KC Replay: We learned about new downtown soccer stadium, Salvy honors, Bubba’s farewell
Lots of sports news involving Royals and former Royals this past week. Salvy became a Silver Slugger finalist, Bubba called it quits and Soler Power set the stage for this year’s Fall Classic.
But the biggest news in KC sports was KC NWSL’s announcement that owners Angie and Chris Long and Brittany Matthews are building a new downtown stadium. They also divulged plans to unveil the team’s new, permanent name at Saturday night’s season finale.
Elsewhere, the Chiefs lost again.
Let’s get into all of this and more in our weekly review of last week’s KC sports highlights.
Take me to the river
Kansas City’s women’s pro-soccer team had a rough inaugural season on the pitch, taking a 3-13-7 record into their final game against the OL Reign. But the future seems to be shaping up nicely.
The club announced its intent to build a new $70 million privately financed stadium seating 11,000 along the Missouri River in downtown KC.
Club officials, in a news conference alongside the mayor and head of Port KC Tuesday afternoon, said the soccer-specific venue will open on the Berkley Park riverfront in time for the 2024 NWSL season. They aim to break ground next summer or early fall.
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Chief(s) concerns
Last week, the Chiefs had identified the game in Nashville as a potential turning point. Instead, their woes of 2021 reached a new nadir in a 27-3 loss to the Titans.
How bad was it? The two-time Super Bowl participants’ turnover tally reached a dizzying 17; quarterback Patrick Mahomes accounted for two of three balls lost Sunday. It was their fewest points in a game since Andy Reid became head coach in 2013.
But hey, at least they avoided a shutout after trailing 27-0 at halftime. Looking for positive vibes here, but it’s hard right now.
Salvy’s Silver linings playbook
Royals catcher Salvador Perez is beloved in KC. He set a new club record for home runs this season with 48, a mark that tied Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. for the most in baseball. And he’ll forever be an October legend around these parts.
The Royals struggled again this year, but Salvy sure didn’t. He also led the majors in RBIs with 121. And last week he was identified as one of three finalists for the Silver Slugger Award as the AL’s top-hitting catcher. The other finalists are the Rays’ Mike Zunino and Yankees’ Gary Sanchez. Winners at each position will be announced Nov. 11, and Salvy should be a shoo-in.
On Wednesday, he won the Luis Aparicio Award, recognizing the top Venezuelan player in the game.
And on Thursday, Perez and Royals teammates Whit Merrifield, Michael A. Taylor and Andrew Benintendi were all named Gold Glove finalists at their respective positions. Gold Glove winners will be announced Nov. 7.
That ol’ Soler power
Former Royals home run king Jorge Soler, now with the Atlanta Braves, got the 117th World Series off to a booming start with a leadoff round-tripper against the Houston Astros on Tuesday. It was a history-making blast: Soler became the first player to lead off a World Series with a Game 1 home run in the top of the first inning.
Soler flourished in his return to the National League after being traded to Atlanta this summer for minor-league pitcher Kasey Kalich. He batted .269 with 14 homers, 29 walks, 33 RBIs and a .524 slugging percentage.
Bubba bids adieu
Seems like just yesterday we sent a reporter down to the Starling family residence in south Johnson County to chronicle the night he was drafted — as it turned out, that night in 2011, by his hometown Kansas City Royals.
Picked fifth overall, the multi-sport standout from Gardner Edgerton spurned an offer from the Cornhuskers to play quarterback at Nebraska. And thus began Bubba’s 10-year odyssey in baseball. Starling, 29, had a lot of folks in his corner each step of the way, but he never seemed to find his footing. He reached Triple-A in 2016, and the Royals in 2019, but it was a rough journey.
His final line as a big-leaguer will stand at .204 with nine homers and four steals. He announced his decision to retire from pro ball Monday evening in a heartfelt social-media message that included some advice to the next generation of ballplayers.