Post-ASB Review
It had been a strong second half of the season for the Royals (83-73) as they entered their final two series of the season in 1st place in the AL Central, one game ahead of the Twins, having gone 32-26 since the ASB.
In the penultimate series, the Royals drop 2/3 to the Washington Nationals, dropping back into a tie for 1st place and 2 games up in the WC race.
In the final short series of the season, the Royals faced the NL East Champion Atlanta Braves while the Twins faced the AL East Champion Baltimore Orioles. Whichever team fared better over the final two games of the season would clinch the divisional pennant and a bye in the playoffs. Importantly, the Royals held the tiebreaker, having won the seasonal series 7-6 over the Twins, off the back of a 10th inning
Bobby Witt Jr. RBI-single back in September.
- Game 1: Twins beat the Orioles 3-1; Royals beat the Braves 6-4.
- Game 2: Twins beat the Orioles 7-1; Royals go to extra innings where Jazz Chisholm Jr. hits a 3-run HR to win the game 4-2 and secure an 87-75 record and an 8th Divisional Pennant for the Kansas City Royals, and first since 2015.
Securing the bye was a big result for the Royals as it allowed
Witt Jr. some time to recover from a moderate quad strain suffered in the Nationals series.
Trades
Friday 23rd July
The Kansas City Royals traded 29-year old RF
Estevan Florial and 23-year old minor league SS
Carter Garate to the Los Angeles Angels, getting 17-year old minor league CF
Juan Ramirez, 24-year old minor league RHP
Drew Beam, and 17-year old minor league RHP
Ernesto Mora in return.
Injuries
- Kansas City Royals: RP John McMillon diagnosed with shoulder inflammation, will miss 7-8 months.
- Kansas City Royals: RP Stevie Emanuels KC diagnosed with bone chips in his elbow, will miss 6 months.
Playoffs
The Royals would face the 81-81 AL West Champion Texas Rangers in the AL Division Series in a repeat of the 2024 Wild Card series, which the Rangers swept 2-0.
Game 1 in Kansas City: Carlos Hernandez vs. Shane Baz (July 1 acquisition from TB)
- Rangers WIN 5-1
- Baz (W): 7.1 IP, 3H, 0R
- Hernandez (L): 5 IP, 7H, 4R
- Series Score: 1-0 TEXAS
Game 2 in Kansas City: Mason Barnett vs. Tyler Ivey (July 2026 acquisition from COL)
- Rangers WIN 5-2
- Ivey (W): 6 IP, 5H, 3R
- Barnett (L): 4.1 IP, 2H, 5R
- Corey Seager: 3-run HR top of the 1st
- Series Score: 2-0 TEXAS
Game 3 in Arlington: Anthony Veneziano vs. Mason Black (July 25 acquisition from SF)
- Royals WIN 7-0
- Veneziano (W): 6 IP, 3H, 0R
- Black (L): 5 IP, 5H, 1R
- Perez Jr.: RBI double, 2nd
- Jazz Chisholm Jr.: Grand Slam, 8th
- Series Score: 2-1 TEXAS
Game 4 in Arlington: Freddy Peralta vs. Sandy Alcantara (2027 FA signing)
- Rangers WIN 7-4
- Peralta: 3.2 IP, 8H, 4R
- Alcantara: 4 IP, 6H, 3R
- Gomez (L): 1.2 IP, 3H, 3R
- Blake Mitchell: 2R HR, 8th
- Series Score: Texas WINS 3-1
The Royals season comes to an end in the American League Division Series, the Rangers progressing at Kansas City’s expense for the second time in the last 4 years. A lack of quality pitching cost the Royals as they gave up 5+ runs three times in the 4-game series.
However, a season that started with the goal of a winning record that ends with a Divisional Series appearance must be considered a success. Looking back to preseason, the Royals finished one game below their preseason prediction, and aligned with their Pythagorean record.
Owner Goals Review
Goal Deadline Progress
Achieve a Winning Record 2027
Achieved – 87-75
Improve your team Runs Scored 2027
Achieved – 11th to 3rd
Acquire an All-Star 2029
Achieved –
Gonsolin &
Gomez
Reach Playoffs 2029
Achieved – Divisional Series
More drafted players 2029 No progress
Build a top-6 minor league system 2030 29th – 12th
Improve IA finds 2033 No progress
Minor Leagues
Post Season
Omaha Storm Chasers [AAA] missed the Playoffs by 6½ games.
Northwest Arkansas Naturals [AA] lost in the Championship Final.
Quad Cities River Bandits [A+] lost in the 1st Round of the Playoffs.
Columbia Fireflies [A] missed the Playoffs by 3 games.
Kansas City (ACL) Royals [R] lost in the 1st Round of the Playoffs.
Kansas City (DSL) Royals Stewart [R] won the Championship.
Kansas City (DSL) Royals Glass [R] missed the Playoffs by 9 games.
Around the League
Results
After eliminating the Royals, the Rangers came up against another AL Central team in the Twins. The Twins avenged Kansas City, cruising past Texas 4-1 to reach the World Series.
Over in the National League, it was San Diego reaching the finals, knocking out St Louis, L.A. and Chicago on the way.
And it was the Padres who would clinch the World Series, a 4-2 victory earning their first every World Series.
Records
The Orioles
Jud Fabian equalled an unwanted MLB record by striking out 238 times, matching
Joey Gallo’s 2024 record.
Major Injuries
Pitchers
- Walker Buehler LAD diagnosed with a stretched elbow ligament, will miss 12 months.
- Dustin May LAD diagnosed with a torn back muscle, will miss 4 months.
- Eduard Bazardo LAD diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff, will miss 7 months.
- Luis Castillo SEA diagnosed with a torn rotator cuff, will miss 4-5 months.
- Paul Skenes PIT diagnosed with a partially torn ulnar collateral ligament, will miss 8-9 months.
- Cody Morris NYY diagnosed with a partially torn labrum, will miss 3-4 months.
- Jackson Jobe DET diagnosed with a damaged elbow ligament, will miss 12 months.
- José Soriano LAA diagnosed with a torn meniscus, will miss 4 months.
- Luis Frias CHC diagnosed with a fractured elbow, will miss 8 months.
- Hayden Birdsong CWS diagnosed with shoulder inflammation, will miss 6 months.
- Nick Nastrini STL diagnosed with a torn meniscus, will miss 4-5 months.
- Ryan Borucki ATL diagnosed with bone chips in his elbow, will miss 7-8 months.
- Angel Felipe NYY diagnosed with a torn labrum, will miss 12 months.
Hitters
- SS Carlos Correa MIN diagnosed with a severely strained hip muscle, will miss 4-5 months.
- 2B Oswald Peraza SF diagnosed with a partially torn labrum, will miss 4 months.
- 1B Graham Pauley SD diagnosed with a fractured knee, will miss 6 months.
- CF Dylan Crews WAS diagnosed with a broken kneecap, will miss 5 months.
- 1B Jake Burger STL diagnosed with a ruptured Achilles tendon, will miss 4 months.
- RF Aaron Judge NYY diagnosed with a broken kneecap, will miss 8 months.
- 2B Tommy Edman NYM diagnosed with a torn anterior cruciate ligament, will miss 9
- months.
- RF Kyle Tucker ATL diagnosed with a ruptured Achilles tendon, will miss 4-5 months.
Extensions
- Chicago Cubs: 2B Matt Shaw 5-years $50,820,000.
- San Diego Padres: SP Robby Snelling 5 years $93,100,000.
- Milwaukee Brewers: 2B Joey Ortiz 5 years $48,380,000.
- Texas Rangers: LF Wyatt Langford 5 years $40,480,000.
- Boston Red Sox: C Kyle Teel 8 years $160,100,000.
Next, 2027 Player Evaluation…