Welcome to our Remarkable season preview series for the 2021 season. The Royals have an uphill climb in a competitive AL Central.

 

2020 Record: 26-34 (4th in AL Central)

 

Royals Hitters

 

Whit Merrifield

  • Whit Merrifield is slugging .662 on inside pitches since 2019 — 6th best in MLB
  • Whit Merrifield is batting .241 on pitches out of the zone since 2019 — 6th best in MLB
  • Whit Merrifield has stolen third base 10 times since 2019 — 3rd most in MLB
  • Whit Merrifield has seen 8+ pitches in 39 PA’s since 2019 — tied for 10th most in MLB
  • Whit Merrifield is batting .231 with two-strikes since 2019 — tied for 15th best in MLB

 

Adalberto Mondesi

  • Adalberto Mondesi has stolen 67 bases since 2019 — most in MLB

  • Adalberto Mondesi is batting .476 in hitter’s counts since 2019 — 3rd best in MLB
  • Adalberto Mondesi is slugging .705 on low fastballs since 2019 — tied for 8th best in MLB
  • Adalberto Mondesi has an average HR distance of 414.7 feet since 2019 — 13th best in MLB
  • Adalberto Mondesi has a groundball batting average of .357 since 2019 — 6th best in MLB

 

Salvador Perez

  • Salvador Perez batted .522 on pitches 95 mph or greater in the 2020 season — 2nd best in MLB

  • Salvador Perez batted .329 on low pitches in the 2020 season — 4th best in MLB
  • Salvador Perez slugged .696 with runners on base in the 2020 season — 7th best in MLB 
  • Salvador Perez had a Well-Hit Avg of .280 in the 2020 season — 12th best in MLB

 

Carlos Santana

  • Carlos Santana has put 106 balls in play at an exit velocity of 95 MPH or greater against LHP since 2019 — most in MLB
  • Carlos Santana has made 90% of forehand plays since 2019 — best in MLB
  • Carlos Santana has a K:BB ratio of 1.0 since 2019 — tied for 2nd best in MLB
  • Carlos Santana has an OPS of .958 on outside pitches since 2019 — 3rd best in MLB
  • Carlos Santana has an OPS of .910 on PA’s that last 5+ pitches since 2019 — 7th best in MLB

 

Jorge Soler

  • Jorge Soler has 56 home runs since 2019 — tied for 6th most in MLB
  • Jorge Soler has 18 home runs on breaking pitches since 2019 — most in MLB
  • Jorge Soler has an OPS of 1.121 on elevated pitches since 2019 — 3rd best in MLB
  • Jorge Soler is slugging .655 on fastballs since 2019 — 8th best in MLB
  • Jorge Soler has 19 extra-base hits out of 30 total hits on the first pitch of at-bats since 2019 — best in MLB

 

Hunter Dozier

  • Hunter Dozier is batting .474 on the first pitch of at-bats since 2019 — 5th best in MLB
  • Hunter Dozier is slugging .546 on sliders since 2019 — 8th best in MLB
  • Hunter Dozier has 12 home runs on the first pitch of at-bats since 2019 — tied for 9th most in MLB
  • Hunter Dozier has a Well-Hit Avg of .298 on fastballs since 2019 — tied for 12th best among 127 in MLB

 

Andrew Benintendi

  • Andrew Benintendi is batting just .216 (25-for-116) on inside fastballs since 2019 — 10th lowest in MLB
  • Andrew Benintendi is batting .314 (61-for-194) with two outs since 2019 — 5th best in MLB

  • Andrew Benintendi has 2 HRs in 317 ABs (158.5 AB/HR) with two-strikes since 2019 — 7th highest AB per HR rate in MLB

 

Michael A. Taylor

  • Michael A. Taylor had 11 extra-base hits out of 18 total hits in the 2020 season — 8th best in MLB among hitters with at least 87 total PA’s; League Avg: 37%
  • Michael A. Taylor has stolen third base 10 times since the start of 2018 — tied for 9th most in MLB

 

Nicky Lopez

 

Cam Gallagher

  • Cam Gallagher blocked 100% of balls in the dirt in the 2020 season — tied for best in MLB

 

Ryan O’Hearn

  • Ryan O’Hearn has 6 home runs on changeups against RHP since 2019 — tied for 5th most in MLB
  • Ryan O’Hearn has 12 extra-base hits out of 20 total hits on changeups against RHP since the start of 2018 — tied for 3rd best in MLB

 

Hanser Alberto

  • Hanser Alberto is batting.253 on pitches out of the zone since the start of the 2019 season — 2nd best in MLB; League Avg: .174
  • Hanser Alberto batted.375 against LHP last season — tied for 5th best in MLB among hitters with at least 87 total PA’s; League Avg: .253
  • Hanser Alberto missed on just 14% of swings against LHP last season — 5th best in MLB; League Avg: 25%
  • Hanser Alberto has 80 strikeouts in 781 PA’s since the start of the 2019 season — 2nd best in MLB; League Avg: 20%

 

Ryan McBroom

 

Projected Starting Rotation

 

Danny Duffy

  • Opponents batted just.182 against Danny Duffy on the first pitch of at-bats in the 2020 season — 3rd best in MLB among starting pitchers with at least 29 total IP; League Avg: .334
  • Danny Duffy allowed a slugging percentage of just.136 on low fastballs in the 2020 season — 6th best in MLB among starting pitchers with at least 29 total IP; League Avg: .428
  • Danny Duffy has allowed an OBP of just.272 versus the heart of the order since 2019 — 11th best in MLB among starting pitchers with at least 109 total IP; League Avg: .325

 


Brad Keller

  • Brad Keller has allowed a slugging percentage of just.435 in non-two strike counts since 2019 — best in MLB among starting pitchers with at least 109 total IP; League Avg: .597

  • Brad Keller has an ERA of 2.71 against division opponents since 2019 — 8th best in MLB among starting pitchers with at least 109 total IP; League Avg: 4.29
  • Brad Keller has allowed an OPS of just.630 versus the heart of the order since 2019 — 9th best in MLB among starting pitchers with at least 109 total IP; League Avg: .782
  • Brad Keller has allowed a slugging percentage of just.349 since 2019 — tied for 9th best in MLB among starting pitchers with at least 109 total IP; League Avg: .425
  • Opponents are hitting just.274 against Brad Keller on the first pitch of at-bats since 2019 — 11th best in MLB among starting pitchers with at least 109 total IP; League Avg: .351

 

Mike Minor

  • Mike Minor has allowed a slugging percentage of just .230 on fastballs away since 2019 — tied for 2nd best in MLB among starting pitchers with at least 109 total IP; League Avg: .429
  • Opponents have a Well-Hit Avg of just.105 against changeups from Mike Minor since 2019 — tied for 8th best in MLB among starting pitchers with at least 109 total IP; League Avg: .147
  • Opponents batting in the heart of the order are hitting just .210 against Mike Minor since 2019 — tied for 13th best in MLB among starting pitchers with at least 109 total IP; League Avg: .258
  • Opponents have a miss rate of 22% against Mike Minor on pitches in the strike zone since 2019 — tied for 14th best in MLB among starting pitchers with at least 109 total IP; League Avg: 17%
  • Mike Minor has allowed an OPS of just.694 on pitches in the strike zone since 2019 — 15th best in MLB among starting pitchers with at least 109 total IP; League Avg: .803

 

Brady Singer

  • Brady Singer allowed a slugging percentage of just.198 versus the heart of the order in the 2020 season — best among qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: .401

  • Opponents batted just.114 against Brady Singer on fastballs away in the 2020 season — 3rd best among qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: .242
  • Brady Singer allowed an OPS of just.478 when going through the lineup the third time in a game in the 2020 season — 3rd best among qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: .721
  • Opponents had a miss rate of 39% against Brady Singer on the first pitch of at-bats in the 2020 season — 5th best among qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: 28%
  • Brady Singer allowed a BABIP of.163 on low breaking pitches in the 2020 season — 6th best in MLB among starting pitchers with at least 29 total IP; League Avg: .269

 

Kris Bubic

  • Kris Bubic had a first-pitch strike rate of just 48% (106/221) last season — 2nd lowest in MLB
  • Kris Bubic allowed an OBP of .295 (129 PA’s) with two-strikes last season — 13th highest in MLB
  • Opponents had a chase percentage of just 22% (102/471) against Kris Bubic last season — 6th lowest in MLB

 

Projected Bullpen

 

Greg Holland

  • Greg Holland has a strikeout rate of 64% during extra innings since 2019 — best among qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: 26%
  • Greg Holland’s K:BB ratio was 7.5 vs left-handed batters in the 2020 season — 8th best among qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: 2.3
  • Greg Holland allowed an OBP of just.200 versus the top of the order in the 2020 season — 9th best among qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: .331
  • Opponents batted just.200 against Greg Holland when he was behind in the count in the 2020 season — tied for 10th best among qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: .332
  • Opponents are hitting just.168 against Greg Holland in close and late situations since 2019 — 13th best among among 135 qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: .227

 

Josh Staumont

  • Opponents had a miss rate of 51% against Josh Staumont when facing the leadoff batter in the inning in the 2020 season — tied for 2nd best among qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: 27%
  • Josh Staumont threw 58 fastballs at 100+ MPH in the 2020 season — 4th most among pitchers in MLB
  • Right-handed hitters had a miss rate of 41% against Josh Staumont in the 2020 season — 6th best among qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: 29%
  • Josh Staumont allowed a slugging percentage of just.250 on fastballs in the 2020 season — 9th best among qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: .410
  • Josh Staumont allowed a slugging percentage of just.231 against right-handed batters in the 2020 season — 10th best among qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: .396

 

Scott Barlow

  • Right-handed hitters had a miss rate of 41% against Scott Barlow in the 2020 season — 7th best among qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: 29%
  • Scott Barlow’s K:BB ratio was 6.7 against right-handed batters in the 2020 season — tied for 8th best among qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: 3.0
  • Opposing hitters had a miss rate of 40% against Scott Barlow when he was behind in the count in the 2020 season — 9th best among qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: 27%
  • Scott Barlow struck out 33% of right-handed batters he faced in the 2020 season — 13th best among among 113 qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: 26%
  • Scott Barlow allowed a slugging percentage of just.308 when he was behind in the count in the 2020 season — tied for 13th best among among 109 qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: .589

 

Jesse Hahn

  • Jesse Hahn allowed an OPS of just.289 in the 2020 season — best among qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: .688
  • Opponents batted just.071 against Jesse Hahn in the 2020 season — best among qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: .228
  • Jesse Hahn allowed an OPS of just.561 when he’s behind in the count in the 2020 season — 4th best among qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: 1.098
  • Jesse Hahn had a strikeout rate of 48% in close and late situations in the 2020 season — 5th best among qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: 27%

 

Kyle Zimmer

  • Kyle Zimmer induced opposing hitters to ground into 3 double plays in 9 opportunities 33% in the 2020 season — tied for 2nd best among qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: 10%
  • Opponents batted just.050 against Kyle Zimmer with runners in scoring position in the 2020 season — 3rd best among qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: .241
  • Kyle Zimmer had a strikeout rate of 43% versus the heart of the order in the 2020 season — 5th best among qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: 24%
  • Kyle Zimmer allowed an OPS of just.330 versus the bottom of the order in the 2020 season — 7th best among qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: .621
  • Kyle Zimmer allowed a slugging percentage of just.175 vs left-handed batters in the 2020 season — 10th best among qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: .348

 

Jake Newberry

  • Right-handed hitters had a miss rate of 41% against Jake Newberry in the 2020 season — 9th best among qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: 29%
  • Jake Newberry struck out 46% of left-handed batters he faced in his last six appearances — tied for 9th best among qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: 25%
  • Opponents batted just.056 against Jake Newberry with two-strikes in his last six appearances — 9th best among qualified RPs in MLB; League Avg: .149

 

Wade Davis

 

Jakob Junis

  • Jakob Junis has walked 12 of 399 batters 3% when facing the leadoff batter in the inning since the start of 2018 — 6th best in MLB among starting pitchers with at least 190 total IP; League Avg: 7%
  • Opponents have a groundball batting average of just.159 against Jakob Junis with the shift since 2019 — tied for 7th best in MLB among starting pitchers with at least 109 total IP; League Avg: .231
  • Jakob Junis allowed a slugging percentage of just.294 on breaking pitches last season — 9th best among qualified SPs in MLB; League Avg: .358

 

 

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