Lopez and Merrifield were an outstanding and unlikely combo for the Kansas City Royals
Nicky Lopez had a historic season for a Kansas City Royals shortstop, and, after bouncing around to multiple positions in recent years, Whit Merrifield might have played well enough every day at second base to earn himself a Gold Glove.
Neither of them were supposed to be in those positions, yet they were likely the two most consistent all-around contributors, aside from star catcher Salvador Perez, for the Royals this season.
“I think it’s pretty cool that both of us have a pretty realistic chance to win Gold Gloves when neither of us were supposed to be playing these positions even up until the last week of spring training,” Merrifield said. “I think that’s a pretty cool thing.”
Going into spring training, Merrifield slotted in as the likely everyday right fielder in large part to pave the way for Lopez at second base.
Lopez, coming off of a season in which he’d been a finalist for the AL Gold Glove at second base, slotted in at second alongside shortstop Adalberto Mondesi.
Lopez’s struggles in spring training, inability to get his swing in sync and failure to re-establish the approach at the plate that had made him successful throughout his time in the minor leagues caused the Royals to demote him back to the minor leagues.
With Lopez sent down, that made Merrifield the choice as the everyday second baseman.
Merrifield started 147 games at second base, the most at one position in his career, while he extended the longest active consecutive games streak in the majors to 469 games.
He finished the season with the third-most defensive runs saved (14) of any player in the majors behind teammate and center fielder Michael A. Taylor (19) and Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa (21). Merrifield also ranked fourth among all major-league second baseman in fielding percentage (.988).
“For me, personally, it feels really good,” Merrifield said.
Merrifield has always said he’d play wherever he’d help the team most, and he’s moved around the field accordingly.
That didn’t mean he never had a preference.
“Yes, the answer has always been whatever is best for the team,” Merrifield said. “But I’ve always felt like second base has been my best position. I’ve told everyone that’s asked me that I felt like if I got to play second every day, got in a groove there, that I could win a Gold Glove. Some people look at me funnier than others when I say that. So to get to this point where I’ve got a shot feels good. It really does.”
Merrifield, selected an All-Star for the second time in his career, became the third Royal to start every game in a season and the fifth player in MLB history to start and bat leadoff in at least 162 games in a single season. He also tied for the major-league lead with 42 doubles and led the AL with 40 stolen bases.
Merrifield should have been playing next to Mondesi, but Mondesi suffered an oblique strain on the final day of Cactus League play in Arizona. That prompted the Royals to recall Lopez and start him at shortstop on opening day in a rather abrupt change of course.
Lopez, who’d posted a .228 batting average and a .279 on-base percentage in 159 career games prior to this season, responded by becoming the first Royals everyday shortstop to finish the season batting .300. His .365 OBP ranked 10th among AL qualifiers.
Defensively, Lopez led all major-league players in outs above average (25) and runs prevented (19) this season. He recorded the third-highest fielding percentage of any shortstop in the majors and the highest in the AL (.987). He also set a franchise-record with 72 consecutive errorless games at shortstop from May 5 through August 13.
Prior to this season, he’d started 30 total games at shortstop in the majors.
“What Nicky has done this season is something we’ll be talking about for a long time,” Royals manager Mike Matheny said. “Not just hitting .300. His whole story, how it started, then how he finished, and everything he did in between to continue to impress us every single night.
“I can’t even count the number of days that he went out there banged up where I didn’t even think he was going to be able to play. To be able to watch his evolution as a player into being a Gold-Glove-caliber .300 hitter with a great on-base and OPS even, where he has come is something we’re all very proud of.”
