a team searching for a hitting spark. But for whatever reason, Jensen had struggled to get in the lineup at the start of this season.
But once he started firing on all cylinders, manager Matt Quatraro had no choice but to make Jensen a full-time starter. Jensen, along with first baseman Jac Caglianone, has been on fire this month, further proving that the Royals do possess real young talent that is blossoming right in front of our eyes.
Since June 6, Jensen has played in 14 games and has gotten at least one hit in every single outing. He's been uberly consistent, hitting .357 during this span, with three homers, 12 RBIs, and seven doubles. Jensen is also carrying a ridiculously good 1.040 OPS (on-base plus slugging percentage).
When Jensen gets on base, chances are he's going to score. At least that's how it's been over the past couple of weeks. His also playing catcher has done wonders for Salvador Perez, who at 36-years-old has benefitted from not having to play the grueling position every night and can feel comfortable just going out there with the intention of adding value through his offense. Carter Jensen's breakout may just force the Royals to make sure he stays around for the long run.
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