The offseason news still hasn’t come to a halt for the Kansas City Royals, as CEO/chairman John Sherman sits down with MLB.com’s Anne Rogers. There are plenty of nuggets to glean so go check it out. The one that stood out the most came on the team’s leadership and then the payroll.
Sherman said the payroll is “in a good spot.” He mentioned the 97-65 Brewers, who are one win away from the National League Championship Series, as sustainable winners with a sustainable payroll (RosterResource has them
at $123 million in 2025) – perhaps a model for the Royals.
“I think you have to have the right mix of players,” Sherman said. “On the pitching staff, we’ve got [Seth] Lugo and [Michael] Wacha, they’re veteran guys, but we’ve got young guys making the minimum. That mix of salary, you’ve got to have both for a team like ours. I’m comfortable there. But to me, it’s always been with J.J.: What makes us better? If there’s something that makes us better, let’s talk about it.”
David Lesky takes a hard look at how the Royals prove that not all contact is productive contact.
It’s crazy how many life lessons you can learn from toddlers and how you equate those to things your favorite baseball team does. When JJ Picollo asked if the Royals were striking out enough, I got goosebumps. I’m not exaggerating here. I’m a nerd, so it’s fine if you didn’t, but when he openly wondered that, I felt vindicated in my belief in this front office. For as long as I can remember, the Royals were built on the premise that the more contact, the better. Striking out is part of the game, but something the Royals vowed to do less than anyone. They didn’t always accomplish that, but they often did. Here is their strikeout rate in each of the last five seasons, with first being the lowest strikeout rate and 30th the highest:
2025: 2
2024: 3
2023: 18
2022: 8
2021: 3
The only year they didn’t finish in the top eight was the only year in that group of five that saw them lose 100 games. Asked and answered, I guess, right? Well, here’s where they ranked in runs scored:
2021: 24
2025: 26
2024: 13
2023: 23
2022: 24
Are you ready for more stadium talk? Clay County leaders are, as they are still hopeful to land the future home of the Royals.
The deadline to be on a November ballot in Clay or Jackson County has come and gone. That means the next possible time the Royals or Chiefs could ask voters for county sales tax money to help pay for their stadium, would be in April of 2026.
“I think that we are making progress, but the part of it that has to happen is we have to get to a point where we have kind of closure on that,” Presiding Commissioner Jerry Nolte said in an interview with FOX4 Tuesday. “So, those discussions are ongoing, but like a lot of things in life, when they start rolling, they roll a little faster than you’d anticipate, so it might take a while for us to get there, but I think as we get closer to a point to where we may come up with a solution, I think that solution might be rather quickly arrived at.”
Bleacher Report names Kansas City as a dark horse landing spot for New York Yankees outfielder Trent Grisham in free agency.
Definitely not a dark horse as far as team needs are concerned. Kansas City had the worst outfield in the majors in 2025, per FanGraphs. But “Royals” and “big spenders” haven’t often been synonymous over the years. It’s unlikely they make a hefty investment in a guy who may have already peaked and whose career home run count would plummet from 104 to 76 if all his balls had been hit at Kauffman Stadium. However, KC doing something this winter to take advantage of this window before it closes is a must.
Kings of Kauffman’s Caleb Moody looks at some “no-brainers” for non-tender candidates.
Former Royals draftee Emmanuel Rivera elects free agency after the Baltimore Orioles outrighted the corner infielder off the 40-man roster.
Commerce Bank’s “Helping Kids Take the Field” initiative collects sporting equipment for more than 5,000 young athletes in the Kansas City metro area.
Kansas reportedly has quite a nest egg to invest in bringing a professional team across state lines, thanks to sports gambling revenue.
Former Royals managers Ned Yost and Mike Matheny talk about the Baltimore Orioles’ search for a skipper.
Molly Knight celebrates the Dodgers at The Long Game.
Fox will televise seven games from next year’s World Baseball Classic, including the title game.
New Tampa Bay Rays ownership wants repairs to Tropicana Field, but is still searching for a new stadium in the Tampa Bay area.
Bryce HArper responds to Philadelphia Phillies fans booing during the NLDS.
How Roy Halladay’s sons Braden and Ryan are trying to honor their dad’s legacy.
The Royals had a mantis and devil magic, now the Toronto Blue Jays have some cap magic.
Can Victor Wembanyama make the leap into the MVP picture?
The NIL’s effects continue to evolve, and one Princeton player proves a new stage.
Overland Park wouldn’t tear down Incred-A-Bowl…. would they?
Renewable energy reaches new heights around the world.
It has been a while since I have driven through El Dorado, Kansas, but today’s song of the day from Zach Bryan pays homage to his friend and the town.
