Report: Royals’ All-Star Whit Merrifield won’t be traded

By Matt Johnson

·Updated: July 12, 2019

While nearly every contender this season would love to acquire All-Star hitter Whit Merrifield, the Kansas City Royals reportedly have made it clear that no team could land him.

According to USA Today’s Bob Nightengale, Kansas City told teams that Merrifield is so important to the organization that it couldn’t be enticed to move him. As a result, contenders across the league have stopped calling about his availability.

There are plenty of teams who would love to have #Royals Whit Merrifield, but he is staying put. The #Royals will listen on anybody, but he means so much to the organization, no one can possibly entice them to move him, and haven’t really tried.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) July 12, 2019

It’s tough to blame Kansas City for its stance. While Merrifield is 30 years old, he just signed a four-year, $16.25 million and that’s a bargain for an All-Star hitter who can play the infield and outfield.

Merrifield is slashing .306/.355/.495 this season with a .850 OPS, 13 stolen bases, 11 home runs and 62 runs scored.

Kansas City will be taking plenty of calls as a seller leading up to the trade deadline, but Merrifield will clearly not be one of the players moving this year.