The Kansas City Royals announced that outfielder Alex Gordon has been named Royals Majestic Player of the Month and right-handed pitcher Ian Kennedy is the Pitcher of the Month for August. The player award is determined by a combined fan and media vote, with the pitcher award voted on by local media.
Gordon hit .265 in the month of August with four doubles, seven homers, 21 runs scored and a .348 on-base percentage. He reached base in 25 of the 28 games he played in during the month, which included a season-best 11-game hitting streak. His seven home runs during the month matched his total from his first 73 games this season, which included five roundtrippers in a five-game stretch from August 16-20. His 21 runs scored in the month tied for fourth in the A.L., including a run in nine-straight games (August 12-20), tied for the longest such streak by a Royal since 2000. This marks the first time this year that Gordon has been honored with the Player of the Month Award and 13th of his career.
Kennedy went 3-0 with a 1.86 ERA and recorded 31 strikeouts in 38.2 innings during August. He became the fifth Royal to go undefeated with an ERA as low as 1.86 in a calendar month and the first since Kevin Appier in July, 1992. He allowed just two earned runs over his first four August starts (0.67 ERA). Kennedy tossed 8.0 scoreless frames vs. Minnesota on August 20, his first 8.0-inning outing since 2014, while he also posted five-straight starts of at least 6.0 innings, with one run or less, which tied Larry Gura for the longest streak of its kind in Royals history. This marks the second time this season that Kennedy has been named Pitcher of the Month, also earning the award in May.
Fans have the opportunity to vote for the Royals Majestic Player of the Month all season long by visiting area Kansas Sampler and Rally House locations or the Royals Majestic Team Store at Kauffman Stadium. Participating fans will automatically be entered to win a VIP Experience package which includes an apparel prize pack, tickets to a Royals game and the opportunity to present the Player of the Month award.