KC Royals: Exciting first month launched 2021 season

Hot bats helped lead the way to a great first month for the KC Royals.

It was no surprise when Whit Merrifield started the season well. He hit three homers in the first four games and finished April tied with Salvador Perez for the team lead with 26 hits, and batted .274 and drove in 15 runs.

New center fielder Michael A. Taylor’s first month with the Royals was also good. His April began with a seven-game hit streak, he clubbed two homers and had six RBIs in the club’s first two games, and hit .260—23 points above his career average—for the month.

His Opening Day was great:

Carlos Santana, who walked four times and had three RBIs in the season’s first two games, finished April on a wicked stretch. In the final 13 games of the month, he slashed .326/.426/.652 with eight walks, 12 RBIs, and four home runs. He closed the month at 20 RBIs, a club-leading six home runs, and 16 walks.

Not surprisingly, catcher Salvador Perez was the team’s Player of the Month.

In a sign of things to come—he was recently recognized as the Royals’ Player of the Year—Perez was named Kansas City’s Player of the Month for April.

The club’s All-Star catcher slashed .268/.304/.485 with five home runs, 13 RBIs, 12 runs scored and six doubles. He also had 26 hits, 11 of which went for extra bases. Four of his RBIs were game-winners.

The Player of the Month award was the third of his career and first since the 2018 season.