Maikel

Garcia

No runs scored, since Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino combined to go 0-for-9 with six strikeouts behind him. Two of Garcia’s hits checked in at 106 mph. In large part because the Royals were facing a lefty, Garcia was leading off tonight for the first time since Aug. 31. He made a case to remain there against a righty in Game 3, but at least after a performance like this, he knows he’ll be in the lineup somewhere. That is something he often couldn’t count on during September.

It’s Garcia’s first time leading off since Aug. 31. Michael Massey, who has been leading off against righties, is in in the lineup tonight, but he’s batting sixth. The lineup: 3B Garcia, SS Bobby Witt Jr., DH Vinnie Pasquantino, C Salvador Perez, 1B Yuli Gurriel, 2B Massey, LF Tommy Pham, RF Hunter Renfroe, CF Garrett Hampson.

Paul DeJong homered again and is forcing the Royals to play him pretty regularly, but Garcia also seems to be warming up, complicating things for Kansas City. On Sunday, Garcia became just the eighth player this year to post five 100-mph exit velocities in the same game, and he has six hits, including a homer, in his last four games. With the two steals tonight, he’s 32-for-33 on the basepaths this season.

Even with the Guardians likely using a left-handed bulk reliever, the Royals will start Michael Massey at second base, moving Maikel Garcia to third base and sliding Dejong to the bench. Perhaps Dejong will come into the game as a pinch hitter once the Guardians make a pitching change.

Garcia hit five balls in excess of 100 mph today, but four of those were grounders. The one that he did get into the air went 423 feet for his first homer since July 7. Garcia has been losing significant playing time against righties of late, so he really needs to get hot. With his 30 steals in 31 attempts, he can be plenty valuable if he plays.

It’ll be Maikel Garcia taking over at the keystone with Garrett Hampson entering the lineup at the hot corner. Massey has ascended to the leadoff spot recently for Kansas City and was on-base three times during Friday’s loss to the Cardinals. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day for now.

It’s the first time Fermin has led off this season as the Royals have gone ahead and stacked their lineup with right-handed bats against Tigers lefty opener Tyler Holton. It might be a one-off deal here, but it’s worth noting that Maikel Garcia hasn’t exactly been setting the league on fire of late, while Fermin is batting .417 (15-for-36) with two homers in 11 games since the All-Star break.

It looks to be nothing more than a routine night off for the speedy 24-year-old infielder. Nick Loftin will start in his place at the hot corner and will bat seventh for the Royals against soft-tossing right-hander Kyle Hendricks on Friday evening in Kansas City.

The bad news is that Garcia has continued to hit eighth coming out of the break, but at least he’s picked it up some, having gone 9-for-26 with a homer and four RBI since July 7. Plus, it’s not like Adam Frazier is any significant obstacle preventing him from going back to leading off.

Garcia’s last stint of being dropped from the leadoff spot lasted two games, so we’ll see if this one is any longer. He’s been quite a disappointment for the Royals this season, though not really for fantasy purposes with his 21 steals, 52 runs scored and 40 RBI. It’s big for his fantasy value that he lead off, though, and since the Royals aren’t moving Bobby Witt Jr. or Vinnie Pasquantino up to that spot, Garcia probably remains the team’s best option. Adam Frazier got the nod there today and went 0-for-4.