Mondesi 'done' for season after injuring shoulder

Merrifield notches first 200-hit campaign

September 22nd, 2019

MINNEAPOLIS -- Royals shortstop left Sunday’s 12-8 loss to the Twins at Target Field with what the club announced was a left-shoulder injury after he dove for a ball in the first inning. Mondesi ranged to his right to grab a line drive off the bat of Nelson Cruz. He dove head first and fielded the ball, but could not make a throw to get a force at second base.

It’s the same shoulder Mondesi injured in July that resulted in a shoulder subluxation that put him on the disabled list for six weeks. He came out of the game after a visit from trainer Nick Kenney.

After the game, Royals manager Ned Yost said Mondesi’s season was over. Mondesi declined to speak to reporters afterward.

“It’s the same as it was before,” Yost said. “It’s [a subluxation]. It popped out and came right back in. But that’s it. He’s done. We’ll get him home and let the doctors figure out [if an MRI is needed].”

Meanwhile, one of the highlights of the Royals’ road finale was reaching 200 hits for the first time in his career. The last Royal to do so was Melky Cabrera (201) in 2011.

"I try not to get too caught up in results with my game,” Merrifield said. “But it's been hard to not to get caught up in results the last month or so. To get to 200 hits, it's a huge accomplishment, a huge goal I've had. It's a blessing to have stayed healthy long enough to do it. That's a huge part of it, the durability.

"Two-hundred hits. ... It's a special accomplishment, especially for me and my game. It's something that I felt was doable, and I'm just proud that I got to do it."

Merrifield, who led MLB in hits last season with 192, again leads the Majors. Hit No. 200 was a sharp single to left field in the sixth inning.

“It’s unbelievable,” Yost said. “It blows my mind, a 200-hit season with five games to go. Last year, I thought it was unbelievable with 192. And now he’s at 200.

“He’s just a model of consistency more than anything else. I don’t even know how to explain it -- he just hits, hits, hits, hits.”

This is the first 200-hit season in MLB since 2017, when Charlie Blackmon (213), José Altuve (204), Dee Gordon (201) and Ender Inciarte (201) reached the mark.

Merrifield can now turn his attention toward winning the hits crown like he did last year. With his 3-for-5 performance, Merrifield is now eight hits ahead of the Yankees’ DJ LeMahieu, who has 192.

"This was what I wanted to get to,” Merrifield said. “Come Tuesday, I'll kind of refocus, but I'm going to enjoy this for now and celebrate 200 and enjoy the off-day. I'll figure out where I am in the standings on Tuesday and go from there."

The Royals reached 100 or more losses for the second straight season with Sunday’s defeat.