The 2023 Kansas City Royals are abysmal and fans are wondering if they will ever be good again. This organization gives the fans the impression that they are stuck in what seems like an everlasting restructuring. Excluding the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, they have averaged 98 losses in their last four full regular seasons and this team is on pace to be the worst ever in their history.
Forgettable first two Months
So far in 2023, they are the second-worst team in all of MLB. As of this writing, they are at 17 wins and 39 losses. They have been shut out eight times, have only won eight home games in 29 played, and are at a minus-70 run differential. The Royals are even ranked 14 out of the 15 American League teams in attendance.
Their offense is in the bottom five in batting average, strikeouts against, and on-base percentage. The pitching staff is in the bottom five in all the major pitching categories and is one of only three teams with a team ERA over five and fewer than 10 saves.
Jordan Lyles Struggles
The 2023 Kansas City Royals are abysmal and pitcher Jordan Lyles is one of the main culprits. They signed him for his veteran presence but is struggling to the worst start of his career. He is off to an 0-9 start with an ERA of 7.30 in 11 starts.
Other Players Struggle
Other players being counted on to contribute and get this team to at least a .500 record are struggling as well. Pitcher Zack Greinke is 1-5 with a 4.55 ERA and has struggled to provide quality innings. Michael Massey, counted on to be the second baseman for a long time, is hitting .241.
Outfielder Edward Olivares, who showed his ability to be a viable option at the plate and in the field during Spring Training, is also toiling with his batting average and appears to be pressing too hard at the plate.
Infielder Bobby Witt, Jr., considered a five-tool player, is struggling with all aspects of offense. He is in a slump and is 11-for-49 with a .224 average over his last 12 games. Fans are asking if he was hyped up too much and overpromised.
Hunter Dozier
Hunter Dozier. who was being counted on to have a bounce-back season, was released this past Saturday. They designated him for assignment Monday after batting .183 with only two homers and nine RBIs in 29 games this year. The team will pay the remainder of his contract in 2023 as well as the $9 million he’s owed in 2024.
Prospects
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Fans are asking if anyone in the farm system is ready to come up and help out. According to mlb.com, their farm system is ranked 29 out of the 30 teams with only one prospect in the top 100, outfielder Gavin Cross.
The drop in the rankings is, in part, to a few of their prospects already on the big-league roster. Along with Witt Jr., outfielder Kyle Isbel, pitcher Daniel Lynch, DH Vinnie Pasquantino, and first baseman Nick Pratto have received plenty of starts and look to be the future core for this organization.
Rest of the Season
The 2023 Kansas City Royals are abysmal and for the rest of the season, they will look to pass the disappointing Chicago White Sox to avoid a last-place finish, which is some good news that gives the players a reason to play their best.
We know true fans would rather lose with young players gaining experience than with past-their-prime veterans and the Royals, with the release of the veteran Dozier, seem to be thinking the same way.
Young Team Hungry Team
A young team is a hungry team and can also provide more roster options. Some players not ready for the big leagues can be rotated up and then sent back to the minors. This gives some “seasoning” for a later call-up. They just need to gain experience in the MLB atmosphere.
Fans should try to enjoy the highlights this team—and its young players—will provide and remember that there is hope sooner than later.
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Kansas City Royals
