Kansas City Royals Have 2 Needs to Address Ahead of 2027 Season

The Kansas City Royals finished last in the AL Central in 2026 and they have a ton of work to do if they intend on being competitive during the 2027 season. Jim Bowden of The Athletic identified two major needs for the club heading into the offseason: a right-handed-hitting center fielder and a rebuilt bullpen.

Bowden outlined both areas in his offseason assessment of all 30 teams. Kansas City finished with a winning record in 2025. This year, their win total dropped 13 games.

The Royals have needed outfield help for nearly a decade now. Bowden flagged the lineup's lack of a right-handed bat in center field and pointed to Luis Robert Jr. as a possible one-year option if the free agent is open to a prove-it deal.

The idea is to add a right-handed presence to support a lineup built around Bobby Witt Jr., who saw his numbers dip to career lows of 18 home runs and 54 RBI in 143 games in 2026.

Jac Caglianone hit .289 with 23 home runs and an .834 OPS in his first full season, and Carter Jensen added 27 home runs and 81 RBIs. The front office has a strong, young core to build around. What it needs is an experienced bat alongside it.

The bullpen is definitely the biggest problem. Kansas City's relievers finished with a 5.07 ERA, 29th in the majors. Carlos Estevez, who led the league in saves in 2025, landed on the injured list early in the season and never returned.

Matt Strahm struggled before being released in August. Lucas Erceg finished with a 5.59 ERA. There is no obvious closer on the roster heading into 2027, and the depth behind whoever fills that role is thin.

The rotation is also a concern. Opening Day starter Cole Ragans made only eight starts before undergoing left elbow surgery. Stephen Kolek and Ryan Bergert both sustained long-term injuries as well. Kansas City ended up using 37 pitchers during the season, a franchise record. 

The front office has a clear picture of what went wrong. Witt is the franchise superstar, and Caglianone and Jensen give the lineup a foundation to build on. But a 69-win team needs more than a tweak.

Kansas City needs multiple relievers, rotation depth and an outfielder who can produce from the right side. How aggressively the organization addresses those three areas will determine whether 2027 looks anything like 2025, when the Royals were a competitive club, or whether this team is heading toward a rebuild.