The Royals dropped their fifth straight game last night, falling 4-0 to the Rays. They’re now 38-43, dropping into fourth place in the AL Central behind a Twins club that has also struggled mightily over the past couple weeks. After playing winning baseball in both April and May, the Royals are 7-15 in June, due largely to an offense that has consistently struggled to produce runs. They’ve been shut out in consecutive games and have been held to two or fewer runs in five straight.
Like most clubs around the league, the Royals don’t seem inclined to punt on the season anytime soon. General manager J.J. Picollo told Anne Rogers of MLB.com earlier this week that so long as the team is in “striking distance” of a postseason spot — Kansas City is presently four games back from a Wild Card berth — there’s no sense in panicking and thinking the season is over. “…[T]here are just too many games left in the season,” said Picollo.
If anything, the Royals’ baseball ops leader gives the tone of someone hopeful of adding to the club barring a major collapse. Picollo used phrases like “trying to build off of something that was really positive last year” and referenced the importance of repeat playoff appearances to the city and fan base. MLBTR readers are encouraged to check out Rogers’ entire interview, as it contains several quotes from the Royals’ GM on his mindset and the team’s situation with the deadline beginning to appear on the horizon. Notably, Picollo implied that there’d perhaps be more willingness to part with talent if he were acquiring a player with multiple years of club control (presumably, a bat to bolster a flailing Royals offense):
“If you get a lot of years of control, there are some guys you might not have wanted to trade, but are more willing to do it because you’re getting a Major League player for a number of years,” said Picollo before emphasizing the importance of keeping an open mind in trade talks. The GM went on to add that owner John Sherman has promised support of whatever direction Picollo recommends.
If the Royals are to add, the middle of the lineup would be an obvious starting point. Kansas City’s 263 runs scored this season rank last in Major League Baseball. Royals hitters entered play Thursday tied for 19th in the majors with a .244 batting average but rank 26th with a collective .298 on-base percentage and 27th with a .366 slugging percentage. Only the Pirates (55) have fewer than Kansas City’s 56 home runs. Major league home run leader Cal Raleigh has equaled 57% of the Royals’ team-wide home run output.
Entering Thursday, the Royals only had three league-average or better hitters, per the wRC+ metric (excluding Luke Maile and his 10 plate appearances). Vinnie Pasquantino’s .266/.325/.405 batting line comes out to exactly average (100 wRC+) after weighting for the Royals’ home park. Bobby Witt Jr. has been excellent but not nearly as good as last year’s MVP-caliber season, hitting .282/.338/.484 (121 wRC+). Maikel Garcia, meanwhile, has erupted with a .310/.369/.484 slash that’s 37% better than average.
Not only are those the only three hitters producing at average or better rates — no one else is even close. Jonathan India was acquired over the winter in hopes of providing some needed on-base help at the top of the lineup. He’s batting .236/.313/.330 (80 wRC+). Salvador Perez has been a rock in the heart of the lineup at Kauffman Stadium for more than a decade, but age and an ironman workload behind the plate for so many years may be catching up to him, if the 35-year-old’s .232/.273/.387 line (77 wRC+) is any indication. Top prospect Jac Caglianone has struggled to a .186/.240/.314 output through his first 75 plate appearances replacing the released Hunter Renfroe. Outfielders Drew Waters and Kyle Isbel are receiving regular playing time, but neither is hitting.
The Royals rank in the bottom-four of all major league teams in terms of production from their second basemen (.215/.295/.293, 29th), left fielders (.225/.295/.314, 27th) and designated hitters (.205/.269/.329, 27th). That leaves ample room to explore upgrades, particularly since Garcia could theoretically slide from third base to second base if Kansas City were to find a controllable solution at the hot corner. Garcia has been primarily a third baseman in his career, but he’s played just shy of 500 professional innings at second base, including 339 over the past three big league seasons in Kansas City.
The Royals opened the season about $17MM shy of the franchise-record $143MM payroll. Granted, that high water mark was established under the late David Glass, who sold the team to Sherman in Nov. 2019. However, Picollo’s comment that Sherman pledged to be “’open to anything you bring to me'” at the trade deadline bodes well for some support for a notable salary. There are surely limitations to that — it’s doubtful Kansas City was ever going to pick up the $250MM or so remaining on Rafael Devers’ contract, for instance — but the addition of a mid-range contract seems feasible.
That’s particularly true if it extends beyond the current season, as the Royals only have $50MM in guaranteed money on next year’s books. They’ll owe notable arbitration raises to Garcia, Pasquantino, Kris Bubic, Daniel Lynch IV and Lucas Erceg (among others).
The Royals should just hold unless they are blown away by offers
King Picollo needs to gather all seven dragon balls and wish for a bat to help bolster their offense.
Find out next time on dragon ball z
Royals should be actively discussing trade assets for sale- guys like Lugo and Lorenzen who are not controlled beyond this season. Make sure a young offensive-minded outfielder comes back.
I hate to give up on the season but watching all year, it’s only getting worse. There’s really no left fielder on a poor team that would help the Royals this yr
Seth Lugo for Jake McCarthy, when to Royals fall out of it and decide to sell on Lugo. AZ sure could use him as he knows the league from time in SD.
I’d be ok with that. The Royals don’t have a legitimate starting caliber outfielder on their roster. Cags will be fit a couple years, but guys like Isbel and Waters are 4th/5th OFers on a decent team.
The Royals pitching is good but the offense is a mess. They’d need to acquire at least a couple middle of the order type bats to have a serious chance of making or succeeding in the playoffs.
The royals can’t spend because they have a cheap owner. Next article
The Royals first and foremost need a new manager. Preferably a guy who knows baseball and doesn’t believe in everyone needs equal playing time so they get a participation trophy like he did when he was always picked last for t-ball
A manager who sets a line-up and leaves it. Players need to find a Rhythm by playing every day. Hard to get going when I play 2-3 days then sit for 1 or 2. Q is dumb enough he would be sitting George and Bo every couple of days.
Second they need to get a new player development dept. How do u not develop Singer Cubic Lynch and Kowar who at the time was hailed as one of the best draft class for pitchers. When was the last time they developed an OF?
3 they need an owner who actually care about the team and not be focus on a new stadium and entertainment district that will only benefit him and his buddies wallets.
4 stop with the Analytics crap. Who cares what ur bat speed is when u constantly swing and miss. Your exit velocity on the rare chance u make contact. It’s a simple game we played as kids. See the ball hit the ball. Gywnn carew Ted williams I guarantee you those guys werent worried about thier exit velo or bat speed. STOP over thinking it!! Same with pitching. Who care if you throw 100mph if it’s straight down tbe middle EVERY time. Who cares about yout spin rate when it spins over the middle of the plate EVERY pitch?? Maddux Glavine ring a bell?? They didn’t try and blow it by everyone Up down in and out. Stop trying it to throw it by everyone all the time.
Computer needs have helped ruin this game. Again it’s as simple as see the ball hit the ball. You can either hit or you can’t. Up down in out and stop worrying about your damn spin rate. Spin rate and exit velocity DONT win games.
The Baseball Dark Ages of the Twentieth Century are gone forever.
No clue what you’re going on about
Maybe the return of O’Hearn, now a bondified mlb player?