Whit Merrifield 2B/3B/LF FA Thu 4/28/22 2:49 AM
Whit Merrifield
2B/3B/LF FA
Merrifield went 1-for-3 with two RBI in Wednesday's 7-3 loss to the White Sox.
EDGE Analysis
Merrifield hit an RBI single in the sixth and tied the game at 3-3 with a sacrifice fly in the seventh. He's hit safely in three of the last four contests, but he's just 3-for-18 in that span. Manager Mike Matheny has shuffled his lineup a bit since Opening Day, with Merrifield now hitting second against right-handed pitchers, which could allow him a few more chances to generate RBI. He's slashing .136/.171/.167 with four RBI, two runs scored, three stolen bases and two doubles through 16 games.
Whit Merrifield 2B/3B/LF FA Wed 4/27/22 11:46 AM
Whit Merrifield
2B/3B/LF FA
Merrifield will start at second base and bat second in Wednesday's game against the White Sox.
EDGE Analysis
After going a collective 1-for-10 with six strikeouts at the dish while starting both of the past two games out of the leadoff spot while the Royals opposed left-handed pitchers, Merrifield will drop down a spot in the order with Chicago bringing a right-hander (Dylan Cease) to the hill. Though Merrifield doesn't appear in any jeopardy of dropping lower than second in the order, he's undoubtedly been a disappointment for fantasy managers who were banking on him being a stabilizer in the batting-average category. He's hitting just .127 heading into Wednesday's contest, but a .151 BABIP and a Statcast-measured .243 expected batting average suggest that Merrifield is due for some considerable correction in that category.
Whit Merrifield 2B/3B/LF FA Fri 4/15/22 1:20 AM
Whit Merrifield
2B/3B/LF FA
Merrifield went 1-for-5 with a RBI and a stolen base in a 4-2 loss Thursday against Detroit.
EDGE Analysis
Merrifield tied the game at two with a RBI single in the fourth inning and stole second before being stranded. It was his third consecutive game with at least one hit and a stolen base. The rightfielder also had a critical outfield assist in the sixth, throwing out Austin Meadows at the plate and, temporarily, keeping the score tied. He has now hit leadoff and started in right field in every game this season.
Whit Merrifield 2B/3B/LF FA Wed 4/13/22 1:38 PM
Whit Merrifield
2B/3B/LF FA
Merrifield went 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in Tuesday's 6-5 loss to the Cardinals.
EDGE Analysis
Merrifield has stolen a base in each of the last two games. His offense has also ticked upward in that stretch -- he went 3-for-8 with an RBI in that span. The 33-year-old speedster remains a fixture atop the Royals' lineup. He hasn't missed a game since the 2018 season, so it would likely take a significant slump for him to lose the leadoff spot in the order by performance.
Whit Merrifield 2B/3B/LF FA Mon 4/11/22 11:48 PM
Whit Merrifield
2B/3B/LF FA
Merrifield went 2-for-5 with an RBI and a stolen base in Monday's 10-7 loss to the Guardians.
EDGE Analysis
Merrifield singled and swiped second in the first inning before collecting an RBI on a fourth-inning groundout. The speedy veteran was in a 1-for-12 slump to begin the season before Monday's multi-hit effort. He hasn't recorded a strikeout since punching out twice on Opening Day.
Whit Merrifield 2B/3B/LF FA Wed 4/6/22 7:21 PM
Whit Merrifield
2B/3B/LF FA
Merrifield and the Royals agreed to a restructured contract Wednesday, which includes the team exercising his $6.75 million club option for 2023 while adding an $18 million mutual option for 2024, Alec Lewis of The Athletic reports.
EDGE Analysis
Merrifield hasn't missed a game of the past three seasons and is now officially locked in with Kansas City through the 2023 campaign. The 33-year-old had a .277/.317/.395 slash line with 10 home runs, 97 runs, 74 RBI and 40 stolen bases last year and is poised to operate as the Royals' primary right fielder in 2022.
Whit Merrifield 2B/3B/LF FA Wed 3/16/22 12:32 PM
Whit Merrifield
2B/3B/LF FA
Merrifield is expected to begin the season as the Royals' primary right fielder, Lynn Worthy of The Kansas City Star reports.
EDGE Analysis
Merrifield provided quality defense at second base last season, but the Royals plan on using Adalberto Mondesi at shortstop, which moves Nicky Lopez back to second. This likely won't effect Merrifield's versatility -- he's moved between the infield and outfield with relative ease before and will likely draw some starts in a number of positions this season. The 33-year-old hasn't missed a game in this last three years, and he's twice logged 40 stolen bases in his career, so he's a quality fantasy option for managers in need of speed.
Whit Merrifield 2B/3B/LF FA Sat 10/2/21 12:59 PM
Whit Merrifield
2B/3B/LF FA
Merrifield went 3-for-4 with a walk, an RBI and two runs scored in Friday's 11-6 win over Minnesota.
EDGE Analysis
Across his last nine games, the second baseman is batting .314 (11-for-35). Merrifield hasn't attempted a stolen base since Sept. 11, and he hasn't successfully notched a theft since Sept. 8. He's slashing .279/.319/.397 with 40 steals, 10 home runs, 74 RBI and 97 runs scored across 711 plate appearances, and he's on track to play in every game for the third straight season.
Whit Merrifield 2B/3B/LF FA Mon 9/27/21 12:20 AM
Whit Merrifield
2B/3B/LF FA
Merrifield went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and a run scored in Sunday's 2-1 win over Detroit.
EDGE Analysis
The second baseman has recorded multiple hits in six of his last 13 games, although he's also posted 0-fers in four of those contests. Merrifield lifted his slash line to .280/.320/.398 with 10 home runs, 40 stolen bases, 72 RBI, 93 runs scored and 39 doubles through 688 plate appearances. The leadoff hitter has put together a solid year even though his .718 OPS is his second-lowest mark in six seasons in the big leagues.
Whit Merrifield 2B/3B/LF FA Wed 9/15/21 12:46 PM
Whit Merrifield
2B/3B/LF FA
Merrifield went 3-for-5 with an RBI and two runs scored in Tuesday's 10-7 win over Oakland.
EDGE Analysis
Merrifield has recorded consecutive three-hit efforts, although all three knocks Tuesday were singles. The second baseman is batting a solid .283 through 13 games in September, right in line with his .280 average this season. He's added 10 home runs, 70 RBI, 88 runs scored and 40 stolen bases through 640 plate appearances overall.