Will the Royals win the AL Central?
The Kansas City Royals made the postseason in 2024 but took a step in the wrong direction in 2025. While they still enjoyed some promising moments, the Royals failed to reach the playoffs a season ago. Kansas City is suddenly one of the most exciting teams in MLB after a number of Royals stars performed well in the World Baseball Classic, but will the team be able to upset the Cleveland Guardians and Detroit Tigers in the American League Central division?
The Guardians won the division a season ago. The Tigers are probably going to be the favorite in the AL Central heading into the new campaign.
Cleveland does not always make the most attention-catching offseason moves, but the team simply finds ways to win. As for the Tigers, they ended up not trading Tarik Skubal this past offseason while adding Framber Valdez to the rotation.
Nevertheless, the Royals may have what it takes to win the division. Of course, Bobby Witt Jr. is one of the best all-around players in the game. The shortstop will need help from his teammates in order to reach the playoffs, though.
Royals' Infield Must Lead the Way
Kansas City's infield group features the potential to be among the best in MLB.
We already discussed Witt. Meanwhile, first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino could become one of the game's best power hitters. Third baseman Maikel Garcia emerged as an All-Star last year and he plays a tremendous brand of baseball both offensively and defensively. Jonathan Indiana is a reliable second baseman. Catcher Salvador Perez is a respected veteran who can still get the job done at the big league level.
If the infield reaches its ceiling, the Royals will likely find themselves in contention.
What About the Pitching?
Kansas City's bullpen should be fine, but the rotation has some questions. Cole Ragans was limited last year but he can be a Cy Young-caliber starter when healthy. As long as veterans such as Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha have respectable seasons, the rotation should perform well enough.
If the rotation is struggling, though, perhaps Kansas City can trade for a starting pitcher or two ahead of the midseason deadline. The lineup seems to have enough talent to find success, so the starting pitching simply needs to perform at a reliable enough level to help matters.
Will the Royals win the division? Only time will tell, but it would not be surprising to see the ball club take a step forward in 2026.