KC Royals: Can players hit key marks in final series?

(Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
(Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
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(Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports)
(Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports) /

The long season that began with an Opening Day win, found the KC Royals in first place in May, was derailed by 11 and eight-game losing streaks, and will conclude with the most Royal wins since 2017, winds up this weekend when Kansas City hosts Minnesota for 2021’s final three games.

As a team, the Royals will be out to avoid finishing last in the American League Central. At 73-86, they’re two games ahead of the last-place Twins.

And depending on the outcomes of the Friday and Saturday night games, and Sunday afternoon’s season finale, the Royals will end the year with 73, 74, 75, or 76 wins.

For individual Kansas City players, though, much is at stake. Rookies are working hard to leave good impressions on the club’s brass, others had disappointing campaigns and want to finish strong, and some seek to put good final caps on impressive season-long performances.

Records and milestones are within reach for some members of the KC Royals.

All eyes this weekend will be on several Kansas City players with chances to set records or establish good personal marks.

First and foremost among those players is, of course, Salvador Perez. Playing on the ankle he sprained in the dugout Wednesday, Perez went homerless Thursday night, meaning he has three games left to break the club’s individual home run record of 48. His 48 are also the majors’ best by two (Toronto’s Vladimir Guerrero Jr. has 46).

American League MVP candidate Perez’s big league RBI lead (121) looks secure. He has eight more than Chicago’s Jose Abreu.

Nicky Lopez, his bat all but dead when KC sent him to the minors on season’s eve, is on the cusp of hitting .300. He went 1-for-4 against Cleveland Thursday and heads into tonight’s series opener at .301.

Perez and Lopez aren’t the only KC Royals chasing important marks.

(Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports)
(Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports) /

Some KC Royals have offensive accomplishments to pursue this weekend.

When Whit Merrifield, master of the multi-hit game (he has 48 this year), hit two doubles against Cleveland Wednesday, he reached 40 doubles and 40 steals in a season for the second time in his six-season career. Merrifield’s second two-bagger gave him 41, only one behind Detroit’s Jeimer Candelario and J.D. Martinez for the major league lead. (St. Louis’ Tommy Edman is tied with Merrifield).

A good weekend could give Merrifield the doubles title, but that isn’t the only category Merrifield might lead the big leagues in. His 40 steals trail only Staling Marte’s 45. He was close in the hits race, but now finds himself 10 behind the Dodgers’ Trea Turner.

Merrifield will also be the only Royal to play every game this season if he sees action in all three weekend contests.

“Disappointing” is the only way to describe first baseman Carlos Santana’s first season with the Royals: his .211 average and .317 OBP are well below the .248 and .366 career marks he brought to Kansas City. But his 19 home runs are certainly respectable—if it weren’t for Salvador Perez, they’d be tops on the club. One more homer will give him at least 20 for the ninth time.

Rookie Kyle Isbel made the Royals’ Opening Day roster, collected his first big league hit in his first at-bat, and was hitting .265 when the club optioned him to Triple-A Omaha in late April. He made it back to Kansas City this month and is slashing .282/.364/.538 since. He’ll be looking for a few more hits against the Twins to finish the season well and force the club to keep him in their plans for 2022.

(Mandatory Credit: Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports)
(Mandatory Credit: Scott Taetsch-USA TODAY Sports) /

A good weekend will give a handful of KC Royals hurlers some good numbers.

Kansas City reliever Scott Barlow led the majors in appearances last season, but wasn’t the club’s closer. That role went first to Trevor Rosenthal, then to Greg Holland when the Royals traded Rosenthal to San Diego. But now, working in his fourth season with KC, Barlow is its undisputed closer, the pitcher Manager Mike Matheny relies on more than any other to save close wins.

Barlow comes into this weekend with 16 saves, a respectable number for a losing team. Getting to 20 is now impossible, but another save or two won’t hurt, especially if the Royals decide to shop him over the winter.

As his 2.92 ERA, .181 OBA, 10.0 SO9 and 1.07 WHIP in 63 games attest, Josh Staumont is, like Barlow, a key bullpen piece. He’ll want to keep his ERA below 3.00, but it could be close—if he pitches two innings and gives up an earned run in each, Staumont will finish at 3.10. So, pitching well will be good for the Royals and him.

What of the starters? Carlos Hernandez is done starting for the season, Angel Zerpa debuted Thursday night and won’t start again, and Brad Keller, Mike Minor, Brady Singer, and Daniel Lynch are on the Injured List. All that makes Kris Bubic, who pitched last Sunday, and rookies Jon Heasley and Jackson Kowar, this weekend’s likeliest starters. And although the club hadn’t listed its Saturday and Sunday starters as of late Thursday night, mlb.com’s Anne Rogers reports Heasley gets the call Friday night:

Heasley will be seeking his first big league win, as will Kowar if Matheny picks him for one of the other two starts.

And another Bubic start gives the second-year Royal a shot at a winning season—he’s 6-6.

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The KC Royals begin their final series of the season tonight. Game time against Minnesota is set for 7:10 p.m. CDT at Kauffman Stadium; the teams meet Saturday evening at 6:10 p.m. CDT, then finish up Sunday at 2:10 p.m. CDT.

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