The following is a detailed history of theKansas City Royals, aMajor League Baseball team that began play in1969 inKansas City, Missouri. The team is currently in theAmerican LeagueCentral Division. The franchise has won two wild card berths, seven division titles, four league championships, and twoWorld Series titles.
When theKansas City Athletics moved toOakland after the1967 season, Kansas City was left without major league baseball, or professional baseball at all, for the first time since 1883. Athletics ownerCharlie Finley explored many relocation plans and essentially shunned Kansas City before the franchise even left.[1] An enragedSenatorStuart Symington threatened to introduce legislation removing baseball's antitrust exemption unless Kansas City was granted a team in the next round of expansion.[2] Major League Baseball complied with a hasty round of expansion at the 1967 winter meetings. Kansas City was awarded one of four teams to begin play in 1971. However, Symington was not satisfied with having Kansas City wait three years for baseball to return there, and pressured MLB to allow the new teams to start play two years earlier than the original plan in 1969. Symington's intervention may have contributed to the financial collapse of the Royals' companion expansion team, theSeattle Pilots, who had to begin play in 1969 before they were ready (unlike in other sports, baseball leagues need an even number of franchises to preserve symmetry for scheduling purposes).
Pharmaceutical executiveEwing Kauffman won the bidding for the new Kansas City team. He conducted a contest to determine the best and most appropriate name for the new franchise. Sanford Porte from Overland Park, Kansas submitted the name Royals, in recognition of Missouri's billion-dollar livestock industry. His suggestion was that theAmerican Royal best exemplified Kansas City through its pageantry and parade, so the new team should be named the Royals. The name was selected out of 17,000 submissions and the Royals Board voted 6–1 to adopt the name. The one dissenting vote was Kauffman's. He eventually changed his mind after the name grew on him. (Some sources say it was in honor of theKansas City Monarchs, aNegro leagues team.)[3] The team's logo, a crown atop a shield with the letters "KC" inside the shield, was created by Shannon Manning, an artist atHallmark Cards, based in Kansas City.[4]
The Royals began operations with General ManagerCedric Tallis, who soon developed a reputation as the best trader in the league. The first big trade was with fellow expansion teamSeattle, which brought in 1969Rookie of the YearLou Piniella. In their inaugural game, on April 8, 1969, the Royals defeated theMinnesota Twins 4–3 in 12 innings. Two pitching stars from theBaltimore Orioles team that won the1966 World Series pitched for the Royals in the inaugural game:Wally Bunker threw the franchise's very first pitch, andMoe Drabowsky won the game in relief. After finishing the season in 5th place, the Royals' next trade cemented a reputation as a speedy team. Third basemanJoe Foy was traded to theNew York Mets for speedy outfielderAmos Otis, who would become the Royals' first star. Further one-sided trades brought to the Royals second basemanCookie Rojas, bullpen aceTed Abernathy, shortstopFred Patek, first basemanJohn Mayberry and left fielderHal McRae. The Royals also invested in a strong farm system and in the early years developed such future stars as pitchersPaul Splittorff andSteve Busby, infieldersGeorge Brett andFrank White, and outfielderAl Cowens.
In1971, the Royals had their first winning season, with managerBob Lemon guiding them to a second-place finish. In1973, underJack McKeon, the Royals adopted their iconic "powder blue" road uniforms and moved fromMunicipal Stadium to the brand-newRoyals Stadium. The stadium had deep outfield walls and artificial turf, and gave future young stars the opportunity to build a playing style involving aggressive baserunning and good defense. The stadium, part of theTruman Sports Complex, was built alongsideArrowhead Stadium, the home of theKansas City Chiefs of theNational Football League (NFL). Unlike many of the new stadiums going up at the time, Kansas City chose dedicated stadiums for their sports teams over onemulti-purpose stadium.
ManagerWhitey Herzog replaced McKeon in 1975, and the Royals began their ascension to the top of the American League West. They finished1975 with a 91–71 record, second to theOakland Athletics. That season, John Mayberry finished second to Boston'sFred Lynn in the MVP voting. The1976 season brought secured dominance to the Royals. First,George Brett defeated his own teammateHal McRae to win the batting title on the season's final day. Second, the Royals won the first of three straight Western Division championships. They lost to theNew York Yankees in three straightAmerican League Championship Series encounters, despite winning more regular season games in two of those years. In two of those years, they lost the AL Championship Series in the ninth inning of the fifth and final game. However, the three playoffs series helped George Brett become a superstar, as he homered three times in a losing effort in the final game of the1978 playoff series. In addition to a nucleus of Brett, White, McRae, and Cowens, these Royals teams featured pitchersDennis Leonard andLarry Gura, closerDan Quisenberry, and position playersWillie Wilson,U.L. Washington andDarrell Porter. The 1977 season, however, ended on another sour note as Herzog demanded that John Mayberry be traded or he would threaten to leave the team. This resulted in Mayberry being traded to theToronto Blue Jays.
After the Royals finished in second place in 1979, Herzog was fired and replaced byJim Frey. Most believe that the firing was due to Herzog's strained relationship with the Royals front office including General ManagerJoe Burke, ownerEwing Kauffman, and Kauffman's wife, Muriel.[citation needed] Under Frey, the Royals rebounded in1980 and advanced to theALCS, where they again faced theYankees. The team was led by Brett, who flirted with a .400 batting average and won theAL MVP, and Willie Wilson, who electrified crowds with stolen bases and inside-the-park home runs.
In the 1980 ALCS, theRoyals finally vanquished the Yankees in a three-game sweep punctuated by a George Brett home run off Yankees' star closerGoose Gossage. Frank White was named the playoffs MVP for all-around steady play and heroics. However, after reaching their firstWorld Series, the Royals fell to thePhiladelphia Phillies in six games. The Phillies featured future Hall of FamersMike Schmidt andSteve Carlton, as well as all-time hits leaderPete Rose. In the series,Willie Aikens became the first player in World Series history to homer twice in two separate Series games.
The Royals returned to the post-season in1981, losing to theOakland Athletics in a unique divisional series resulting from the split-season caused by the1981 Major League Baseball strike.
In1983, theRoyals were headed for a second-place finish behind theChicago White Sox when they were rocked by scandals. The first event added another chapter to the team's heated rivalry with the Yankees. In a July game between the two teams, third baseman George Brett hit a go-ahead home run in the top of the ninth inning. After Brett crossed home plate and returned to the dugout, Yankees managerBilly Martin complained that Brett had morepine tar on his bat than baseball's rules allowed. After inspecting the bat, the umpires disallowed the home run and called Brett out, ending the game. The signature image from the event was Brett storming angrily out of the dugout to argue the call.
The second scandal of the 1983 season was far more serious, involving a truly illegal substance and several Royals players. Leadoff hitter and center fielder Willie Wilson, power-hitting first baseman Willie Aikens, power-hitting outfielderJerry Martin, and starting pitcherVida Blue, who had been released on August 5, were charged with attempting to purchasecocaine. The four were charged in October 1983, pleaded guilty, spent three months in prison, and were suspended by commissionerBowie Kuhn for the entire 1984 season. The four appealed and were permitted to return on May 15. In response to the scandal, ownerEwing Kauffman founded the Ewing Marion Kauffman foundation to give back to the community, allowed Martin to depart via free agency, and traded Aikens, retaining only Wilson's services.
The 1983 season was also notable for some transitional changes in the Royals organization. First, ownerEwing Kauffman sold 49% of his interest to Memphis developerAvron Fogelman. Second,John Schuerholz was named general manager. Schuerholz soon bolstered the farm system with pitchersBud Black,Danny Jackson,Mark Gubicza,David Cone, andBret Saberhagen, as well as hitters such asKevin Seitzer.
Under the leadership of managerDick Howser, the Royals – relying on Brett's bat and the young pitching of Saberhagen, Gubicza, Bud Black, Danny Jackson, andCharlie Leibrandt – won the franchise's fifth division championship in1984, although they were swept by the eventual World Series championDetroit Tigers in theAmerican League Championship Series
In the1985 regular season the Royals topped the Western Division for the sixth time in ten years, led by Bret Saberhagan'sCy Young Award-winning performance. In the last week of the season, Brett put on an amazing hitting streak that led the Royals climb from behind to overtake the California Angels in the standings. Throughout the ensuing playoffs, the Royals repeatedly put themselves into difficult positions, but improbably managed to escape each time. With the Royals down two games to zero in theAmerican League Championship Series (ALCS) against theToronto Blue Jays, George Brett put on a hitting show in Game 3, homering in his first two at bats and then doubling to the same right field location in his third at-bat. After falling behind 3–1 in the series, the Royals eventually rallied to win the series 4–3 (notably, the LCS had been expanded to a best-of-seven format for the first time in 1985, which allowed the Royals to survive at all). Brett was namedALCS MVP.
In the1985 World Series against the cross-stateSt. Louis Cardinals – the so-called "I-70 Series" because the two teams are both located in the state ofMissouri and connected byInterstate 70 – the Royals again fell behind 3–1. The key game in the Royals' comeback wasGame 6. Facing elimination, the Royals trailed 1–0 in the bottom of the ninth inning, before rallying to score two runs and win. The rally was helped by a controversial call at first base by umpireDon Denkinger, which allowed Royals outfielderJorge Orta to reach base safely as the first baserunner of the inning.
Following Orta's single, the Cardinals seemingly lost their concentration, dropping an easy popout and suffering a passed ball, before the Royals won with a bloop base hit by seldom usedpinch hitterDane Iorg, a former utility player for the Cardinals. Following the tension and frustration of Game Six, the Cardinals came undone inGame 7, and the Royals won 11–0 to clinch the franchise's first World Series title.
In1986, the Royals fell suddenly from contender status, finishing with a 76–86 record and in 3rd place, 16 games behind the AL West champion California Angels. They also made one of the worst trades in franchise history, trading native Kansas Citian and future perennial All-StarDavid Cone forEd Hearn. Hearn played for less than a month in Kansas City. The Royals were the trendy pre-season pick to return to the World Series in1987, but the season proved bittersweet for the Royals. The team went 83–79 (a seven win improvement from 1986), and wound up finishing two games behind the eventual World ChampionMinnesota Twins in the Western Division. Further, on June 17, 1987, Dick Howser died after a year-long battle withbrain cancer. Howser's #10 soon became the first number that the Royals retired. Also in 1987, the team released longtime starHal McRae and selectedJohn Wathan as its new manager in midseason after firingBilly Gardner.
In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the Royals developed young stars such asBo Jackson,Tom Gordon, andKevin Seitzer, made some successful free-agent acquisitions, and generally posted winning records, but always fell short of the post-season. For example, in1989, the Royals won 92 games and posted the third-best record in baseball, but did not qualify for the playoffs, finishing second in their division behind the eventual World Series champion Oakland Athletics. They also traded their star pitchers for questionable talent: Charlie Leibrandt forGerald Perry, Bud Black forPat Tabler, Danny Jackson forKurt Stillwell, and Bret Saberhagen forKevin McReynolds,Gregg Jefferies andKeith Miller.
At the end of the 1989 season, the team boasted a powerhouse pitching rotation, including the ALCy Young Award-winner Bret Saberhagen (who set franchise record 23wins that year), two-time All-Star Mark Gubicza (a 15-game winner in 1989) and 1989 ALRookie of the Year runner-up Tom Gordon (who won 17 games that year).[5] But the organization felt it was still missing a few necessary pieces to give its divisional rival Oakland Athletics a run for their money.[6] For one thing, the Royals had been without a high-caliber closing pitcher since All-StarDan Quisenberry was dropped in 1988. So prior to the 1990 season, the Royals acquiredMark Davis, the 1989National League Cy Young Award-winner and league leader insaves, signing him to a four-year $13 million contract (the largest annual salary in baseball history at the time).[7] The Royals also signed starting pitcher starting pitcherStorm Davis, who was coming off a career-high 19-game win season (third-best in the AL), to a three-year $6 million contract.[7] Finally, the team also added pitcherRichard Dotson and traded for 1988 All-Star first basemanGerald Perry. Kansas City's milestone off-season in 1989–1990 was its biggest commitment to free agents in the club's entire history.[5]
Despite the promising off-season moves, the team suffered critical bullpen injuries while both newly signed Davises experienced lackluster seasons in 1990.[6] The Royals concluded the season with a 75–86 record, in second-to-last place in the AL West (and with the worst franchise record since 1970). To make matters worse Bo Jackson – the team's potential future franchise player – suffered a devastating hip injury while playing football in the off-season, so the Royals waived him during spring training in 1991.[8]
Many of the team's highlights from this era instead centered on the end of Brett's career, such as his third and final batting title in1990 – which made him the first player to win batting titles in three different decades – and his3,000th hit; Brett retired after the 1993 season. Though the team dropped out of contention from 1990 to1992, through thestrike-shortened 1994 season, the Royals still could generally be counted on to post winning records. The 1994 season was the club's last flirtation with greatness for two decades. Led by manager Hal McRae and Cy Young Award-winner David Cone (whom owner Ewing Kauffman had re-signed), the Royals had a 14-game winning streak just before the season ended prematurely due to the players' strike.
At the start of the 1990s, the Royals had been hit with a double-whammy whenGeneral ManagerJohn Schuerholz departed in1990 and team ownerEwing Kauffman died in1993. Kauffman's death left the franchise without permanent ownership.Wal-Mart CEODavid Glass, a longtime friend of Kauffman, took over as interim CEO while the Kauffman estate pursued a sale.
Ultimately, Glass purchased the team himself for $96 million in 2000. Lawyer and minor league baseball ownerMiles Prentice actually submitted a larger bid than Glass. However, MLB determined that Prentice's bid was not viable. MLB requires owners to have enough net worth to withstand substantial losses, and felt Prentice fell short of that mark. None of Kansas City's wealthy families at the time were willing to even consider buying the Royals (or any existing or potential professional team in Kansas City), leaving Glass as the only viable bidder who was willing to keep them in town.[9]
Partly because of the resulting lack of leadership, after the1994 season the Royals decided to reduce payroll by trading pitcherDavid Cone (again) and outfielderBrian McRae, then continued their salary dump in the1995 season. In fact, the team payroll, which was always among the league's highest, was sliced from $40.5 million in 1994 (fourth-highest in the major leagues) to $18.5 million in1996 (second-lowest in the major leagues).[10][11]
In1997, the Royals franchise had the opportunity to switch to theNational League and play in theNL Central alongside its intrastate rivalSt. Louis Cardinals.[12] The opportunity arose becauseMajor League Baseball was planning to realign the divisions in preparation for expansion with theArizona Diamondbacks andTampa Bay Devil Rays.Bud Selig, baseball's acting commissioner andMilwaukee Brewers owner, gave the Royals the first option to change to the National League. That summer, the Royals were mired in the team's worst season since its second year of existence. Further, following Ewing Kauffman death, the franchise was being run by a board of directors and was up for sale. Ultimately, the board declined the move, and Milwaukee switched leagues instead.[12]
Some commentators have argued that the Royals should have made the move. According to their logic, if the Royals had changed leagues, the team would have played the Cardinals more often and would have been in the same division with theChicago Cubs; these teams might have drawn bigger crowds toKauffman Stadium.[12] Further, with nodesignated hitter in the National League, there would have been one less big salary to pay,[12] which would have been easier for the Royals' front office to manage. Opinion at the time was fairly split. The Royals polled their fans, and reported that a slight majority of the 1,500 who returned surveys approved a move to the NL. Many fans, including former RoyalGreg Pryor, thought that switching leagues was the only way to keep the Royals in Kansas City.[12] On the other hand, there was also a strong sentiment among some fans that Kansas City was, is, and always would be an American League market. Back then, the glory years were not that far removed, and the emotional tie to the rivalry with the Yankees, for instance, was still burning.[12] There was nothing in Kauffman's will or known feelings about how he would have received a move to the National League.[12]
As the decade drew to a close, attendance at Royals games slid while the average MLB salary continued to rise, and the Royals found it difficult to retain their remaining stars. The team decided to trade players such asKevin Appier,Johnny Damon andJermaine Dye for prospects rather than pay higher salaries or lose them to free agency. By 1999, the Royals' payroll had fallen again to $16.5 million.[10] Making matters worse, most of the younger players that the Royals received in exchange for these All-Stars proved of little value, setting the stage for an extended downward spiral.
In1999, the Royals set a franchise low with a .398 winning percentage (64–97 record), and lost 97 games again in2001. The records could have been even worse without the rapid development of center fielderCarlos Beltrán (Rookie of the Year in 1999) and first basemanMike Sweeney.
In2002, the Royals set a new team record for futility, losing 100 games for the first time in franchise history. The team also introduced new black and dark blue jerseys for alternate games, and also sleeveless home jerseys.[13] The jerseys were met with mixed reactions in Kansas City, and eventually, by the 2006 season, the Royals again changed their uniforms back to their "old" style.[14]
The2003 season saw a temporary end to the losing, when manager Tony Peña, in his first full season with the club, guided the team to its first winning record (83–79) since 1994 and finished in third place in the AL Central. He was named the American LeagueManager of the Year for his efforts, and shortstopÁngel Berroa was namedAL Rookie of the Year.
From the2004 season through the2012 season, the Royals posted nine consecutive losing records – the longest streak in team history. In six of those seasons the team finished in last place in the American League Central, and in eight of those nine seasons the team also lost at least 90 games. The worst seasons came in 2004–2006, when the Royals lost at least 100 games each year and set the franchise's all-time record for losses (56–106 in2005).
Picked by many to win their division in2004 after faring surprisingly well in the free agent market, the Royals got off to a disappointing start and by late June again were in rebuilding mode, releasing veteran relieverCurtis Leskanic before financial incentives kicked in and trading veteran relieverJason Grimsley and superstar center fielderCarlos Beltrán for prospects, all within a week of each other. The team subsequently fell apart completely, establishing a new low by losing 104 games. Worse yet, the younger players received in these trades again did little to immediately restock the team or its farm system, althoughMark Teahen, acquired in the Beltrán trade, would blossom in2006 (following a brief demotion to the minor leagues).
In2005, the Royals continued their youth movement, with the second-lowest payroll in the Major Leagues.[11] Six of the team's starting position players, three of the five starting pitchers, and the setup man and closer were all under the age of 30. After posting a miserable 8–25 record to start the season, Tony Peña resigned as manager on May 10;Buddy Bell was hired to replace him three weeks later. During that season, the Royals suffered a franchise record 19-game losing streak highlighted by a three-game stretch of blowout losses at home from August 6 through August 9; in that stretch the Royals lost 16–1 to theOakland Athletics in the first game, were shut out 11–0 by Oakland in the second game, and then in the third game, against theCleveland Indians, built a 7–2 lead in the ninth inning before allowing 11 runs to lose 13–7. The Royals finally ended their losing streak at 19 on August 20, two losses short of the American League record, with a 2–1 win over the Oakland Athletics. The Royals ended the 2005 season with a 56–106 record (.346), a full 43 games out of first place. It was the third time in four seasons that the team reestablished the mark for worst record in the history of the franchise. The team finished the season 10th in the American League in hitting (.263 AVG), 12th in runs scored (702) and last in pitching (5.49 ERA).
Looking for a quick turnaround, General ManagerAllard Baird signed several veteran players prior to the 2006 season. He secured starting pitchersMark Redman,Joe Mays andScott Elarton. Baird also signed free agent second basemanMark Grudzielanek, first basemanDoug Mientkiewicz and inked veteranReggie Sanders to a two-year, $10 million deal. Although the new players seemed promising, they did not result in many additional wins. The Royals struggled through another 100-loss season in2006, becoming just the 11th team in major league history to lose 100 games in three straight seasons.[citation needed] Following a major-league worst 13–37 start, the Royals fired Baird on May 31 and announced thatAtlanta Braves assistant general managerDayton Moore would be the team's new GM.Muzzy Jackson served as interim GM for the Royals, handling thefirst-year player draft, before Moore took over on June 8.
One problem often cited by commentators for the losing of those seasons was a lack of financial support from the team's owner, David Glass.[15] For the first six years Glass owned the Royals (prior to the 2000 season) the team payroll was never higher than 21st in the major leagues, and it was in the league's bottom six payrolls on five occasions.[11] Glass and the Royals also faced a minor controversy off the field in 2006, when the team revoked the credentials of two radio journalists present at the press conference introducing Moore. The two personalities – Bob Fescoe ofWHB at the time and Rhonda Moss ofKCSP – primarily asked pointed questions toward Glass over the firing of Baird. The aftermath included less than positive commentary from other media outlets in the metro and a statement from theSociety of Professional Journalistscalling for the reinstatement of their credentials. In response, the Royals started aweblog; the first entry defended the organization's decision.
Kansas City entered the2007 season looking to rebound from four out of five seasons ending with at least 100 losses, and appeared to be opening up its wallet a bit, with a payroll exceeding $60 million for the first time (rising to 22nd-highest in the major leagues).[10][11] The Royals outbid the Cubs and Blue Jays for free agent rightyGil Meche, signing him to five-year, $55 million contract. RelieverOctavio Dotel also inked a one-year, $5 million contract. The team also added several new prospects, includingAlex Gordon andBilly Butler. AmongDayton Moore's first acts as General Manager was instating a new motto for the team: "True. Blue. Tradition."[16]
In the2007 MLB draft, the Royals selectedshortstopMike Moustakas at #2 overall, signing him minutes before the deadline. In June 2007, the Royals had their first winning month since July 2003, following up in July with their second-consecutive winning month of the season. On August 1, managerBuddy Bell announced his intentions to resign following the 2007 season.[17] On September 12, the Royals defeated theMinnesota Twins 6–3 to win their 63rd game, guaranteeing that they would not lose 100 games in 2007. The victory ended the team's string of three consecutive seasons of 100 losses or more, but the team still finished in last place in its division with a record of 69–93.
Kansas City's2008 season began with the team searching for its new manager. Early candidates to succeed Bell included Royals' bench coachBilly Doran,[18] former Royals starsGeorge Brett (Brett denied his intentions) andFrank White,[18] and Triple-AOmaha managerMike Jirschele. Former Major League managers such asJoe Girardi,[17][18]Jim Fregosi,[18]Ken Macha,[18] andJimy Williams.[18]Atlanta Braves coachesTerry Pendleton andBrian Snitker were also in consideration.[19] On October 19, the Royals hiredTrey Hillman, former manager of theNippon Ham Fighters and minor league manager of theNew York Yankees, to be the 15th manager in franchise history.[20]
As part of the Royals' "New. Blue. Tradition." motto, the Royals introduced a new rendition of their classicpowder blue uniforms for the 2008 season, and ditched their black and sleeveless jerseys.[14] The team wore the powder blue uniforms as alternates in weekend home games.[21] The Royals previously wore powder blue uniforms from 1973 to 1991. The uniforms were introduced on December 6, 2007, at a special event for season ticket holders and were modeled by current players such asAlex Gordon and former players such asFrank White.[21]
The Royals began the 2008 season 3–0 with a sweep over theDetroit Tigers, a team that many thought might win the AL pennant. Through 13 games, the Royals were 8–5 and in first place, a vast improvement over their 3–10 start from the previous season. However, by the All-Star break, the Royals were again in losing territory, with their record buoyed only by a 13–5 record in inter-league play, the best in the American League. During the season many players from the minors came up and made their presence felt includingRyan Shealy,Mitch Maier andMike Avilés. The team finished the season in fourth place with a 75–87 record. It was the first time in five years the Royals did not finish last in their division and did not lose 93 or more games.
Prior to the2009 season, the Royals renovated Kauffman Stadium. After the season began, the Royals ended April at the top of the AL Central, all of which raised excitement levels among fans. However, the team faded as the season progressed and finished the year with a final record of 65–97, in a last-place tie in its division (tied with the Cleveland Indians).
The 2009 season was highlighted by starterZack Greinke, who did not allow an earned run in the first 24 innings of the season, went on to finish the year with a major league-leading 2.16earned run average, and won the American LeagueCy Young Award. Greinke joined Bret Saberhagen (in 1985 and 1989) and David Cone (in 1994) as the only three players in Royals history to receive the award. He also set a club record 15 strikeouts in a single game against the Cleveland Indians.
The following year, in 2010, the Royals began with a rocky start, and after the team's record fell to 12–23, general manager Dayton Moore fired manager Trey Hillman. After Hillman's departure, formerMilwaukee Brewers managerNed Yost took over as manager. Despite the change, the Royals finished with a 67–95 record, in last place in the division for the sixth time in seven years.
In contrast to 2010, the Royals began the 2011 season with a hot start, tying for the best record in the American League with a 10–4 record after 14 games. The quick start followed a successfulspring training season for the Royals. Success faded as the season progressed, however. The Royals last had a .500 record at 22–22, and then lost five games in a row. By the All-Star break, the Royals had a record of 37–54, the worst in the American League. On a more positive note, the season also saw the emergence of rookies such asEric Hosmer andAaron Crow, the team's representative in the2011 All-Star game, as well as Alex Gordon's breakout year in left field, which resulted in him receiving a Gold Glove for his excellent display of defense and league leading 20 assists. The team ended with a fourth-place finish.
On December 10, 2012, in an attempt to strengthen the pitching staff (which was among the worst in baseball in 2012), the Royals traded for Rays pitchersJames Shields andWade Davis for Royals top prospectWil Myers and three others. This trade helped catalyze a return to winning records.
The2013 season got off to a very good start, as the Royals remained over .500 nearly most of April during regular season play. The team also did not commit an error in its first seven games (for64+2⁄3 innings) for the first time in team history. On September 22, the Royals won their 82nd game of the season, to clinch their first winning season since 2003. The Royals finished the season 86–76, in third place in the AL Central, securing the team's best winning percentage since 1994.
The2014 season was even more successful, featuring a return to the post-season for the first time in 29 years. On July 21, the Royals had a losing record (48–50) and were 8 games behind theDetroit Tigers in the AL Central standings. But spurred by a 22–5 record from July 22 to August 19, the Royals surged into first place in the AL Central. The Royals reached the top of the division standings on August 11, after winning their eighth game in a row.[22] This marked the latest date the Royals had led their division since August 29, 2003.[22] After taking over first place on August 11, the Royals retained the division lead for a month, falling out of first place permanently on September 12. The Royals finished the regular season one game behind Detroit in the AL Central, but secured the franchise's first everwild card berth and first playoff appearance in 29 years.
The team's final regular season record of 89–73 in 2014 represented the most wins for the Royals since1989. Coupled with a ten-game winning streak in June 2014, the Royals' eight-game winning streak in August 2014 was the second streak of at least that long during the same season, something the franchise had accomplished only three times previously – in 1977, 1978, and 1980.
The Royals made the most of that playoff run in 2014, going a record 8–0 for the first three rounds. They defeated theOakland Athletics in theWild Card Game, then swept both theLos Angeles Angels of Anaheim and theBaltimore Orioles in theALDS andALCS, respectively. However, the Royals fell a win short in theWorld Series, losing to theSan Francisco Giants in seven games.
Energized by the previous season's playoff run, the 2015 Royals won theAmerican League Central, earning their first division title since 1985. In theALDS against theHouston Astros, the Royals trailed in the series 2–1, and were on the verge of elimination after trailing by four runs heading into the eighth inning of Game 4. However, Kansas City scored seven runs in the final two innings to force a deciding game, before eliminating the Astros to advance to theALCS. In a rematch of the 1985 ALCS against theToronto Blue Jays, the Royals shut down Toronto's high-powered offense, winning the series in six games and advancing to their second straight World Series.
In the 2015 World Series against theNew York Mets, the Royals continued to live up to their reputation as clutch performers. In Game 1, Alex Gordon tied the game in the bottom of the ninth inning with a home run, beforeEric Hosmer drove in a game-winning sacrifice fly in the 14th inning. In Game 4, with the Mets on the verge of tying the series, the Royals scored three runs (one unearned) in the eighth inning to send them to within a game of the championship. Then in Game 5, with the Mets three outs away from forcing Game 6, the Royals scored two runs to tie the game, before seldom-used infielderChristian Colón drove in the go-ahead run in the 12th inning, helping Kansas City win 7–2 and clinch their second World Series championship. All Star catcher Salvador Pérez was named Series MVP for his clutch hitting and excellent pitch calling.
Following their World Series title, the Royals immediately fell back into mediocrity, finishing third in the AL Central in2016 and2017 with 81–81 and 80–82 records, respectively. The Royals lost All-Stars Hosmer andLorenzo Cain to free agency and subsequently hit rock bottom once again, finishing both2018 and2019 with more than 100 losses. Yost retired at the end of the 2019 season and was replaced byMike Matheny. In the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, the Royals went 26–34 in Matheny's first year at the helm.
In 2021, the Royals finished with a 74–88 record and placed fourth in the AL Central for the third year in a row.Salvador Pérez led the American League with 48 home runs and 121 RBIs. Beginning with the 2022 season, Dayton Moore was promoted to the team's President of Baseball Operations andJ. J. Picollo began his tenure as general manager.[23] Moore was fired by the end of the season.[24] The Royals spent 2022 blending their roster with several rookies (includingBobby Witt Jr.,MJ Melendez, andVinnie Pasquantino among others), often fielding lineups with six or more rookies on a given night.[24] The team finished in fourth place of the AL Central with a 65–97 record, and Matheny was fired after their season finale in Cleveland.[25][26] On October 30, 2022, the Royals hiredMatt Quatraro as their new manager.[27][28]