Much is said and written about the competition between Bubba Starling and Brett Phillips for a spot in the KC Royals’ outfield, a contest that began last season but, owing to each player’s poor hitting, remained unresolved when the campaign ended and baseball’s winter arrived. The two were expected to resume the battle in spring training.
Until, that is, the offseason outfield shakeup that reduced the prize to a reserve job. The Royals gave center field, the prime focus of the Starling-Phillips competition, to Whit Merrifield and moved Hunter Dozier, displaced from third base by the Maikel Franco signing, to right field.