Kansas City Royals - The Covid-19 Years (2020-2029)

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2020

2023

106

2020

Decade

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Titles:

Top Royals Players of the Twenty Twenties

2024 - WC def Baltimore, ALDS lost to Yankees

Pitchers:

Ballpark:

Brady Singer (8.95) - 27

Kauffman Stadium

Seth Lugo (7.3) - 19

Michael Wacha (6.3) - 17

Team Name:

Scott Barlow (5.43) - 16

Royals

Brad Keller (1.58) - 15

Kris Bubic (5.59) - 12

Owner:

Carlos Estevez (2.1) - 11

John Sherman

Cole Ragans (7.5) - 10

Mike Minor (0.99) - 7

General Managers:

Noah Cameron (3.8) - 7

Dayton Moore (2020-2021)

JJ Picollo (2022-2025)

Catchers:

Salvador Perez (13.73) - 52

Managers:

Freddy Fermin (5.65) - 9

Mike Matheny (2020-2022)

Matt Quatraro (2023-2025)

First Basemen:

Vinnie Pasquantino (5) - 16

Hall of Famers:

Hunter Dozier (-3.24) - 6

None

Second Basemen:

Rookie of the Year:

Nicky Lopez (4.4) - 15

None

Michael Massey (2.42) - 6

No Hitters:

ShortStop:

None

Bobby Witt (21.79) - 57

MVP

Third Base:

None

Maikel Garcia (8.03) - 19

Adalberto Mondesi (1.47) - 9

Cy Young

None

Outfield:

Whit Merrifield (4.37) - 18

Notable Events:

Michael Taylor (5.89) - 14

Andrew Benintendi (5.07) - 13

The Royals made a couple of tremendous free agent signings after the '23

MJ Melendez (-0.83) - 11

season picking up pitchers Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha from San Diego.

Kyle Isbel (6.33) - 8

These signings were the main components in changing the Royals from a

a team that went 56-106 and gave up 111 more runs than the league average

Notable Events:

to a team in 2024 that made the playoffs with an 86-76 mark and gave up

67 runs less than the league average. That's a thirty game gain in the

2020 - Coming into the decade, the Royals were a doormat having lost over a

standings and a gain of a whopping 178 less runs given up than the league

hundred games each of the previous two seasons. Way back in the rear view

average. The Royals dropped back slightly in 2025 to an 82-80 mark and

mirror was the nice run they had in the middle of the previous decade

missed the playoffs. The culprits in 2025 were the offense as the Royals

including their World Series victory in 2015.

went from scoring 24 more runs than the league average in 2024 to scoring

Kansas City will continue to be bottom of the pack for the first four years of

70 less runs than the league average in 2025. That's a huge difference of

the Twenties.

94 runs over the two seasons.

Moving forward, things look good for KC on the mound. In addition to Wacha

2020 - John Sherman heads a consortium of 22 owners who buy the club

and Lugo, there are now several young pitchers who have moved thru the

from David Glass. The Glass ownership era was pretty much of a disaster

organization to strengthen the staff. The hitting is the worrisome part.

for Kansas City fans as the Royals topped .500 only five times in twenty years.

Finishing 70 runs less than the league average is a big hole for the offense

KC had only one ninety win season during this time, 2015 when they won

to climb out of if the Royals want to contend. There are several young hitters

the World Series. Their next best season in Glass's time was 2014 when

who were high draft picks who have worked their way thru the organization.

the Royals made it to the World Series (but lost) winning 89 games.

At least one, hopefully for the Royals more, of those youngsters have to

Most of the rest of those twenty seasons, Kansas City was abysmal.

break thru and contribute to the offense in 2026. If they don't, Kansas City

Glass, former President of Wal-Mart, had deep pockets, but didn't spend.

will fall short.

I always wondered why a guy who was president of a company that was

notorious for not paying their workers would want to own a major league

Starting Pitching:

baseball team where you have to pay your workers well if you want to succeed.

□ LHP Cole Ragans, 26, '23 Trade deadline from Texas, '25 3-3 4.67

Royals fans are hoping for a new day with the new owners.

□ RHP Seth Lugo, 34, '24 FA from San Diego, '25 8-7 4.15

It can't get much worse.

□ RHP Michael Wacha, 32, '24 FA from San Diego, '25 10-13 3.86

□ LHP Kris Bubic, 28, '18 draft 1st round pick, '25 8-7 2.55

2020 - Dayton Moore, who despite the dismal record, is a well respected

□ LHP Noah Cameron, 26, '21 draft 7th round pick, '25 9-7 2.99

baseball man, has been retained as GM by the new ownership.

□ LHP David Shields, 19, '24 draft 2nd round pick, '25 A 3-2 2.38

Moore started out his front office career in the Braves organization

□ RHP Kendry Chourio, 18, '25 IFA, '25 A 2-3 3.51

which helped mold him into a competent baseball executive.

□ Ryan Bergert, 26, '25 Trade with SD, '25 1-2 4.43

□ Bailey Falter, 29, '25 Trade with Pirates, '25 0-2 11.25

2020 - Mike Matheny was hired on as manager in '20. He has an excellent

□ Luinder Avila, 24, '18 IFA, '25 1-1 1.29

pedigree having managed the outstanding St. Louis Cardinals teams

□ RHP Mitch Spence, 28, '26 Trade with A's, '25 3-6 5.10

from '12 thru '18 where his teams averaged 90 wins a season and won

The signings of Lugo and Wacha in '24 transformed the Royals from a

three Division titles. The Royals performance improved under Matheny in '20.

moribund last place team to a contender that made the playoffs. KC did not

make the playoffs in '25, but they were not that far off and Lugo and Wacha

2022 - Dayton Moore is fired. JJ Picollo is the new GM.

kept up their end of the bargain in making the Royals competitive. 2026 looks

very promising for the pitching staff as two young pitchers who came up thru

2023 - There's a new manager, Matt Quatraro. Matheny is a good manager

the system pitched extremely well last year - Kris Bubic and Noah Cameron.

but didn't have much to work with. Picollo is putting his stamp on the club.

In addition, Cole Ragins, who pitched well in '24 and battled injuries in '25

is healthy again. This should give Kansas City one of the better rotations

2023 - Aroldis Chapman is traded to Texas at trade deadline for Cole Ragans

in baseball.

Nice deal by Picollo.

Relief Pitching:

2024 - In a surprise, the Royals throw around a little money in the off season.

□ Closer Carlos Estevez, 33, '25 Trade from Phillies, '25 4-5 2.45 42saves

They pick the bones of the San Diego Padres for a couple of solid pieces for

□ Lucas Erceg, 31, '24 Trade from A's, '25 8-4 2.64

their rotation in Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo. Those two join Cole Ragans

□ LHP Matt Strahm, 34, '26 Trade from Phillies, '25 2-3 3.74

who was picked up at the trade deadline in '23 from the Rangers, Brady

□ John Schreiber, 32, '24 Trade with Boston, '25 3-3 3.80

Singer a homegrown product who is looking to bounce back from a bad year,

□ Alex Lange, 30, '26 FA from Detroit, '23 7-5 3.68

and a couple of Atlanta Braves, Nick Anderson, who adds nice depth and

□ RHP Nick Mears, 29, '26 Trade with Milwaukee, '25 5-3 3.49

Kyle Wright who was 21-5 just two years ago. Former Royals first round pick

□ Daniel Lynch, 29, '18 1st round pick, '25 6-2 3.06

Jackson Kowar went the other way to the Braves.

□ Steven Cruz, 27, '23 Trade with Twins, '25 3-1 3.74

□ LHP John Means, 32, '26 FA from Cleveland, '24 2-0 2.61

2024 - Surprised me. The Royals made the playoffs and won the wild card

□ RHP Mason Black, 26, '26 Trade SF, '25 0-0 6.75

round. In the process they gained an amazing thirty games in the standings.

The bullpen is a strength. Estevez is a quality closer. And there are a lot of

One of the best single season turnarounds in big league history.

effective relievers leading to Estevez.

The Diamondbacks gained 35 games in 1999. The Red Sox gained 33 games

in 1946. The Braves gained 33 games in 1936.

Regulars:

□ C Carter Jensen, 22, '21 draft 3rd round pick, '25 3 13 .300

Kansas City gave up a whopping 215 runs less in '24 than in '23.

□ 1B Vinnie Pasquantino, 28, '19 11th round pick, '25 32 113 .264

The Royals scored 59 more runs in '24 than in '23.

□ 2B Jonathan India, 29, '25 Trade with Reds, '25 9 45 .233

□ SS Bobby Witt, 26, '19 draft 2nd overall pick, '25 23 88 .295 38sb

Compare the '23 rotation to '24

□ 3B Maikel Garcia, 26, '16 IFA, '25 16 74 .286 23sb

Cole Ragins was 5-2 2.64 in '23 and 11-9 3.14 in '24, comparable sort of

□ OF Jac Caglianone, 23, '24 draft 6th overall pick, '25 7 18 .157

Brady Singer was 8-11 5.52 in '23 and 9-13 3.71 in '24, comparable sort of

□ CF Kyle Isbel, 29, '18 3rd round pick, '25 4 33 .255

Alex Marsh was 3-9 5.59 in '23 and 9-9 4.53 in '24, a six game swing

□ OF Isaac Collins, 28, '26 Trade Milwaukee, '25 9 54 .263

Jordan Lyles and Zach Grienke were combined 8-32 5.67 in '23

□ DH Salvador Perez, 36, '06 IFA, '25 30 100 .236

Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha were combined 29-17 3.12 in '24

□ IF Michael Massey, 28, '19 draft 4th round pick, '25 3 20 .244

Those two alone make up for more than half of the thirty game swing.

□ OF Nick Loftin, 27, '20 draft 1st round pick, '25 4 20 .208

KC added closer Carlos Estevez, 32, as a FA from the Phillies.

□ OF Tyler Tolbert, 28, '19 draft 13th round pick, '25 6 21 .280

He was 4-5 2.45 with 26 saves last season and is a big addition to the bullpen.

□ OF Lane Thomas, 30, '26 FA from Cleveland, '25 4 11 .160

□ C Elias Diaz, 35, '26 FA SD, '25 9 29 .204

Compare '23 hitters to '24

□ 2B Brandon Drury, 33, '26 FA from Anaheim, '24 4 15 .169

C Salvador Perez 23 80 .255 in '23, 27 104 .271 in '24

□ OF Kameron Misner, 28, '26 Trade with TB, '25 5 22 .213

SS Bobby Witt 30 96 .276 in '23, 32 109 .332 in '24

Hitting is a problem and, if one or two youngsters don't step up, will hold KC

1B Vinnie Pasquantino 9 26 .247 in '23, 19 97 .262 in '24

back from making the playoffs. The Royals have a quality center of the

OF Hunter Renfroe 15 52 .229 in '24 - FA addition in '24

order in superstar SS Bobby Witt, veteran C Salvador Perez, slugging

The team scored 59 more runs in '24 and these guys were the reason why

1B Vinnie Pasquantino and quality 3B Maikel Garcia who was just signed to a

five year contract extension. Unfortunately for Kansas City, there is a huge

2025 - Kansas City trades starter Brady Singer to the Reds for second baseman

dropoff from those four. 2B Jonathan India, who KC paid a large price for

Jonathan India. The Royals needed a lead off man and Piccolo, correctly,

(Brady Singer) was beaned early in the season and stopped hitting after that.

felt he could afford to give up Singer because he had Bubic and Cameron

He needs to recover. After that, the Royals need at least one or two of

waiting in the wings.

their young players to step up this season. The candidates:

The deal turned out to be a dud because India didn't hit after he got beaned.

OF Tyler Tolbert, 28; OF Nick Loftin (former 1st round pick) 27;

If India recovers in 2026 it will be considered an OK deal because KC still needs

OF Isaac Collins (picked up in a trade from Milwaukee) 28;

someone to lead off.

OF Jac Caglianone (1st round pick) 23; C Carter Jensen 22.

If the youngsters don't step up, it will be hard for the Royals to make the

playoffs. It's up to their player development now.