Kansas City Royals second baseman Whit Merrifield (toe) is back at second base and is hitting sixth on Friday against Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Drew Rasmussen. Merrifield was sidelined for the last eight games before the All-Star break, but apparently the time off did him wonders. He also missed last weekend's series in Toronto against the Blue Jays due to his vaccination status. The Royals are hoping he can be productive in the next couple of weeks before the Aug. 2 trade deadline. The ...