2024-25 MLB Offseason Recap: Kansas City Royals

After a loud 2023-24 offseason, coupled with team progression, the Royals went from a 56-win team to an 86-win team. Kansas City’s new-look rotation excelled, while Bobby Witt Jr. won the AL batting title and helped carry the team to the MLB Postseason. For 2025, the Royals will have a slightly different look.

Notable Additions

• RP Carlos Estevez (2.1 bWAR)
• INF Jonathan India (1.7 bWAR)
• OF Joey Wiemer (-0.2 bWAR)

Kansas City as arguably the most active team early on in free agency in 2023-24. The Royals added veteran starters Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha, both of whom were excellent. Lugo tossed 206 frames and finished second in the AL Cy Young vote, while Wacha posted a strong 126 ERA+ last season.

This offseason the focus was on A) sorting out who will bat ahead of Bobby Witt Jr. and Salvador Perez and B) getting another consistent arm for the late-innings.

The Royals accomplished the first by acquiring former NL Rookie of the Year Jonathan India from the Reds. India posted a career .352 OBP over his first four MLB seasons, showing pop but more importantly, patience at the plate. The 28-year-old walked a career-best 80 times in 2024.

With India atop the Royals’ lineup, it should put Kansas City in better position to score runs. Basic baseball knowledge indicates that having someone who can get on base should put a team’s big bats in better position to produce.

Where India will play, however, will be interesting. Kansas City has used India at second, third, and left field this spring. The Royals still have Michael Massey, who had a career-high .743 OPS last year.

Kansas City also acquired Joey Wiemer in the Reds-Royals trade.

As for the Royals’ bullpen, it wasn’t the reason why the team fell in the ALDS to the Yankees. However, with depth issues caused by ineffectiveness and injury — James McArthur won’t be ready for Opening Day — the Royals opted to acquire former All-Star Carlos Estevez.

Estevez has a hard fastball/slider combo, a combo that helped him be a strong closer for much of 2023 and 2024. He’ll form a 1-2 punch in the late-innings along with Lucas Erceg.

Notable Losses

• SP Brady Singer (3.1 bWAR)

The Royals didn’t have any notable players from their core head to market. And their most notable pending free agent, Michael Lorenzen, re-signed with the Royals after a strong run late in the year with Kansas City. Lorenzen conceded just 19 hits and a 1.57 ERA over 28.2 IP.

Lorenzen will play a significant role in 2025, thanks to the Royals’ trade for Jonathan India. It cost the team Brady Singer, a highly-effective strike-thrower with a hard sinker and very good secondary stuff.

Starting pitching is scarce across MLB, so it’s notable whenever a controllable arm like Singer — who has two years left before free agency — get moved. However, the Royals’ moves last winter, coupled with depth arms like Kris Bubic, Alec Marsh, and a recovering Kyle Wright, should give the Royals options throughout the 2025 campaign.

What to Expect in 2025

The Royals have significant expectations in 2025. With an AL MVP candidate in Bobby Witt Jr., to reliable bats like Salvador Perez and Vinnie Pasquantino, the focus will be on whether their hitting depth can supplement those names.

It wasn’t easy in 2024 for Kansas City to get significant production from outside that trio. The Royals‘ outfield was in the bottom-five last season in terms of offensive production.

As for their pitching, the goal is simple: do more of the same in 2025, as was done in 2024.