Progress report: Kansas City Royals

KANSAS CITY ROYALS

• 2022 finish: 65-97 (fifth in AL Central)
• Manager: Matt Quatraro (first season)
• Leading the front office: J.J. Picollo, executive vice president and general manager (first season)
  

DOLLARS AND SENSE

• Highest-paid player: C Salvador Perez ($20 million in 2023).
• Top returning position player: SS Bobby Witt Jr. (2.3 WAR in 2022, fangraphs.com)
• Top returning starting pitcher: RHP Brady Singer (2.9 WAR)
• Top returning reliever: RHP Scott Barlow (0.9 WAR)
  

ROSTER WATCH

• Key additions: LHP Aroldis Chapman (free agent), LHP Ryan Yarbrough (free agent), RHP Jordan Lyles (free agent), LHP Josh Taylor (trade), 1B Matt Beaty (minors), 3B Matt Duffy (minors).
• Key losses: OF Michael A. Taylor (trade), SS Adalberto Mondesi (trade), RHP Luke Weaver (waivers), OF Brent Rooker (waivers).
• Baseball America top-100 prospect(s): OF Gavin Cross (97).

KEEP AN EYE ON

• The Michael A. Taylor trade should give youngsters Kyle Isbel and Drew Waters ample opportunity to carve out roles in the outfield, while the Royals are hoping that Bobby Witt Jr. can settle in at shortstop. He started his rookie season at third base before shifting back to shortstop. Witt paired 20 homers and 30 steals with a .254/.294/.428 batting line last year.
• Two new faces will get a crack at shaping the next generation of Royals, as J.J. Picollo succeeds Dayton Moore and Matt Quatraro takes over for Mike Matheny. The Royals have not had a winning season since winning the World Series under Moore and Ned Yost in 2015.
• RHP Zack Greinke can earn up to $15 million in his one-year deal with the Royals. The 39-year-old went 4-9 with a 3.68 ERA and a 1.34 WHIP in 26 starts (137 IP) last year, his first year back in Kansas City since 2010.

PECOTA projection: 62.8 wins

Matt Quatraro is helped by general manager J.J. Piccolo as he tries on a jersey during a news conference announcing him as the new manager of the Kansas City Royals Thursday, Nov. 3, 2022, in Kansas City, Mo.

(Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)

MLB POWER RANKINGS

• 26 | Kansas City Royals
• 27 | Detroit Tigers
• 28 | Cincinnati Reds
• 29 | Colorado Rockies
• 30 | Washington Nationals