The Royals announced they have designated outfielder Hunter Renfroe for assignment and have called up infielder Nick Loftin from Triple-A Omaha. Renfroe was hitting just .182/.241/.242 with no home runs in 35 games and was worth -1.5 WAR, according to Baseball Reference.
The Royals originally signed Renfroe to a two-year, $13 million deal before the 2024 season. He has enjoyed five 25+ home run seasons in his career, and the Royals were hoping he could provide power in the middle of the lineup. Although his offensive numbers were declining, he was coming off a 20-home run season when the Royals signed him.