Kansas City Royals: Four Moves to Return to the Playoffs in 2017

In 2014 and 2015 the Kansas City Royals were America’s team. After their World Series win, they saw themselves take the backseat in 2016.

I remember watching the 2014 World Series like it was yesterday. I’m not a Royals fan, but that year was perhaps the first time I was solely rooting for a team that wasn’t my own. I remember Alex Gordon hitting the little league triple in the bottom of the ninth. Jumping up, I waived my hands like I was the third base coach waving him home. He stayed, and the next batter Salvador Perez flew out to end the game. I wasn’t alone that year, because it seemed like all of America was rooting for the Royals. Now, well Kansas City has lost the title of America’s sweetheart to the Chicago Cubs.

2016 was sort of a dud of the year for the Royals. They finished exactly .500 at 81-81, 8.0 games out of the wild card. Sickened with injuries and an underwhelming pitching staff, the Royals could not recreate magic for the third year in a row. However, the team is still very promising with the likes of Eric Hosmer and Lorenzo Cain. Lorenzo Cain only playing 103 games actually was a big reason the Royals struggled. In games that Cain played the Royals went 57-44. Therefore, without Cain the Royals went 24-37.

The Royals still have talent that can propel themselves into an October push. With the right moves to fill the right holes, Kansas City could very well compete with the Cleveland Indians for the AL Central title next season. Kansas City has always had that never die attitude, and the boys wearing Royal blue are certainly out to redeem themselves in 2017. So with that being said, here are four moves that can help the Royals reach the playoffs in 2017.