The Kansas City Royals were without their spark plug in Michael Taylor for more than three weeks as he went to the COVID-19 injured list back in May. He made his return this past weekend and it was a breath of fresh air for the Royals.
Taylor’s first game back was on June 4 against the Astros and he went hitless in four at bats. But the next day he turned things around and finished the game going 2-for-3 with a run scored and a walk.
It was evident the Royals missed having the Gold Glove winner’s presence.
Our MLBbro is the type of player who can impact the game at the plate and on the field. His ability to track down balls in center field is what separates him from other outfielders and he is an above average hitter at the plate, who’s had some clutch moments on baseball’s biggest stage.
He hit one of the biggest homers of Washington’s miraculous 2019 World Series championship run.
Taylor’s teammates were glad to have him back in the lineup.
“Obviously, there was some really good defense behind me, (Taylor) running down some amazing catches,” rookie pitcher Jonathan Heasley said in an article from The Kansas City Star. “It’s always nice having guys like that out there in center field. It just makes you a little more confident out there, knowing that you’ve got a strong defense behind you and knowing you can pitch to contact.”
It’s not easy coming back and playing after missing an extended amount of time, but for Taylor, he was ready to get back out there.
“I feel really good,” Taylor said. “I’m happy with the way my body is feeling right now, energy level. I feel like I have my legs under me, so I feel like I’m in a good spot.”
Entering the game on June 5, Taylor led the team in hitting with runners in scoring position with a .308 batting average and .406 on-base percentage.
To hear Taylor say he’s in a good spot is great news for the Royals. He’s been one of the most consistent players on the team all season and he’s developed into a leader on the team. It’s good there was not a serious injury for Taylor, but COVID is no joke and is not something easy to come back from.
“I got pretty sick, so I was down for about four or five days,” Taylor said. “Then I slowly worked my way back after that.”
On June 6, Taylor went on to have another impressive performance against the Toronto Blue Jays where he went 2-for-2 at the plate with a walk. He’s hitting .255 through 36 games with 12 RBI and two home runs.
Taylor can go on to have one of the best seasons of his career if he can continue to stay healthy and put up productive numbers. And he definitely can win another Gold Glove award as well. As the season progresses, watch how Taylor steps up for his team and shows why he represents the game’s MLBbros with honor.
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