Melendez agreed to a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Mets on Sunday, Jon Heyman of the New York Post reports.
The 27-year-old was non-tendered by the Royals in November, but he was eventually able to land an MLB contract for 2026. The Mets have avoided spending big on a left fielder this winter with top prospect Carson Benge on the cusp of his major-league debut, but Melendez represents a low-cost option that provides short-term depth. Melendez clubbed 51 homers from 2022 to 2024 but has a career .215 average in the majors and played in just 23 big-league games last season.
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MJ Melendez: Cut loose by KC
Rotowire
The Royals did not tender Melendez a contract for 2026 on Friday, making him a free agent.
Melendez had the potential to be a key lineup piece for Kansas City after clubbing 18 homers as a rookie in 2022 and posting a .714 OPS the following season, but he regressed the past two years. The 26-year-old went 5-for-65 with a 35.4 percent strikeout rate in just 23 big-league games during 2025.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Back to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Royals optioned Melendez to Triple-A Omaha on Friday.
With the Royals' acquisitions of Randal Grichuk and Mike Yastrzemski this past week, Melendez will head back to the minors. Melendez has slashed an ugly .083/.154/.167 with one home run, one RBI, five runs scored and a 3:23 BB:K across 65 plate appearances at the major-league level this season.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Back up from minors
Rotowire
The Royals recalled Melendez from Triple-A Omaha on Wednesday.
He's taking the 26-man active roster spot vacated by Nick Loftin, who was placed on the 7-day concussion injured list. Melendez was sent down to Omaha back in April after a 4-for-47 start to the season. He was predictably better at Omaha, although Melendez wasn't exactly begging for a promotion with a .252/.300/.472 batting line over 317 plate appearances in the International League. The 26-year-old will get some looks in the outfield against right-handed pitching, but he might be used more in a reserve role.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
The Royals optioned Melendez to Triple-A Omaha on Saturday.
Melendez has logged just one base hit across his last seven games and only three since the beginning of April. He'll now head to the minors in order to sort things out at the plate, making room on the active roster for Mark Canha (hip) to return from the IL.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Sitting again Saturday
Rotowire
Melendez isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against Detroit.
Melendez has now been absent from the starting nine in each of Kansas City's last three games, which indicates a change in the depth chart following a 4-for-47 start from the 26-year-old. Drew Waters will start in left field and bat seventh.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Hits first homer of 2025
Rotowire
Melendez went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 4-2 loss to the Yankees.
Melendez entered Tuesday's game with a .285 OPS, 36.4 strikeout rate and zero RBI across 44 plate appearances, but he managed to get the Royals on the board with a solo homer off Max Fried in the third inning. Melendez's early-season play has put him in jeopardy of losing out on his starting role, but Tuesday's homer may be a sign of things to come for the Royals and the 26-year-old outfielder.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Moves to bench Wednesday
Rotowire
Melendez is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Twins.
The Royals often shield the left-handed-hitting Melendez from opposing southpaws, but he'll take a seat Wednesday while the Twins send a right-hander (Joe Ryan) to the hill. Melendez's move to the bench comes while he's gotten off to a horrid start to the season, slashing .115/.258/.154 with a 38.7 percent strikeout rate over 31 plate appearances. If Melendez is unable to turn things around soon, he could find himself out of the lineup versus righties on a more consistent basis.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Sitting against lefty
Rotowire
Melendez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Orioles.
Melendez and fellow left-handed-hitting outfielder Kyle Isbel will head to the bench for the series finale while the Orioles send southpaw Cade Povich to the bump. The Royals will roll out a starting outfield of Mark Canha, Maikel Garcia and Hunter Renfroe from left to right.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Avoids arbitration with Kansas City
Rotowire
The Royals and Melendez avoided arbitration by agreeing to a one-year, $2.65 million contract Thursday, Anne Rogers of MLB.com reports.
Melendez regressed in 2024 with just a .674 OPS over 135 regular-season games. The Royals will start off 2025 playing him regularly at least versus right-handers, but with the playoffs in mind they might not have as much patience with Melendez if he can't take some strides.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Sitting out Game 2 versus lefty
Rotowire
Melendez is absent from the lineup Monday in Game 2 of the ALDS against the Yankees.
It's southpaw Carlos Rodon on the hill for the Yankees, so the left-handed-hitting Melendez will begin the festivities on the bench. Tommy Pham will be in left field and batting seventh for the Royals, while Hunter Renfroe will handle right and hit eighth.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Out again versus lefty
Rotowire
Melendez is absent from the lineup for Friday's game in Atlanta.
The Royals are facing a left-hander -- Max Fried -- for the fifth game in a row, and the left-handed-hitting Melendez has been on the bench for four of them. Tommy Pham is in left field and batting leadoff.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Not in lineup against lefty
Rotowire
Melendez is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game versus the Nationals.
The left-handed hitting Melendez will yield to Tommy Pham in left field as southpaw Mitchell Parker toes the rubber for the Nationals. Melendez has been out of the lineup all four times the Royals have faced a lefty this month.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Sitting versus southpaw
Rotowire
Melendez is not in the lineup for Sunday's contest against the Giants.
With left-hander Blake Snell toeing the rubber for the Giants, the lefty-swinging Melendez will begin the festivities on the bench. Tommy Pham will occupy left field for the Royals.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Not starting Sunday
Rotowire
Melendez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates.
Melendez is sitting Sunday for the second time in three games despite the fact right-hander Jared Jones is starting for Pittsburgh. Tommy Pham will shift to left field while Adam Frazier receives a start in right.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Idle against RHP
Rotowire
Melendez is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Pirates.
Even with right-hander Luis Ortiz taking the mound for Pittsburgh, the lefty-hitting Melendez will retreat to the bench. It'll be Melendez's first time out of the lineup against a right-handed starter since Aug. 4. Tommy Pham, Kyle Isbel and Hunter Renfroe fill the outfield from left to right.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Notches steal in win
Rotowire
Melendez went 1-for-4 with a stolen base and a run scored in Friday's 5-0 win over the Twins.
Melendez has started to slump again, going 4-for-27 (.148) over his last nine games. He has just one extra-base hit as well as a 4:7 BB:K in that span. The outfielder hit .311 in August, but if his bat stays cold, he could face extra pressure for playing time from Tommy Pham and Robbie Grossman, the two players the Royals added via waivers at the end of August. Melendez is at a .212/.272/.416 slash line with 17 home runs, four steals, 43 RBI and 42 runs scored over 404 plate appearances while mostly serving as a strong-side platoon option in the corner outfield.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Idle against southpaw
Rotowire
Melendez is out of the lineup for Friday's game against the Astros.
With lefty Framber Valdez on the mound for Houston, Melendez will yield to Dairon Blanco in left field. Melendez is 7-for-22 (.318) with a pair of homers in his last six games.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Pops homer in loss Tuesday
Rotowire
Melendez went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 13-3 loss to the Twins.
Melendez has gone 9-for-24 (.375) with two homers, one stolen base and six RBI over eight contests in August. His improved numbers may be a result of him being more strictly platooned to avoid left-handed pitchers. The power-hitting outfielder is up to 14 homers, 37 RBI, 34 runs scored, three stolen bases and a .205/.267/.410 slash line through 333 plate appearances this season.
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Royals' MJ Melendez: Registers third steal
Rotowire
Melendez went 2-for-4 with a stolen base in Saturday's 8-3 win over the Cardinals.
Melendez posted his second multi-hit effort in a row Saturday. The outfielder swiped a bag after his first single of the game, but he wasn't able to repeat the feat later, getting caught on his second steal attempt. He's not a particularly speedy player with just three steals on six attempts this season. Melendez has added a .203/.267/.400 slash line with 13 home runs, 36 RBI and 32 runs scored over 95 contests. He's been getting platooned in left field lately, with Dairon Blanco and Garrett Hampson combining to cover the position versus southpaws.
