Whit Merrifield named to 2021 All-Star team

Whit Merrifield will join Salvador Perez on the American League All-Star team next week in Denver after being named an injury replacement via a player ballot on Saturday. Astros second baseman Jose Altuve declined to participate in next week’s game due to a knee injury, leaving Merrifield as the only second base reserve to starter Marcus Semien of the Blue Jays.

Merrifield will be participating in his second All-Star team, having gone 0-for-2 in the 2019 Midsummer Classic in Cleveland. The 32-year old is third among all American League second basemen in WAR, according to Fangraphs. He leads the league in steals with 24, is eighth in hits with 95, and is eighth in multi-hit games with 26. Overall, Merrifield is hitting .272/.325/.410 with eight home runs, 46 RBI, and 50 runs scored.

With Merrifield and Perez, the Royals will have multiple All-Stars for the first time since 2017, when Perez, Mike Moustakas, and Jason Vargas represented the Royals.