Kansas City Royals Receive Harsh MLB Power Ranking

The Kansas City Royals took a step backwards in 2026, and ESPN is not pretending otherwise. The Royals landed 25th in the network's way-too-early 2027 power rankings, a reflection of a 69-93 season that erased two years of progress in one.

The numbers that put them there are hard to argue with. Kansas City posted a minus-120 run differential, scoring 690 runs and allowing 810.

The bullpen ranked 29th in baseball with a 5.07 ERA. The Royals won 86 games in 2024 and made the postseason, won 82 in 2025, then dropped even further in the standings last year. That shows the roster has real structural problems.

Bobby Witt Jr. is not one of them. The shortstop hit .281 with 18 home runs, 54 RBI and 45 stolen bases in 143 games and remains one of the better players in the American League.

Jac Caglianone gave the organization another reason for optimism in his first full season, hitting .289 with 23 home runs, 75 RBI and an .834 OPS in 143 games. ESPN pointed to his strong second half as one reason Kansas City could outperform the ranking if things break right.

Beyond those two, the roster thins out fast. Maikel Garcia missed a lot of time with injury and appeared in only 82 games, hitting .268 with three home runs and a .715 OPS.

Salvador Perez played 152 games and hit 21 home runs, but ESPN questioned whether the veteran belongs in the middle of the order as a full-time designated hitter at this stage of his career. Those are legitimate concerns for a lineup that needs more consistency from its supporting cast.

The rotation situation is where things get genuinely difficult. Cole Ragans underwent left elbow UCL repair surgery in July and faces a 10-to-12-month recovery, putting his return somewhere around midseason 2027 at the earliest.

Stephen Kolek had Tommy John surgery in August, and his availability for next season is in doubt. Kansas City will need to add rotation depth while waiting on both of them, and that kind of pitching does not come cheap or easy.

Jonathan India elected free agency, leaving second base open. Carlos Estevez's club option was declined. The relief corps needs a lot of work regardless of what happens with Estevez.

The offseason list is long. Rotation depth, bullpen arms, outfield help, and a middle infield solution all need attention. Witt and Caglianone give the Royals a foundation worth building around, but two players cannot carry a 93-loss team back to relevance on their own.