The Kansas City Royals Roster if the Season Started Today?
By Lucas Murphy
2nd Base
- Whit Merrifield
- Nicky Lopez
This is where things begin to get interesting, and the Royals have created options for themselves. Veteran Whit Merrifield has been a staple, and many refer to him as an ironman. He consistently plays the game and is versatile, carrying numerous gloves with him on the road. In 2021, Merrifield played 162 games. In those games, he batted 664 times, collecting 42 doubles, and 40 stolen bases. Those stats I listed are what he led the MLB in. He was also in the running for a gold glove at second base. Merrifield has been rumored to be a part of trades, but with the lockout, he remains on the Royals roster.
With his leadoff double last night, @WhitMerrifield became just the seventh player in MLB history to record multiple 40-double, 40-steal seasons.#TogetherRoyal pic.twitter.com/BY0mUpAO7k
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) September 30, 2021
The next option at second base is Nicky Lopez. Lopez played 151 games for the Royals in 2021, filling in mostly at shortstop. The Royals could do a lot of shuffling at times, and Lopez has played at second base in his major league career. The matchup and also providing rest to players could lead to him playing second base.