Kansas City Royals Hitter of the Month: June 2026

July was not too kind to the Royals in general. They finished the month with an 11-14 record and sat 13 games out of first place in the division. While by the end of July, it may have been more interesting to follow the trade deadline deals and rumors, there were some strong performances by Royals hitters in July that should not go unnoticed. 

One hitter who excelled in July is Tyler Tolbert. His July slash line was .425/.452/.700 with a 222 wRC+, headlined by a record-tying stretch of 12 consecutive plate appearances with a hit. He also showed off his low-strikeout rate, striking out only three times all month, and how damage can be done in the lineup if the ball is put in play with multiple infield singles during the streak.

TYLER TOLBERT TIES THE MLB RECORD WITH 12 STRAIGHT HITS pic.twitter.com/XMAWmJSR9b

— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) July 8, 2026

Tolbert led all Royals during July in fWAR (0.9), batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, wOBA (.493), and wRC+. Tolbert is usually known for his speed and hitting singles, but his power was on display in July. In 45 plate appearances, he slugged two doubles and three home runs. 

For most of his career so far, Tolbert has assumed the role of pinch-runner and defensive replacement late in games. In July, he was starting more often to cover for various injuries. When Vinnie Pasquantino went to the Injured list in mid-June, Jac Caglianone shifted to first base in some games, leaving right field open for Tolbert to play more innings. After the All-Star break, Bobby Witt Jr. landed on the IL, which provided an opportunity for Tolbert to start at shortstop. With such a strong performance in July, Tolbert has made an excellent case to continue to start in the lineup once all starters return from injury.

With some starters having been dealt before the trade deadline ended, Tolbert will look to continue to capitalize on his additional opportunities in the lineup the rest of the season

Honorable Mention: Isaac Collins

Collins has been a steady presence in the Royals’ lineup with so many players having missed time from injury. Collins played in 24 of the 25 games in July and has a slash line of .276/.353/.500 with a 135 wRC+. Like Tolbert, Collins showed off his power in July, slugging four doubles, two triples, and three home runs.

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