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Kansas City Royals GM J.J. Picollo explained the significant changes for the upcoming 2024 season. The Royals acquired the services of Will Smith and added Garrett Hampson, Seth Lugo, Chris Stratton, Michael Wacha and Hunter Renfroe to their lineup to boost their chances of success.
Following their disappointing 2023 season, the team have identified their weaknesses and focused on obtaining new talent from the offseason market. Picollo has acknowledged the team's shortcomings and expressed confidence in a winning performance next year, saying on MLB Network Radio:
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“Last year was a different year. We really feel like we underachieved last year. We didn’t feel like we should have lost as many games as we did. And we are what our record says we are. We can’t change that."
“We’re looking at a window of some young position players that we want to capitalize on. So we wanted to (win), and we do want to win.”
Picollo recognized that the roster needs more depth to handle injuries and other challenges, so they concentrated on adding more pitchers, particularly young ones who could be groomed for the future.
Several players, including Zack Greinke, Matt Duffy, Brad Keller, Jose Briceno, Justin Anderson, Jorge Bonifacio and Brett de Geus, became free agents this year. Meanwhile, Diego Hernandez, Logan Porter and Austin Cox signed minor league contracts. The instability in the roster may have contributed to the Royals' poor performances last season.
Picollo reckons the new players will share the team's winning vision and will come out on top in the new season.
A recap of Kansas City Royals’ devastating 2023 season
The Kansas City Royals had a terrible regular season in 2023, their worst since 1981. They won 56 games, 33 at home and 23 on the road, but lost 106, of which 48 were at home and 58 on the road, making them the last team in the Central Division of the American League.
Shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. was the Royals' hitting leader for the season. He scored the most runs (97), had the most RBIs (96), hit the most home runs (30) and had the highest batting average (.276) with a .814 OPS.
Meanwhile, 33-year-old Jordan Lyles led Kansas City in 31 games but had a 6-17 record and a 6.28 ERA in 177.2 innings. It has been eight years since the franchise last appeared in the postseason and won their second World Series pennant against the New York Mets in 2015.
