OAKLAND, Calif.
They are the most maligned and least productive members of the Kansas City lineup, the two weakest links in a club with designs on a championship. The right fielder broke his hand in April and has yet to regain his stroke. The second baseman stumbled through an injury-laden campaign in 2014 only to return healthier yet less useful in 2015.
The at-bats of Alex Rios and Omar Infante often incite groans among Royals fans. On Sunday afternoon, in the sixth inning of a 5-3 victory over Oakland, the pair delivered the sort of professional, reliable hitting the organization sought from the duo.