The fourth team that I will be looking at from the AL Central is the Kansas City Royals. The Royals a 4th place finish with a 26-34 record. Kansas City, much like Detroit, are in a rebuilding phase currently. But, unlike Detroit, they are much farther along the rebuilding phase, and I expect them to be competitive again within the next 2-4 years. Also, unlike Detroit, they made moves in the offseason to make themselves better. Let’s look at those now.
Projected Starting Rotation
| 1 | Danny Duffy |
| 2 | Brad Keller |
| 3 | Mike Minor |
| 4 | Brady Singer |
| 5 | Jakob Junis |
The rotation for the Royals doesn’t have a “big name” that stands out, but they have some under the radar guys that will do the job. One guy to me that stands out, is Mike Minor. Minor is an underrated starter who has proven the past couple years down in Texas that he is a reliable starter who will give you innings every 5th day. Another guy I want to look at is their former top pitching prospect, Brady Singer. Singer was someone who benefited from the 2020 season, as he was able to be with the team the entire year and was given that big league experience. Now he knows what its like to be in the big leagues for a full year and knows what the team expects from him.
Projected Line-Up
| 1 | RF Whit Merrifield | R |
| 2 | LF Andrew Benintendi | L |
| 3 | DH Jorge Soler | R |
| 4 | 1B Carlos Santana | S |
| 5 | C Salvador Perez | R |
| 6 | 3B Hunter Dozier | R |
| 7 | SS Adalberto Mondesi | S |
| 8 | CF Michael Taylor | R |
| 9 | 2B Nicky Lopez | L |
The Royals for sure have an underrated line-up. They can be a sneaky team come the “dog days of summer” and I can definitely see them making a run for that 2nd wild card spot. First, let’s look at Whit Merrifield. This man is probably the most underrated player in all of baseball and that’s a damn shame. Mostly because he plays in Kansas City, but nonetheless, he is still one of the best and most consistent hitters in all of baseball. He is the Royals’ sparkplug in all facets of the game. He plays great defense, hits for average, can hit for power, and is a stolen base threat. Next, is their newest acquisition from Boston, Andrew Benintendi. Benintendi had a rough couple years in Boston, but he played an integral part in their World Series run in 2018. Had it not been for him, they probably don’t beat the Astros and win the World Series. I’m sure Benintendi is looking for a “restart” in KC because the last couple years have been a struggle for him. If I can put money on it, I would bet that Benintendi is going to have a rebound season and be an all-star this year. Lastly, Jorge Soler is someone who has been on the up and up and I expect him to continue that trend. Aside from Dozier, Soler is the only for sure power hitter in the lineup, but that’s okay because all the other hitters balance him out.
2021 PECOTA AL Central Projections
According to PECOTA, the Royals will finish in 4th place in the AL Central. I agree but not to discredit the Royals. I expect the Royals to be very competitive this year, as although they are “rebuilding” they are much farther along than teams like Pirates, Tigers, and Rangers. Now, I see them finishing in 4th but after coming close to finishing 3rd. I expect them to finish in 4th but have a good season regardless.
