The rookie catcher is currently riding a 19-game hitting streak.
Carter Jensen's 19-game hitting streak has put him in the Kansas City Royals' record book. However, it's been the adjustments made along the way that have generated the most attention.
Jensen collected three more hits Sunday in Kansas City's 5-4 win over the Chicago White Sox, extending the longest active hitting streak in Major League Baseball while setting a new franchise record for a Royals rookie. His RBI single in the first inning and go-ahead double in the fourth also helped the Royals avoid being swept after one of their roughest weekends of the season.
The rookie catcher now owns the longest hitting streak ever by a Royals rookie and sits two games away from matching the longest single-season streak by a rookie catcher since Buster Posey in 2010.
"It means a lot, for sure," Jensen said postgame, via Anne Rogers of MLB.com. "I think it's a testament to hard work from me, hitting coaches, a bunch of people who have helped me along the way. It definitely means a lot to me. But I think just trying to get some wins across is the most important thing for me, honestly."
That answer reflects the same mindset that seems to be fueling his turnaround at the plate.
When Jensen arrived in the majors, the power was obvious. Through the first two months of the season, though, that power sometimes came at the expense of a simpler offensive approach. Manager Matt Quatraro believes that balance has started to shift.
"Early in the year, he hit some homers, and I think he fell in love with that a little bit," Quatraro said, via Rogers. "Now he's using the whole field, staying in there. But he had a track record of hitting in the Minor Leagues. We really felt good about him coming up here to hit, and we're starting to see that."
Since June 6, Jensen is hitting .351 with four home runs and eight doubles, but those extra-base hits have come without chasing power. Instead, he's consistently driven the ball from gap to gap, forcing pitchers to defend the entire field rather than one side of it.
Jensen acknowledged that becoming too focused on home runs has been a trap for him before.
"When I'm trying to hit homers, I overcomplicate things," Jensen said, via Rogers. "I start chasing, I pull off balls. Homers will come. I'm not worried about that at all. I think just showing that I can hit, too — being a good hitter is good."
That adjustment showed itself throughout Sunday's performance. Two of his biggest hits came against left-handed pitching, including the two-out double that ultimately became the winning run. His ninth-inning single also came against a left-handed reliever, another indication that he's trusting his swing instead of trying to do too much.
In a season where the headlines have been the constant struggles for Kansas City, Jensen's streak of brilliance has given Royals fans something to look forward to each game. He'll look to push this streak to 20 on Tuesday, as the Royals kick off a three-game series against the Rays.
