Carly: Vinnie Pasquantino just went off in the regular-season finale, homering twice to snap a skid and steal a win against the division champs. But does that one good game erase a 69-93 season? We’re breaking down exactly where the Royals stand right now, what worked, what didn’t, and why we still think they’re heading for 79 wins next year.
Doug: It’s a stark contrast. You have the Guardians clinching their third straight AL Central crown while Kansas City finishes fifth. But baseball is about trends, not just final standings. Let’s get into it.
Carly: Here is what we are covering today. First, we look at the Royals’ place in the AL Central hierarchy. Second, we break down the core strengths versus the glaring weaknesses in the bullpen. And third, we give you our realistic win projection for 2027. Doug, let’s start with the big picture.
Carly: Cleveland finished 85-76. That’s a massive gap. How do you frame a 16-loss difference when the division winner isn’t even a .500 team?
Doug: You frame it as a developmental phase. The Guardians had stability. They won the division. The Royals were chaotic. Look at the headlines from October: 'Guardians clinch their 3rd straight AL Central crown.' Then you have 'Royals host the Guardians on home losing streak.' It paints a clear picture of two different organizational climates.
Carly: And yet, Vinnie Pasquantino goes 2-for-something with two homers in the finale. That has to feel better than losing, right?
Doug: It feels great for Vinnie. It feels terrible for the record. He snapped a three-game skid with that 3-2 victory, sure. But you can’t build a playoff team on one player’s hot streak in September. The team as a whole struggled with consistency, especially late in games.
Carly: Let’s talk about that inconsistency. The Guardians beat them 12-9 earlier in the series, with six walks in the ninth inning alone. That’s not just bad luck; that’s a systemic issue in closing out games.
Doug: Exactly. José Ramírez, Chase DeLauter, and Petey Halpin drew consecutive bases-loaded walks. Angel Martínez hit a two-run double to cap it. When your offense stalls and your bullpen can’t hold a lead, you lose those close games. And 69-93 suggests they lost a lot of those close ones.
Carly: So where do they rank? Fifth. No doubt. But is there any silver lining in that loss column?
Doug: There’s always a silver lining for non-playoff teams. The players get reps. Bobby Witt Jr. is establishing himself as an elite talent. Salvador Perez is still anchoring the defense. But organizationally? They are behind Cleveland, Detroit, Chicago, and Minnesota. It’s a clear tier below.
Carly: Alright, let’s take a quick breath before we dive into the roster specifics. We’ve got a lot to unpack regarding the pitching staff and those infield battles. But first, I want to say something important. This show runs every single day, bringing you deep dives like this, but it costs money to produce. Every bit of support helps cover the daily research, the editing, and keeps the feed running for free. If you value these insights, please chip in via the link in the episode description. Thank you so much for helping us keep the lights on.
Doug: Thanks for listening. Let’s get into the strengths and weaknesses. What actually worked for Kansas City this year?
Carly: Offensively, the core seems solid. Witt, Pasquantino, Maikel Garcia. They have young talent. But defensively? And in the rotation?
Doug: The rotation was a mess. You had Seth Lugo and Tony Gonsolin coming in as big acquisitions, but they weren’t enough to carry the load. You had Michael Wacha, Randy Dobnak, Ben Kudrna, Noah Cameron, Ryan Bergert, Carlos Duran, and Steven Zobac. That’s a lot of bodies trying to find identity.
Carly: And the bullpen? We mentioned the Guardians walking guys on purpose. Did KC have answers there?
Doug: Not really. Craig Kimbrel was the headline name, but he’s a veteran relying on past glory. You had Lucas Erceg, Alex Lange, Nate Pearson, Spencer Bivens, Mason Black, Jose Cuas, Anthony Gose, Nolan Hoffman, James McArthur, Easton McGee, Mitch Spence, Connor Thomas, Beck Way, and Daniel Lynch IV. That is a crowded, confused bullpen.
Carly: That’s twelve relievers. How do you build chemistry with that many arms?
Doug: You don’t. You manage crisis. When the 9th inning came around, and you had bases loaded with no outs, who do you call on? It becomes guesswork. That’s why the Guardians could walk Ramírez, DeLauter, and Halpin and feel safe. They knew their closer would get the job done. KC did not have that luxury.
Carly: So the strength is the everyday lineup—Witt, Pasquantino, Perez—but the weakness is clearly the pitching depth and the inability to close games.
Doug: Precisely. And then you have the roster battles we talked about last week. Garcia vs. Loftin at third base. Jensen vs. Maile behind the plate. Those decisions will define how much the pitching staff suffers or thrives next year.
Carly: Maikel Garcia is exciting, but his defense needs to be reliable if you’re going to rely on a shaky bullpen.
Doug: Agreed. And Nick Loftin offers more power potential, but can he handle the position? Same with Carter Jensen. He’s young. Luke Maile is experienced. In a tight season, experience often wins out. But if the front office wants to go young, they need to commit fully.
Carly: It’s a high-wire act. One wrong move in the infield, and you’re giving up extra bases to a team like Cleveland that knows how to exploit mistakes.
Doug: And they did. The 12-9 loss wasn’t just bad pitching; it was defensive lapses and poor decision-making. Six walks in the ninth. That’s a coaching failure as much as a pitching failure.
Carly: Ouch. Okay, let’s pivot to the future. We predicted 79 wins for 2027. Are we sticking with that?
Doug: We are. Here is why. The core is young. Witt is entering his prime. Pasquantino is showing he can carry the lineup. Perez is still elite defensively. If they fix the bullpen, even slightly, those 69 wins can jump to 79.
Carly: But 'slightly' is the key word here. Fixing a bullpen that included Kimbrel, Erceg, Lange, Pearson, and everyone else is not a slight tweak. That’s a overhaul.
Doug: It is. But look at the cost savings. They can use that money to acquire a true setup man or a closer. Or they can promote from within. Maybe Spencer Bivens or Alex Lange steps up. You don’t need to add a superstar; you just need competence.
Carly: Competence is a high bar for a team that lost 93 games. But if they stay healthy, and Witt stays Witt, the ceiling is higher than people think.
Doug: Right. The floor is low because of the pitching uncertainty. But the ceiling? If the offense scores five runs a game, and the bullpen doesn’t blow it, 79 is very achievable. Maybe even 82.
Carly: I’m sticking with 79. It’s realistic. It accounts for growing pains. But it also acknowledges that they have the pieces to compete if they stop bleeding runs in the 9th.
Doug: I agree. And if they prioritize bullpen reinforcement this offseason, as we said last week, they’ll be dangerous in April.
Carly: So, final verdict: 5th in the division, 69-93 record, but a bright future centered on Witt, Pasquantino, and a revamped bullpen. Is there anything else we missed?
Doug: Just remember the robot umpires. They flipped 54% of challenged calls. Catchers were more successful than batters. For a team like KC, whose catcher battle is Jensen vs. Maile, mastering that system will be crucial next year.
Carly: Great point. Pitching changes are hard, but learning the ABS system is part of the job. Okay, Doug, wrap it up for us.
Doug: The Royals are rebuilding, but they’re building on a strong foundation. Watch for the bullpen moves in November.
Carly: That’s it for today’s Beatline Podcast Network episode. We covered the power rankings, the strengths, the weaknesses, and our 79-win prediction. If you enjoyed this breakdown, please subscribe, rate, and review us on your favorite platform. Share this with a fellow Royal fan. Go Royals!