The Kansas City Royals, in their own weird way, might be baseball’s ultimate small market team.
Free agency signings are a rarity. Player development and small budgets are king. If that’s enough to clinch a playoff berth in the oh-so-soft-and-Midwestern AL Central, wonderful! Casseroles and keggers for everybody! Royals ownership must have celebrated accordingly last year, even though they lost in the ALDS to the eventual American League champion Yankees.
This season, the Royals could be ready to take that next step towards winning the Central outright. They ranked 10th in baseball last year with a .248 team batting average and 13th in runs scored. Their 3.78 staff ERA ranked eighth, mere ticks behind the Yankees’ 3.76. The only flaw the Royals had was ranking 20th in home runs.
It’s a new year with an even newer Royals team. In a healthier and stronger 2025, the ALDS might just be the beginning.
Greatest Addition: Jonathan India. Every team needs an upgrade somewhere, and Kansas City needed one in their infield. Thus, general manager J.J. Piccolo called the Reds and acquired former Rookie of the Year Jonathan India. He is expected to be used in something of a super-utility role while Michael Massey tends second base. Understandable, given India’s -31 career defensive runs saved (DRS) at the position.
Hitting-wise, India should fare well at or near the top of Kansas City’s lineup. He hit .248 with 15 homers and 58 RBI in Cincinnati last year and his 108 wRC+ was his first time breaking 100 since his rookie year. The man can hit, but can be streaky and tends to lose steam after the All-Star Break.
Just the same, India has more protection in the lineup in KC. If he’s patient, takes his walks and lets the pitches come to him, he’ll boost the lineup as needed.
Greatest Loss: Brady Singer. Unfortunately, trades come at a cost and gaining India meant losing Brady Singer. The big righty was shipped to the Reds after another solid season in Kansas City. Singer went 9-13 with a 3.71 ERA while pitching a career-high 179.2 innings.
Of course, losing Singer doesn’t sink the Royals’ postseason aspirations. The rotation is still strong up top and should still perform at or near last year’s level. Just the same, Kansas City will miss Singer’s crafty sinker/slider combo.
Greatest Strength: Pitching staff. Not to be the broken record, but the Royals can pitch. What’s more, no arm in their rotation relies on overwhelming velocity to get guys out. KC’s arms are mostly crafty junkballers who like to frustrate opposing hitters all over the strike zone.
There’s Seth Lugo, last year’s AL Cy Young runner-up who throws nine different pitches and just tossed a career-best 206.2 innings at age 34. The lefty Cole Ragans can average a shade over 95 mph on his fastball, but his changeup is his real bread-and-butter. Michael Wacha can eat innings and his offspeed run value was +17 last year.
Add veteran Michael Lorenzen and an improved Kris Bubic, and the Royals have one pesky pitching staff.
Greatest Weakness: Top-heavy lineup. Look at the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Aside from just being a really good team, their lineup is stacked top to bottom. The top third alone features three MVPs, so everyone from the leadoff man to the No. 9 guy has tons of protection.
Not so much in Kansas City. The Royals’ lineup is talented, but top-heavy to a fault. Who are the power threats besides MVP runner-up Bobby Witt Jr., lefty slugger Vinnie Pasquantino, and future Hall of Fame catcher Salvador Perez? Maybe MJ Melendez and Hunter Renfroe, but both are streaky beyond belief.
Granted, Pasquantino missed the final month of the season with a thumb injury, which certainly zapped some of the Royals’ power down the stretch. He had 19 home runs last year and should surpass that this season. But aside from him, Witt, and Perez, Kansas City is essentially banking on breakout years from Melendez or someone like Michael Massey.
Will the Royals see themselves crowned in 2025? They certainly have the talent for a deep playoff run. The pitching staff can keep up with the game’s best. Bobby Witt Jr. is a multi-time MVP waiting to happen, and we still haven’t seen the best from Pasquantino. Even Perez continues to play at All-Star standards in his mid-30s.
But therein lies the key to the Royals running deep into October. They have to hit powerfully, and also get the heart of their order some support. Kansas City has its core hitters, but who’s going to be their Kiké Hernandez type who shows up with the clutch plays out of nowhere?
The Royals can build off of last season and have a pretty lengthy runway to get there. It’s just about making sure the lineup hits, hits, and hits some more.
FOR FULL STORY ON STANDARD WEBSITE: ESNY’s MLB Preview 2025: Will Kansas City Royals ascend to their throne? | Elite Sports NY