Notes: Soler's unusual record; Mondesi's skid
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Royals slugger Jorge Soler is in the record book again.
Soler, who set the team’s franchise single-season record with 48 home runs in 2019, is now Kansas City’s all-time leader in drawing catcher's interference calls with five.
Soler drew two catcher's interference calls in Saturday’s 7-2 loss against the Twins. His first one broke the previous career club mark of three that he had shared with Mike Macfarlane and Alex Gordon.
Soler can’t explain why he seems to be more apt to drawing catcher's interference calls.
“Catchers have the tendency to get really close to me,” Soler said through interpreter Luis Perez. “Then it happens. I don’t know why.”
Soler and Mondesi
Soler recently snapped out of a dreadful slump by going 4-for-14 with two doubles, a home run and six RBIs on the recent five-game homestand.
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Now, Soler hopes he can get teammate Adalberto Mondesi (5-for-31 in his last 10 games) to snap out of his.
“I probably talk to him the most of anyone,” Soler said. “He just has to be better at identifying pitches. If the ball is up, swing at that. If the ball is down, let it go.
“There are two kinds of slumps: One where you hit everything hard and it gets caught, and one where you just keep swinging at bad pitches. You have to stick with your approach. That’s what I tell him.”
Duffy has forearm fatigue
Royals left-hander Danny Duffy isn’t likely to make his next scheduled start on Wednesday because of left forearm fatigue, manager Mike Matheny said Monday.
Matheny hasn’t named a starter for Wednesday, but one possibility is right-hander Jakob Junis, who was eligible to come off the injured list (back spasms) on Sunday. Junis is on the current trip to St. Louis.
Matheny also said it’s possible that the Royals could go with an opener for Wednesday’s game against the Cardinals, with someone such as Ian Kennedy or Jesse Hahn. Junis could then piggyback and go multiple innings.
Duffy last pitched on Friday in a 7-2 win over the Twins. Duffy, though, left after 81 pitches and five innings -- and his fastball velocity at one point dipped to 89 mph, lower than his usual 93-94 mph.
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It’s possible that Duffy could come back and start Friday in Chicago against the White Sox.
“We have that off-day on Thursday,” Matheny said, “and that would give him a couple of extra days. We don’t think it is anything serious right now, and just a little rest could help.”
TV deal finally signed
The long-awaited multiyear television deal between the Royals and Sinclair Broadcast Group to keep FOX Sports Kansas City as the team’s television home became official on Monday. There had been a handshake deal existing since Spring Training, and the official announcement had become a foregone conclusion. Terms of the deal were not announced.