The Royals are playing out the string, but their rookie catcher is chasing a franchise record that has stood since 1994, and his manager is not hiding how impressed he is.
Nine games are all that remain of the Kansas City Royals’ season, and the best reason to keep watching is a 23-year-old catcher in the middle of the hottest stretch of his season.
Carter Jensen has spent September climbing into the franchise record book, his manager keeps getting asked about him, and even in a losing week in Houston he was involved in nearly everything Kansas City did well.
The Finale
Thursday's finale went to the Astros by a score of 6-2, sending the Royals to Pittsburgh after dropping two of three in the series.
Right-hander Seth Lugo gave up four solo home runs over five innings and took the loss on a night Houston went deep five times, with designated hitter Yordan Alvarez reaching 40 homers along the way.
Jensen went 2-for-3 with a walk and accounted for most of the Kansas City offense, drawing that walk to open the game and coming around on third baseman Maikel Garcia's double-play grounder, then singling home outfielder John Rave in the eighth after Rave doubled.
Both Royals runs ran through their catcher, which is a fair summary of the season's final month.
History Attached
Jensen tied the Royals' rookie home run record last Saturday at Fenway Park, when his 24th of the year matched the mark Bob Hamelin set in 1994.
Manager Matt Quatraro was asked about it after that game and did not play it down.
"That's a phenomenal record. We know that he's been on a tear here offensively as of late, so good for him," Quatraro said.
The tear is real, since Jensen is hitting .353 with five home runs, 14 RBIs and a 1.284 OPS in 14 September games, and MLB.com noted he ran off 12 straight hits that went for extra bases, an Expansion Era rookie record that passed Aaron Judge.
His season line sits at 24 homers, 75 RBIs and 33 doubles, which is why the conversation about signing him long term started months ago.
Production like that from behind the plate changes what a lineup can look like, because teams spend years hunting for a catcher who hits in the middle of the order, and Kansas City appears to have grown its own at the hardest position to fill.
What the Last Nine Games Are For
Kansas City was eliminated from the playoff race this week, so these final games are about answers rather than standings.
Jensen breaking the record would be the headline, but shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. has his own chase going, sitting two home runs shy of a 20-homer, 40-steal season with 42 bags already taken.
MLB.com notes only Witt himself in 2023 and Carlos Beltran in 2003 have done that for the franchise, and Witt's year has already earned him award recognition.
The chase resumes Friday night at PNC Park, where right-hander Randy Dobnak draws right-hander Paul Skenes in the opener, which means Jensen's shot at number 25 starts against one of the toughest arms in the sport.
A rookie catcher playing his way into the middle of everything is the outcome a lost season is supposed to produce, and Jensen has given the Royals exactly that.
