The Kansas City Royals haven't made the playoffs in nine years, but perhaps they hope the Kansas City Chiefs' good fortune can rub off on them in 2024.
The Royals start their regular season against the Minnesota Twins at 3:10 p.m. ET on March 28. And before that Opening Day contest gets underway at Kauffman Stadium, Chiefs coach Andy Reid will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.
Reid just led Kansas City to its third Super Bowl in the last five years. Under his watch, the Chiefs are 128-51, making the playoffs in 10 of the 11 seasons he's been in charge.
Before Reid arrived in Kansas City, he won another 130 games and an NFC Championship with the Philadelphia Eagles.
The Royals, meanwhile, have not enjoyed the same kind of success Reid has in recent years.
The club has finished last in the AL Central in back-to-back seasons, fresh off three consecutive fourth-place finishes and another last-place result. Manager Matt Quatraro went 56-106 in his first year at the helm, and FanGraphs projects his squad to go 76-86 in 2024.
Only a handful of years remain before the Royals and Chiefs are no longer neighbors, as the Royals are set to build a brand new stadium in downtown Kansas City. For the time being, though, the two franchises will play their home games across a parking lot from each other, and Reid won't have to go far to earn a standing ovation at a baseball park.
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