Report: Royals and Whit Merrifield are getting close to a contract extension
The Royals and infielder/outfielder Whit Merrifield are closing in on a four-year contract extension, according to MLB Network and MLB.com reporter Jon Morosi.
Morosi, citing a source, reports the deal will be worth $16.25 million and includes $2 million in performance bonuses as well as a fifth-year club option that could increase the total value of the contract to $30 million for the former ninth-round draft pick.
The reported four-year extension would carry through his arbitration-eligible seasons (2020-22).
Merrifield led the majors with 192 hits and 45 stolen bases in 2018. He also batted .304 with 43 doubles and scored 88 runs. He was just the third player since World War II to lead the majors in hits and stolen bases (Dee Gordon in 2015 and Ichiro Suzuki in 2001 are the others), and he won the Royals’ Les Milgram Player of the Year award this year.
Merrifield, who turned 30 on Jan. 24, made his major-league debut in 2016. Last season, he played 108 games at second base while also spending games at first base, as well as all three outfield positions.
“I’m always trying to get better at every aspect of my game and I work really hard to put myself in a good position to go out and be successful,” Merrifield said on Friday at Royals FanFest. “You just take it day by day, pitch by pitch -- I know it sounds kind of cliche, but really, it’s such a long season. If you get ahead of yourself then things can kind of snowball for you. I’m in a good position right now. I’m healthy. I’m strong.”
This story was originally published January 27, 2019 at 8:49 PM.
