One of the league’s longest-running rebuilds was finally put to rest last year. Not only that, but they feature one of the best players in today’s game, and for years to come.

These are the Kansas City Royals, and they have their eyes on much larger goals than just simply making the playoffs. Let’s dive into what they accomplished last year and how they addressed their offseason needs.

For the first time since their 2015 World Series championship and only the third time since 1985, the Royals were playing postseason baseball last season. They finished with an 86-76 record and a second-place finish in the American League Central division, a group that occupied a lot of the AL Wild Card picture for most of the 2024 season. Kansas City only led the division for 10 calendar days, spending the majority of their year in second or third.

They swept the Orioles in the AL Wild Card round, only needing three total runs to take care of business. They only allowed one run over those two games, something that I’ll touch on later. Unfortunately, the Royals fell to the New York Yankees in the ALDS in four games, struggling to muster runs in the latter two of that series.

Naturally, the Kansas City Royals start and end with SS Bobby Witt Jr., who is already validating the 11-year, $288.7 million deal which he signed before the 2024 season. Witt was sensational last year, slashing .332/.389/.588 with a .977 OPS, 32 home runs, 109 RBIs, 45 doubles, 11 triples, and 31 stolen bases. He was named to his first All-Star game, finished second in American League MVP voting, and also won his first Silver Slugger and Gold Glove awards while leading the league in hits (211). That is an accomplished season.

Witt played in 161 games last year, starting at shortstop in all but one of them. He had only one month in which his monthly batting average didn’t end above .300, and only two months in which his monthly OPS didn’t finish above .900.

Like a fine wine, C Salvador Perez just gets better with age. Turning 35 this year, Perez put together another tremendous season for the Royals, slashing .271/.330/.456 with a .786 OPS, 27 home runs, 104 RBIs, and 28 doubles. It was only the second time in his career that he eclipsed 100 RBIs, but he was named to his ninth All-Star team and won his 5th career Silver Slugger award.

Perez started 90 games at catcher, but if he was DH’ing or playing first, the Royals had a solid backup in C Freddy Fermin who hit .271 in 111 games.

Another one of Kansas City’s run producers was 1B Vinnie Pasquantino, who missed the final three months of the previous campaign with a torn labrum. Despite missing a little over a month with a right thumb fracture, Pasquantino played in a career-high 131 games, homering 19 times and driving in 97. Unfortunately, the Royals didn’t have a very deep batting order. Then-newcomers Hunter Renfroe and Adam Frazier both had underwhelming seasons and a pair of their younger pieces, MJ Melendez and Nelson Velázquez, also struggled mightily.

Aside from having Witt Jr. on their team, Kansas City’s strength was their starting rotation. The Royals ranked third amongst all MLB teams in quality starts, heavily aided by four starting pitchers who made 29+ starts and held under 4.00 ERAs.

We’ll start with Seth Lugo, who was signed to a two-year, $30 million deal before the 2024 season. It’s safe to say this was money well spent for Kansas City, as Lugo finished second in AL Cy Young voting behind an even 3.00 ERA, a 1.09 WHIP, and a 7.9 K/9. Lugo also made his first career All-Star game, received AL MVP votes, and even won his first career Gold Glove award. While not reaching elite levels, Lugo improved several of his underlying metrics from his 2023 season with the Padres, including average exit velocity, chase percentage, and hard-hit percentage. He struck out six in his 4.1 innings of work in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series against Baltimore, allowing only one earned run and five hits.

Giving the Royals similar levels of production was Cole Ragans, who continued to make his 2023 trade from the Rangers look like a massive steal for Kansas City. Ragans made a career-best 32 starts, posting a 3.14 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, and an AL-best 10.8 K/9. Like Lugo, Ragans made his first career All-Star game, and he finished fourth in AL Cy Young voting.

He started Game 1 of the aforementioned Wild Card series against Baltimore, throwing six scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and zero walks. Per Baseball Savant, Ragans generated a 47.8 whiff percentage on his changeup, and he ranked at the 90th percentile in overall whiff rate.

Fellow starter Brady Singer also made a career-high 32 starts, posting a 3.71 ERA, and Michael Wacha held a 3.35 ERA over 29 starts. Wacha would be re-signed to a three-year deal with Kansas City in early November.

The Royals acquired one of their high-leverage arms of the future in Lucas Erceg at last year’s trade deadline, sending reliever Will Klein and two prospects to the A’s in the deal. Erceg appeared in 23 games down the stretch with Kansas City, owning a 2.88 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, and an 11.2 K/9. Under team control until 2030, Erceg saved 11 games for the Royals, as well as both Wild Card wins over Baltimore.

The Royals started their offseason by strengthening the batting order, acquiring 2B Jonathan India and OF Joey Wiemer from the Cincinnati Reds in exchange for Singer. Under team control through the 2026 season, India is coming off of his most healthy campaign since his rookie year, slashing .248/.357/.392 with a .750 OPS, 15 home runs, 58 RBIs, and 28 doubles. He stayed relatively underwhelming for the most part month-to-month, save for the 1.041 OPS he posted in June when he racked up 35 hits in 27 games.

India saw his walk rate reach a career-high and his strikeout rate reach a career-low last season, something that the Royals are hoping translates to his game this year. He’s hit leadoff in all spring training games to this point ahead of Witt Jr., and the Royals have thrown him at second base, third base, and left field on defense.

Wiemer had a very short stint the with Reds last year after being acquired from Milwaukee in a deal that was headlined by Frankie Montas heading the other way. Wiemer was drafted in 2020 by the Brewers and made his major league debut in 2023, a season in which he hit .204/.283/.362 in 132 games. He bounced between triple-A and the majors as well as fought multiple injuries last season, only appearing in 21 games. Wiemer was a highly-touted prospect in Milwaukee’s season just a couple of years ago, and his lack of overall MLB appearances still leaves plenty of room for growth.

After liking what they saw at the end of last year, the Royals re-signed SP Michael Lorenzen to a one-year, $7 million contract with a mutual option for ’26. Lorenzen was acquired at the trade deadline and appeared in seven games (six starts), pitching to a 1.57 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 22 strikeouts. He also pitched two games out of the bullpen for them during the ALDS, allowing one earned run and striking out three over 2.1 innings. Since mainly becoming a starter in 2022, Lorenzen’s advanced stats haven’t been anything to write home about, but he’s been solid enough in the back end of whichever rotation he has been in.

The Royals also bolstered their bullpen with the signing of veteran high-leverage reliever Carlos Estévez to a two-year, $22 million contract. Estévez started last season with the Los Angeles Angels but was dealt to the Phillies at the trade deadline. Between those two teams, he owned a 2.45 ERA, 0.91 WHIP, 8.2 K/9, and 26 saves. Now giving the Royals two high-leverage options with him and Erceg, last year was the first time in Estévez’s career that he finished a season with an ERA under 3.00.

Kansas City’s minor league deals included several familiar names to Blue Jays fans, including SP Ross Stripling, 2B Cavan Biggio, SP Thomas Hatch, 3B Jordan Groshans, and C Luke Maile. Groshans has been solid through 12 spring games, posting a .333 batting average and a .967 OPS.

After looking at Kansas City’s winter moves, it’s safe to say they got better, but I just felt like they were one move away. Don’t get me wrong, they have a good chance to win the AL Central, especially with Detroit not necessarily swinging for the fences as well. However, Kansas City isn’t head and shoulders above the rest of the pack.

They’ll more than likely be in a good position to acquire an impact bat or another starter at the trade deadline, but until then, they’ll be relying on what they’ve got internally. Former 20-game winner Kyle Wright is set to pitch in live BP sessions this week after missing all of last season recovering from shoulder surgery. He probably won’t be ready for Opening Day, but once he returns, they’ve got another arm to throw into the mix.

Getting a breakout season in the lineup from someone like Melendez, Velázquez, or Maikel Garcia would be much welcomed as well. If not, Witt Jr. will have to put the team on his shoulders again. He had a legitimate MVP case last season, so we know he’s capable of it.

I wouldn’t want to face this team in a three-game Wild Card series. If you don’t believe me, just go ask the Orioles. Kansas City is capable of getting past the ALDS, but whether it’s internal or external, they’re likely a piece or two away.

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