How has the Royals offense been so bad despite being anchored by four quality bats?

The Kansas City Royals made a valiant run at a postseason this season, but have fallen out of the race with a poor September. The biggest reason the Royals are falling short is their anemic offense. 

You'd think a team with four productive hitters would be better. The Royals have superstar shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino, third baseman Maikel Garcia and catcher Salvador Perez. These four are the heart of the lineup and are all run producers. 

Witt has 22 home runs, 42 doubles, 94 runs, 80 RBI and 36 stolen bases. Pasquantino has 30 home runs and 104 RBI. Garcia, in a breakout year, has 16 homers, 36 doubles, 23 steals, 72 runs and 70 batted in. Perez is still producing at 35 years old with 29 home runs and 92 RBI. 

With this much firepower, how is it possible for the Royals to be dead last in runs scored in the American League? 

The answer is that everyone else is struggling. Offseason trade acquisition second baseman Jonathan India is having a career-worst season, slashing just .235/.326/.355 with eight homers and 42 RBI. It would be the first time in his five-year career he fails to reach 10 home runs if he fails to hit two more over the final two weeks of the season. Centerfielder Kyle Isbel (.251/.301/.353, four HRs) is a terrific glove man, but is toothless as a hitter. 

The Royals have wasted 1,130 plate appearances on the likes of fringe bench players like Tyler Tolbert, Luke Maile, MJ Melendez, Cavan Biggio, Randal Grichuk, Hunter Renfroe, Mark Canha, John Rave, Nick Loftin and Drew Waters. These 11 players accumulated a pitiful .191 batting average. It is hard to score runs when there are so many weak spots in the lineup regularly. 

Next season, the Royals are likely to pick up a club option for Perez and let him finish his career as the DH, while backing up at catcher and first base. Rookie Carter Jensen, who is hitting .304 over his first 10 games as a major leaguer, should take over behind the plate. Slugging right fielder Jac Caglianone has struggled for most of his rookie season, but he is highly touted and will be expected to improve.

That leaves send base and left field as the biggest question marks for 2026. The Royals need to decide what to do with India and fellow second baseman Michael Massey. Neither has produced anywhere near what was expected. The team experimented with both, trying to see if either could serve in a utility role, but neither proved effective anywhere else defensively. Do the Royals roll the dice that either might be better in 2026, or do they search for an upgrade?

Trade deadline outfield acquisitions Adam Frasier and Mike Yastrzemski have been upgrades over the players the Royals were using before, but are better suited as backups at this point in their careers. 

The Royals could choose to bring one or both back as reserves, but Kansas City needs to acquire a much better option in left field during the offseason. The Royals have to find a legitimate bat in left to solidify this lineup, and they have to be willing to pay the price it will cost, either in salary or trade capital. 

The Royals need Witt, Pasquantino and Garcia to match or build upon this year's production, and Caglianone and Jensen to develop into the hitters they've been projected to be. Then they need to upgrade left field and second base. 

If the Royals address those areas in the offseason, their pitching should be good enough to make this team a serious contender in 2026 despite the disappointing results in 2025.