Royals defy expectations on the road to resurgence

Drafting Bobby Witt Jr. second overall in 2019 proved crucial. Witt will likely finish in the top two of AL MVP voting and has already compiled 8.8 bWAR on the season. The scouting and development team deserves credit for hitting on that pick, which could yield dividends for years.

Throughout the season, the Royals remained aggressive, making four trades before the deadline. They further strengthened their roster recently by claiming veteran outfielders Tommy Pham and Robbie Grossman off waivers and trading for Yuli Gurriel.

This willingness to add to the roster reflects a commitment to winning, and it reinforces Picollo's assertion that “we’ve got to constantly be thinking about how we can improve the major league team.” 

The urgency behind these moves is evident as they push for a postseason spot. FanGraphs projected the Royals would win only 76 games this season, but they have already secured 75 victories as of Sept. 3. 

This success sharply contrasts with the struggles of teams like the Houston Astros. From 2011-13, the Astros lost over 100 games, making tanking seem attractive. However, that approach led to a string of seven consecutive playoff appearances, including two World Series titles.  

The Baltimore Orioles openly tanked, losing more than 100 games in three separate seasons. Although they enjoyed a 101-win season last year, their 2024 campaign has been rocky, with key players like Adley Rutschman (73-point drop in OPS) and top prospect Jackson Holliday facing significant challenges (0.1 bWAR).

The Royals, however, are proving that there is a different path to success.

Ownership’s investment in the team should be enough to propel the Royals back to the postseason for the first time since their 2015 World Series victory. 

As they build momentum, it's thrilling to see a small-market team defy the odds and flip the script in Major League Baseball.