Kansas City Royals, Ned Yost Reach Two Year Extension

Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Ned Yost and the Kansas City Royals have reached an agreement on a two year contract extension, according to a press release by the team. The agreement will allow Yost to build upon the success that they’d found during the 2013 season.

Yost has managed the Royals since the 2010 season, showing improvements each season. Collectively he’s led the team to a 284-329 record (.463 winning percentage), but this past season’s 86-76 record was the best that the organization has seen since 1989. Yost’s contract expired with the end of the regular season on Sunday, but there were few who didn’t expect him to return to Kansas City for at least one more year. GM Dayton Moore had long expressed a public desire to keep him in place and ownership stood behind Moore’s decision on the matter.

Kansas City surprised many with the results they were able to produce this season. The team’s 42 wins after the All Star Break were the most in baseball and they finished just 5.5 games out of the Wild Card. The Royals may have some matters to address this offseason – potentially searching for an upgrade at second base and right field, while likely looking to add at least one pitcher – but the fundamentals are there to build a potential playoff contender.

Yost is the third MLB manager to receive a two year contract extension since the season concluded on Sunday, joining Ron Gardenhire of the Minnesota Twins and Terry Collins of the New York Mets.