The Royals' lineup for their Monday double-header may look unfamiliar to fans in one, very-specific way. For the first time in several years -- 553 games, to be exact -- Whit Merrifield won't be playing somewhere on the diamond. Because of a bone bruise and ligament swelling in his right toe, Merrifield's franchise-record streak of starts will come to an end this week. Speaking to 610's Cody and Gold on Monday, Merrifield talked a bit about how he's feeling, both physically and mentally.
"Yeah it's something I'm incredibly proud of," he said. "It's a shame it had to end this way. It just happened. But yeah, it's something that a lot went into it. I was a little bit lucky that I wasn't hit with anything like I was today where it just sort of something in a spot where it was going to be hard for me to hit. I avoided any sort of injuries like that. But at the same time, my body was in a place where I could those games in a row, and my play was good enough for the management to run me out there every day. Proud of all that, and it's something that I don't think is going to be touched for quite a while, especially for someone who plays the game like I play it -- moving around positions, running, stealing bases, and doing it in the climate that Kansas City has to offer. It's not something that is as easy as people may think it is. It's something that I'm quite proud of ... That's pretty cool."
You can listen to Merrifield's entire interview with Cody and Gold in the player below: