Veteran center fielder Michael A. Taylor parlayed his good 2021 MLB season into a new deal with the Kansas City Royals. The team announced on Wednesday that Taylor inked a two-year extension that will keep him with the organization through the 2023 season.
Taylor initially joined the Royals on a one-year, $1.75 deal in late 2020. His new deal guarantees him a $9 million spread between 2022 and 2023, according to reports. The 30-year-old fielder can earn an additional $500K based on incentives.
Taylor didn’t stand out on the offense for Kansas City this season, batting .244 with 12 homers and 52 RBIs. However, his defense was outstanding. He made a case for being the best defensive player in the league based on advanced metrics like Defensive Runs Saved (21 runs above average) and Outs Above Average (+14).
The Royals will finish the 2021 season below .500, currently sitting at a 72-85 record with five games left to play. But the franchise gave indications that it intends to be competitive in 2022, and locking Taylor in their center field will surely help them achieve that goal.
Michael A. Taylor made his MLB debut in 2014 with the Washington Nationals and was part of the team that won the World Series in 2019. He was released by the franchise following poor at-bats performance during the shortened 2020 season in which he only managed a .196 batting average.
