Let’s take a look at the Kansas City Royals’ 2024 season, the questions the team will have to address this winter, and the early outlook for 2025.

Read more: 2024 MLB Offseason Preview: What’s Next for the Orioles, Astros, Phillies and More??

Postseason result

After securing the American League’s second wild card, the Royals defeated the Orioles in the wild card round and then lost in the ALDS to the Yankees in four games.

Kansas City’s pitching is the main reason they made it past the Orioles and weren’t overwhelmed by the Yankees. Michael Wacha was the only starting pitcher on the team with a postseason ERA above 3.90.

The offense is the reason the Royals didn’t advance. Vinnie Pasquantino was unable to recover from a long injury layoff and batted just .130 in October. MJ Melendez had an OBP of .150. The biggest knock was that Bobby Witt Jr. was as ineffective as any hitter on the team in the postseason, posting a .192 average and a .414 OPS.

Things that went well

The Royals finally turned things around in a long rebuild, posting their first winning record and making their first postseason appearance since winning the World Series in 2015. Remarkably, Kansas City won 30 more games this season than in 2023.

Bobby Witt Jr. was by far the biggest catalyst for improvement. The 24-year-old made great strides for the second year in a row and is now one of baseball’s superstars. Witt led the majors in batting average and was fourth in OPS. He was one of three 30-30 players and his WAR of 10.4 ranked behind only Yankees superstar Aaron Judge.

Witt was well supported by veteran Salvador Perez, who posted an impressive .786 OPS, hit 27 home runs and led all catchers with 104 RBI. Vinnie Pasquantino also made a significant contribution, scoring 97 runs in 131 games before suffering a regular season-ending thumb injury on August 29. He returned in time for the playoffs, but the DH contributed only three hits of Kansas City’s six playoff games.

There were also significant contributions on the pitching side, as Seth Lugo, Cole Ragans, Brady Singer and Michael Wacha each posted an ERA under 3.75 and threw more than 165 innings. Lugo was particularly effective as he went 16-9 and ranked 10th in baseball in ERA.

Things that went wrong

The bullpen was the most disappointing area for this team as they finished 20th in baseball in ERA. Three of the top five Royals in appearances finished with an ERA over 4.90. Acquiring closer Lucas Erceg at the trade deadline was helpful, but wasn’t enough to solve all the problems, especially when fellow July acquisition Hunter Harvey ended up on the IL after just 5 2/3 innings for his new team.

The outfield was also a constant headache. Hunter Renfroe, MJ Melendez and Kyle Isbel led the team in outfield appearances, and all three players finished with an OPS under .700. Nelson Velázquez was expected to play a big role in the outfield after his breakout season in 2023, but he posted a .640 OPS in 64 games and spent half the season in the minors.

Off season plans

The Royals have a greater number of obvious strengths and obvious weaknesses than the average team.

The infield is a surefire strength. Perez returns behind the plate, while Pasquantino (first base), Michael Massey (second base) and Witt (shortstop) are under the team’s control for several years. Maikel Garcia will return at third, although the team could look for an upgrade after he posted a .614 OPS in 2024. Freddy Fermin has also proven to be a reliable catcher, giving manager Matt Quatraro the flexibility to sometimes use Perez at first base or at DH.

Better production in the outfield must be a priority. Melendez and Isbel remain under contract while Renfroe leaves in free agency. Speedster Dairon Blanco is a weapon on the bench, but he doesn’t hit well enough to solve the problems in the outfield. For general manager JJ Picollo, an obvious winter move would be to add an outfielder or two via trade or free agency.

Three-fifths of the rotation is fixed, with Lugo, Ragans and Singer. Alec Marsh has been inconsistent in 2024 but is good enough to earn one of the two remaining spots in spring training. With Wacha likely to decline his player option and enter free agency, there is no one on the roster who has started four times this year. Kyle Wright could take a spot after missing this season while recovering from shoulder surgery in 2023, but counting on him is overly optimistic. Adding a reliable starter in the offseason would help Royals fans sleep better.

The relief corps also needs help but should be better with Erceg and Harvey around all season. All of the team’s key backup players for 2024 remain under contract, and given the pressing needs in the outfield and rotation, management could conclude that bullpen upgrades must come via player development or next summer.

Perspectives on the horizon

The Royals are in a tough spot for a team on the rise as their farm system is considered below MLB average. The organization’s two most recent first-round draft picks, Jac Caglianone and Blake Mitchell, are the best prospects of the bunch. Unfortunately, neither player made it to Double-A and will therefore likely spend all of 2025 in the minors.

Right-hander Ben Kudma could find his way into the team’s rotation next summer. The 21-year-old reached Double-A and balances a mediocre fastball with solid secondary offerings (slider, changeup). However, his ceiling doesn’t appear to be particularly high at the moment.

Gavin Cross has a good chance of coming to Kansas City next season, especially because he would fill a need in the outfield. The 23-year-old has plenty of power and plenty of speed and has bounced back well after a disappointing 2023 season.

Goals for 2025

The Royals find themselves in a strange position. At first glance, they are ready to compete for the AL Central title. After all, they have made great strides this season and have one of the best players in baseball in Witt. But there are significant holes in the roster and an overall lack of depth, with little immediate help on the horizon from the minors.

By adding two or three free agents at positions of need, Kansas City could have as good a chance of winning the division as the Guardians, Tigers or Twins. But if the front office stalls and players like Witt and Lugo regress after remarkable campaigns, Kansas City could be overtaken in an increasingly competitive division.

Fantasy focus

Witt is a special fantasy asset. The 24-year-old will go first overall in many drafts and should be a top-three pick in every league. Perez will be the next Royals position player to come off the board as he is valued as a top-five catcher. Pasquantino will be a useful middle-round option and Garcia will be attractive in roto leagues due to his base-stealing ability.

Although Lugo was the team’s most productive pitcher in 2024, Ragans will be selected as the starting starter next year. He is eight years younger than Lugo and impresses fantasy managers with his high strikeout numbers. Ragans is valued by some managers as a borderline ace, while Lugo is viewed as a No. 2 or No. 3 starter. Singer will be a middle-round option, as will Erceg, assuming Quatraro designates him as a closer in spring training.