‘I haven’t lived up to my standards’: Kansas City Royals star Whit Merrifield on 2021
Kansas City Royals All-Star second baseman Whit Merrifield has made a habit of accomplishing things that not a lot of other people can do on a baseball field.
After all, he joined Kirby Puckett as the only two right-handed hitters in a 30-year period to lead the major leagues in hits in back-to-back seasons, in 2018 and 2019 for Merrifield. When he led the majors in hits and steals in 2018, Merrifield became just the third player since World War II to garner that distinction.
So Merrifield hardly shocked himself by joining an elite group of players to ever record multiple seasons of 40 doubles and 40 stolen bases in a season when he smacked his 40th double of the season in the first at-bat of Wednesday night’s game against Cleveland. He also did it in 2018.
Merrifield became the seventh player in MLB history to record multiple 40-steal, 40-double seasons along with Brian Roberts (2007-08), Hanley Ramírez (2006-07), Alfonso Soriano (2002, 2006), George Sisler (1920, 1922), Tris Speaker (1912, 1914) and Ty Cobb (1911, 1917).
The only other Royals player with one season of 40 steals and 40 doubles was Johnny Damon in 2000.
“It’s huge,” Merrifield said. “Some of the names on there, any time you’re on a list with (Cobb) it’s incredible. This year has been strange for me. I haven’t lived up to the bar I set for myself, offensively. I’ve done some good things. I’ve had some good streaks. But I haven’t lived up to my standards.”
Merrifield’s set a high bar not purely out of ambition, but his play has been on an upper echelon. In the last full-length MLB season (2019), he set career highs in runs (105), hits (206), triples (10), extra-base hits (67), slugging pct. (.463) and OPS (.811). Along the way, he earned his first All-Star selection.
“At the same time,” Merrifield said. “To do something like that when I haven’t performed like I feel like I’m capable of performing throughout the entire year, it feels good to still do things to contribute to help the team win. I’m looking forward to building on some of the struggles I’ve had this year, learning from it and being able to adjust that going into next year.”
Merrifield, who this summer was selected for his second All-Star Game, entered Thursday night batting .279 with 10 home runs, three triples, 41 doubles, 73 RBIs, 40 stolen bases and 95 runs scored this season out of the leadoff spot in the Royals lineup.
He also began the day in a tie for the league lead in sacrifice flies (12), ranked third in hits (180) and tied for second in doubles.
Merrifield still holds the longest active streak of consecutive games played in the majors. Earlier this season, he set the franchise record for consecutive games played. Thursday night, he played in his 466th straight game.
That streak is the longest in the majors since Hunter Pence played in 468 in a row from 2012-2014. Merrifield would tie the mark on Saturday, and pass it in Sunday’s season finale.
Defensively, he entered the day tied for the major-league lead among second baseman for defensive runs saved.
“He’s creeping his way towards 200 hits, a guy who has played every single game and just about every single pitch of every game,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “He’s a spark to our offense in a number of ways, obviously on the bases. He sets the tone when he gets in the box. I believe he’s going to win the Gold Glove. How could you be unhappy with that year?
“I get it. He holds himself to a high level, and he wants to lead the league in hits, he wants to lead the league in bags. I’m sure he probably wanted another 10 homers. But man, let’s be realistic. This has been a terrific season.”
This story was originally published September 30, 2021 at 9:02 PM.
