Royals SS Adalberto Mondesi likely headed back to IL

Royals shortstop Adalberto Mondesi looks to be going back onto the 10-day injured list with an oblique injury, GM Dayton Moore told the Kansas City Star’s Lynn Worthy (Twitter links) and other reporters. First baseman/outfielder Ryan O’Hearn will likely be the Triple-A call-up that replaces Mondesi on the active roster.

Mondesi was removed after six innings in Sunday’s 7-3 Royals victory over the Red Sox due to discomfort in his left side. This latest oblique injury is on the opposite side of the body from the other oblique strain that sidelined Mondesi at the start of the season, delaying his debut until May 25.

Between that lengthy IL stint and another trip to the injured list for a hamstring strain, Mondesi has appeared in only 10 games all season. While Mondesi has made the most of that brief playing time by posting a 1.212 OPS in 38 plate appearances, it has thus far been a lost season for the 25-year-old.

Once one of baseball’s top prospects, Mondesi has shown flashes of that potential over his 318 career MLB games, including a torrid stretch last September that saw him post a 1.130 OPS over his last 93 PA. However, Mondesi’s hot streak was tempered by a miserable .440 OPS in his first 140 PA of the 2020 season, and he has been hampered by injuries both this season and in 2019. He has already displayed strong defense, speed and baserunning skills, so it isn’t out of the question that he could still unlock some superstar-level production with more consistent hitting and if he can just stay on the field.