Keys to victory
Build around Bobby: The Royals signed star shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. to an 11-year, $288 million contract extension, sending a signal to the fan base that the team is committed to making the 23-yearold the cornerstone of the franchise. Witt took a major step forward in his sophomore season, making dramatic improvements in not only his overall numbers but his underlying metrics as well. He’ll get help with the healthy return of first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino, who suffered a shoulder injury last June that required surgery.
Pitching makeover: After several frustrating years of watching highly touted draft picks fail to reach their major league potential, the Royals seem to have completely reversed their approach to pitching. Only Brady Singer remains from a rotation formerly filled with homegrown first-rounders. Instead, the staff is now fronted by Cole Ragans, who made a few tweaks to his delivery and sparkled after arriving last June in a trade with Texas. In addition, the Royals moved quickly this offseason to sign veteran free agents Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha for the rotation – and Will Smith and Chris Stratton to bolster the bullpen. Last year’s squad finished next-to-last in the AL with a 5.17 ERA.
Speed over power: The Royals led the AL in steals with 163. Their 163 homers ranked next-tolast. While they’d like to boost the power (the addition of OF Hunter Renfroe and development of OF prospect Nelson Velazquez should help), the running game should be a big part of the offense.