For Adalberto Mondesi, it’s been a frustrating start to the season. Two stints on the injured list have limited the 25-year-old to only nine games for the Royals in the 2021 campaign. His absence was felt by a Kansas City team that wants to find its proper footing, but now he’s making sure his presence in the lineup is being heard.

With the Royals trailing by one run in the third, Mondesi dug his cleats into the left-handed batter’s box against Boston’s starting pitcher Nick Pivetta. Carlos Santana was on second and Salvador Perez stood at first. When he turned on the four-seam fastball, it turned into Mondesi’s longest home run of his career at a Statcast-projected 464 feet, while providing Kansas City the lead for good in a 5-3 win at Kauffman Stadium on Friday.

Manager Mike Matheny described Mondesi’s blast as one of the longest he’s seen at Kauffman Stadium. He’s never seen a moon shot hit the concourse in right field -- not even during batting practice.

“That ball was probably the farthest hit ball you're going to see hit. It's amazing how the ball jumps off his bat. He's a difference-maker,” Matheny said. “That's just rare. This guy, I don't know why we keep getting surprised by things he does, but it's surprising. It's fun to watch. This is a game-changing kind of player.”

The home run flew off Mondesi’s bat at 112.6 mph and had a hang time of 5.8 seconds, according to Statcast.

Anyone rooting for the Royals admired the long ball, including Perez who slowed down his pace at second to watch the ball finally land. Second baseman Nicky Lopez, like the crowd at Kauffman Stadium, was stunned by the distance.

“That was crazy because you've seen some [of those] balls hit from Soler and Salvy,” Lopez said. “I went to him after the game on the diamond and I go, 'That was probably the farthest ball I've ever seen hit here.' He goes, 'Me too.'”

Since coming off the injured list on Wednesday against Detroit, the shortstop, who is hitting .344, has driven in four runs on two hits -- both home runs that traveled over 440 feet. His bat ignited a streaky Royals offense to snap a six-game losing streak as Whit Merrifield and Perez contributed an RBI double and solo home run, respectively.

“Mondi is one of the most humble guys out there,” Lopez said. “Always someone who will pick up a teammate, always someone who will talk good about a teammate instead of himself.”

While Mondesi was with the big league club when he was on the injured list, his presence in the lineup was deeply needed. He’s matured into a reliable hitter while his defense has shined as the Royals’ primary shortstop over the last couple of seasons.

The qualities Mondesi provides as a player were seen Wednesday when his solo homer provided the Royals their first lead in 46 innings. Though that game ended with a Royals loss, Mondesi was just getting started.

It hasn’t been a steady season for the Royals. They started out as one of baseball’s hottest teams with 16 wins in their first 25 games, then endured an 11-game losing streak. The ups and downs have continued in the standings, as Kansas City has battled through injuries to prominent players, including Mondesi. But as time has shown, he may be the one who can help Kansas City turn things around, just like he did Friday by erasing a one-run deficit.

“Hitting is contagious and you kind of saw that a little bit today, I still think the best is yet to come,” Lopez said. “There's probably some growing pains, but I think that the best is yet to come with this group.”