Can the Royals Keep Their Momentum Rolling Into 2025?
Following a breakout 2024 MLB season, the Kansas City Royals begin the 2025 season with higher expectations as they look to build on their resurgent year. In 2024, after being projected to win around 70-78 games and having less than a 50% chance to reach the playoffs, the Royals exceeded all expectations, enjoying historic highs after bouncing back from a franchise-worst 106-loss season in 2023. As part of their improved performance last season, Kansas City clinched a Wild Card spot and upset the top Wild Card team, the Baltimore Orioles, before falling to the New York Yankees in the ALDS. Despite falling short of their ultimate goal last season, Kansas City enters 2025 aiming to build on their success and return to the postseason for a second consecutive year.
Before the start of 2025 Spring Training, the Royals made several significant offseason signings and retentions that are expected to have a noticeable impact on their play this season. The most notable acquisitions included trading for former Cincinnati Reds second baseman Jonathan India, who brings speed and another offensive weapon to the lineup. Additionally, Kansas City re-signed several key players from last season, including Michael Wacha and Michael Lorenzen, and retained veteran outfielder Hunter Renfroe, who picked up his player option for this season. Entering 2025, the Royals are expected to rely heavily on their starting rotation, led by Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, and Wacha, all of whom played instrumental roles in the team's 2024 success, which saw Kansas City post the eighth-best team ERA at 3.76 and give up the seventh-fewest earned runs in the regular season.
Offensively, the Royals will depend on a blend of young talent and veteran experience, highlighted by franchise star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. and longtime Royals catcher Salvador Perez. Entering his fourth MLB season, Witt Jr., 24, is coming off his second straight 30-plus home run season and his first 100-plus RBI campaign. Meanwhile, the ageless Perez, who will turn 35 in May, continues to be a cornerstone of Kansas City's roster after recording 27 homers and 104 RBIs last season. Along with Witt Jr. and Perez, other notable offensive talents expected to make a big impact include Vinnie Pasquantino, MJ Melendez, Hunter Renfroe, Jonathan India, and Maikel Garcia.
Despite their success in 2024, the Royals will be looking to improve upon their weaknesses from last season. At the top of the list is the bullpen, which ranked 19th in ERA and 22nd in WHIP, with Lucas Erceg, Chris Stratton, and Carlos Estevez expected to play major roles in turning it around. The Royals will also face stiff competition within the AL Central Division, as the Cleveland Guardians, Minnesota Twins, and Detroit Tigers all have legitimate playoff aspirations. Even so, the Royals have established themselves as a team that cannot be underestimated after ending their nine-year playoff drought. With their sights set on making a deeper postseason run in October, Kansas City enters the 2025 season looking to prove that 2024 was not a fluke but the start of a new chapter for Royals baseball in the years to come.
