Kansas City Royals hanging their hat on defense and awe-inspiring plays in the field
With the playoffs out of reach, it wouldn’t be hard to fathom players turning their attention to personal statistics at the expense of team play in the heat of the late summer months.
Games like Thursday night in Seattle show that the Kansas City Royals have avoided lapses of focus or defensive slippage. Defense has remained a calling card for the team as the players try to solidify a style of play they’d hope to make part of their collective identity.
“I think a big part of defense is just the effort that you put into it,” Royals center fielder Michael A. Taylor said. “As the season goes on and your body starts breaking down, it can be tough at times to stay in the game and give that 100 percent, but I don’t think there has been any drop on our end. Guys are still going out there and playing the game hard and looking to make plays.”
The series-opening win included several run-saving and momentum-shifting defensive plays, including a first-inning relay throw from center field that cut down a runner at the plate as well as a home run-robbing catch by Andrew Benintendi at the wall in left-center field.
Shortstop Nicky Lopez, second baseman Whit Merrifield and third baseman Emmanuel Rivera, and Taylor also all made eye-popping individual plays in the field.
“That was just one of the best defensive games I think I’ve ever seen,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said in his postgame press conference. “I mean, you’re talking seven or eight plays between a couple from Michael including the relay, the great relay from Nicky, the tag at the plate by Salvy, Michael was all over the outfield, Benny making two plus-plus catches, Whit and Nicky Lopez, the pop-up down the line with Rivera.
“One right after the other. You just don’t see games like that.”
As of Friday, Lopez and Taylor ranked fourth and ninth, respectively, in outs above average among all defenders regardless of position in the majors. Including Merrifield, the Royals had three players among the top 31 in the majors in that category.
Taylor added to his career high with his 10th outfield assist on Thursday night, when he started the relay throw that went through Lopez to catcher Salvador Perez to get Mitch Haniger at the plate.
Taylor’s 10 outfield assists lead all major-league center fielders and are the most by a Royals center fielder since Melky Cabrera had 13 in 2011. He also leads all American League defenders with 17 defensive runs saved according to FanGraphs.com.
Merrifield led all major-league second baseman and ranked fifth among all players in defensive runs saved (13).
“I think we’ve been pretty consistent all year,” Taylor said. “Defense is a big part of our makeup as a team. I think all nine positions have the ability to do some special things out there. I think we’ve shown that for most of the year.”
With a starting rotation that includes four pitchers who haven’t spent a full-length season in the majors, the defense figures to play a key part in steadying those young hurlers through the final weeks of the regular season.
“You trust your defense and you know you’ve got a lot of guys down there that can run the bases and they make plays,” Royals veteran right-hander reliever Ervin Santana said. “It builds more confidence for the pitchers because in the outfield they’re making great plays almost every time, so it’s a win-win.”
Taylor has been a finalist for a Gold Glove in the National League. Lopez was a finalist at second base last season for the Royals. Merrifield has bounced around the field almost every season he has been in the majors. All have said a Gold Glove would be extremely meaningful to them.
Matheny said he believes the bigger picture of contributing to wins and proving to the “baseball world” how good of a team they can be is the overarching motivation. He said the entire team has been consistent with how they’ve executed the plans that have been put in place daily to improve defensively, including early on-field work.
Perez, the lone current member of the club having already won a Gold Glove (he has five), applauded the defensive performances of his teammates, but also said it’s what’s expected.
“Benny is doing tremendous,” Perez said. “MT, Michael Taylor. Wow. As soon as that guy hit the ball he was running hard. Nicky made some good plays. Whit too.
“Believe it or not, that’s our job. We’ve got to do it. We’re in the big leagues. We need to try. I know we’re going to make mistakes sometimes, but the less we make mistakes, the better team we’re going to be.”
