The Kansas City Royals have been on quite the roller coaster ride for the last few years. In fact, they’ve been on a bit of a roller coaster ride for over a decade.
After struggling in the early 2010’s, the Royals went to back to back World Series’ and won one of them in 2014 and 2015. The next eight years, they finished in third, fourth, or fifth place in the American League Central. After a 56-win season in 2023, Bobby Witt Jr. and the Royals burst on the scene with a postseason appearance in 2024.
Still, they fell flat again last year and finished with an 82-80 record that saw them miss the postseason.
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This offseason, the Royals haven’t done much to bolster the roster, but they recently inked star first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino to a two-year contract extension that helps him avoid arbitration for the time being.
“Happy to be here. Glad we got it done,” Pasquantino said, via FOX Kansas City sports anchor Harold Kuntz.
Vinnie Pasquantino has a lot of confidence in the Royals
But Pasquantino also sent a seven-word message to the Royals faithful that should have the entirety of the fan base pumped up.
“This team is built for the playoffs,” Pasquantino added, via Kuntz.
There has been a lot of doubt surrounding the Royals, but it doesn’t seem like that doubt has made its way into the team’s clubhouse.
With Pasquantino and Witt on the roster, they have a young duo to build their offense around. Maikel Garcia is one of the better young infielders in the league, too. He’s coming off a huge 5.8 WAR season as he looks to build on it this season.
The Royals have a deep and talented pitching staff, too, as well as star closer Carlos Estévez locking down games in the ninth inning.
Still, they need to make another move or two if they want to have an easier path to the postseason. A trade for Boston Red Sox star Jarren Duran has been one of the top potential moves for them to make. It doesn’t seem like a deal is close, but it’s certainly something to keep an eye on.
More MLB: Royals Get Crushing Update in Jarren Duran Trade Sweepstakes
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