The Baltimore Orioles (95-67) took home their first World Series since 1983, defeating the Chicago Cubs (93-69) 4-1.
The Royals (86-76) got swept by the Texas Rangers (80-82 AL West Champions) in the Wildcard Series, after a
third placed finish in the division. In what would become a familiar story, the Royals reached the All-Star break in great shape (
57-41 but finished the season 29-35.
The season was carried by the bats of a club legend and a future legend in C
Salvador Perez and SS
Bobby Witt Jr.
Witt Jr., fresh off his 14-year contract signed that summer, produced the greatest WAR (8.1) season in Royals history, as well as breaking into the top ten in slugging pct (5th - 0.567), runs (4th – 118), hits (10th – 196), total bases (2nd – 350), and doubles (5th – 47). He finished 2nd in the AL MVP Award.
Perez, AL Platinum Stick winner at C, produced top ten all-time Royal seasons in batting average (2nd - 0.342), OPS (7th - 0.948), WAR (10th - 5.8), and RBIs (9th – 116). He finished 3rd in the AL MVP Award.
Joey Gallo set the unwanted record of the all-time most strikeouts in a season. The Washington National outfielder had 238 strikeouts.
Awards
AL Great Gloves
NL Great Gloves
AL Platinum Sticks (Perez C KC)
NL Platinum Sticks
AL Reliever of the Year –
Robert Stevenson LAA
NL Reliever of the Year –
Paul Sewald ARI
AL Rookie of the Year –
Evan Carter TEX
NL Rookie of the Year –
Michael Busch CHC
AL Cy Young –
Ty Madden DET
NL Cy Young –
Justin Steele CHC
AL MVP –
Gunnar Henderson BAL (2nd Witt Jr KC; 3rd Perez KC)
NL MVP –
Michael Harris II ATL
Major Injuries
The Royals avoided major injuries, with only P
Nick Pivetta suffering a season ending injury, injured on July 27 (one week after they acquired him) for 5 months with shoulder inflammation.
Other notable injuries around the league:
PITCHERS
- Clayton Kershaw LAD suffered a setback in his recovery from injury. He elected to retire rather than continue his rehabilitation.
- Jose Berrios TOR diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff, will miss 14 months.
- Mike Clevinger SEA diagnosed with a torn flexor tendon in his elbow, will miss 13-14 months.
- Jordan Montgomery ARI diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament, will miss 13 months.
- Jon Gray TEX diagnosed with a stretched elbow ligament, will miss 11 months.
- Pablo Lopez MIN diagnosed with a torn labrum, will miss 10 months
- Kade McClure PIT diagnosed with a torn labrum, will miss 9 months.
- Steven Matz STL diagnosed with a torn labrum, will miss 7-8 months.
- John Brebbia CHW diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament, will miss 14 months.
- David Robertson TEX diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament, will miss 13 months.
- Jordan Balazovic MIN diagnosed with a torn flexor tendon in his elbow, will miss 13 months.
- Anthony DeSclafani MIN diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff, will miss 12 months.
- Luis Garcia LAA diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament, will miss 12 months.
- Johnny Cueto TEX diagnosed with a torn ulnar collateral ligament, will miss 11 months.
- Lance Lynn STL diagnosed with a torn flexor tendon in his elbow, will miss 10-11 months.
BATTERS
- CF Cody Bellinger CHC diagnosed with a ruptured Achilles tendon, will miss 8 months.
- SS Jeremy Pena HOU diagnosed with a torn labrum, will miss 8 months.
Trades
The Royals were active in the run up to the trade deadline, involved in no less than 8 deals in the last two weeks of July.
- The Kansas City Royals traded 19-year old minor league C Jose Medina to the Washington Nationals, getting 33-year old RHP Dylan Floro in return.
- The Kansas City Royals traded 24-year old minor league LF Peyton Wilson to the Boston Red Sox, getting 31-year old RHP Nick Pivetta in return.
- The Kansas City Royals traded 24-year old minor league LF Luca Tresh and 18-year old minor league 1B Darvin Cruz to the Boston Red Sox, getting 38-year old RHP Chris Martin and $3,180,000 in cash in return.
- The Kansas City Royals traded 24-year old minor league LF Joe Gray Jr. to the Cincinnati Reds, getting 30-year old LHP Alex Young and $210,000 in cash in return.
- The Kansas City Royals traded 31-year old LHP Josh Taylor and 19-year old minor league C Blake Mitchell to the Texas Rangers, getting 26-year old 2B Josh Smith and 19-year old minor league RF Anthony Gutierrez in return.
- The Kansas City Royals traded 23-year old minor league 3B Trevor Werner and 20-year old minor league LHP Dameivi Tineo to the Arizona Diamondbacks, getting 29-year old RHP Miguel Castro and $1,640,000 in cash in return.
- The Oakland Athletics traded 31-year old 3B J.D. Davis and $260,000 in cash to the Kansas City Royals, getting 21-year old minor league CF Erick Pena and 18-year old minor league CF Jose Paulino in return.
- The Kansas City Royals traded 26-year old minor league 2B Michael Massey to the Oakland Athletics, getting 27-year old LHP Francisco Perez, 24-year old minor league LF Lawrence Butler, and $10,000 in cash in return.
Draft
The 2024 draft saw the Royals with the 6th pick in the draft. Picking one of only two high school players in the top ten this year, the Royals picked up SS
Caleb Bonemer. A strong bat was paired with good defense that could have been enhanced through the development lab as Caleb progressed.
Bonemer was traded to the Padres this year for a six-month rental 1B, having seen this potential erode over the last two years.
The top five picks of the first round were:
Round 1, Pick 1 - Cleveland Guardians: RF
Charlie Condon, age 21 out of college
Round 1, Pick 2 - Cincinnati Reds: 2B
Travis Bazzana, age 21 out of college
Round 1, Pick 3 - Colorado Rockies: 2B
J.J. Wetherholt, age 21 out of college
Round 1, Pick 4 - Oakland Athletics: CF
Vance Honeycutt, age 21 out of college
Round 1, Pick 5 - Chicago White Sox: 3B
Tommy White, age 21 out of college