KANSAS CITY, Mo. (January 29, 2018) – The Kansas City Royals announced today that they have signed shortstop Alcides Escobar to a one-year contract for the 2018 season.  Per club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

Escobar, 31, returns to where he’s been the starting shortstop since the 2011 season.  In 2017, he batted .250 with a career-best 36 doubles, five triples, six homers and 71 runs scored, playing in all 162 games for the second-straight season. He was one of only two Major League players to start every game, joining Joey Votto.  Entering the 2018 season, he’s made 333 consecutive starts – all at shortstop – dating back to Sept. 26, 2015, which according to the Elias Sports Bureau, is the longest streak in Royals history and longest active streak in the Majors, at any position.  It’s also the longest streak at shortstop since Cal Ripken, Jr. started 2,216 consecutive games at that position for the Baltimore Orioles, from 1982-96.

His 36 doubles in 2017 set a franchise record by a shortstop, surpassing Kurt Stillwell’s 1990 total (35).  After a slow start, he hit .297/.316/.439 (107-for-360) over his last 100 games, including .337/.347/.582 (33-for-98) in September, helping him win Royals Player of the Month honors.

Alcides was acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers on Dec. 19, 2010 as part of a six-player trade.  He was the American League’s starting shortstop in the 2015 All-Star Game in Cincinnati.  Also in 2015, Escobar was named MVP of the ALCS, and set a franchise record by hitting in 15-straight postseason games, which included leading off Game #1 of the World Series with an inside-the-park home run – becoming the first player to do so in 112 years.  He also won his first Rawlings Gold Glove in 2015.