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Michael Wacha Michael McLoone-USA TODAY Sports

AL cellar dweller continues busy winter after 106-loss season

By Victor Barbosa | Last updated 12/15/23

The Kansas City Royals haven't landed any superstars this offseason, but they've arguably been the busiest team in all of baseball in the last few weeks.

On Friday morning alone, it was reported that the Royals agreed to a one-year, $5.5 million deal with power-hitting outfielder Hunter Renfroe and a two-year, $32 million contract with one-time All-Star starting pitcher Michael Wacha. This comes on the heels of Kansas City announcing the additions of veteran starter Seth Lugo on Thursday, one-time All-Star closer Will Smith on Monday and speedy utilityman Garrett Hampson in late November.

Some of the final contract details still need to be sorted out, which impact insiders' projections on the team's spending numbers, but it's clear that Royals brass is making big changes.

Between a two-year, $13 million deal with outfielder Hunter Renfroe that @Feinsand reported earlier today and the Wacha deal that @ByRobertMurray was on top of, the Royals now have committed $105 million in free agent dollars to Renfroe, Wacha, Lugo, Stratton, Smith and Hampson.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) December 15, 2023

The Kansas City Royals, who had the 8th-lowest payroll in MLB last season at $92 million, have now spent $65 million in free-agent contracts this winter.
The Royals and Detroit Tigers have easily been the most aggressive teams in the AL Central this winter.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 15, 2023

Kansas City is coming off a season in which it tied a franchise record with 106 losses, finished in last place in the AL Central for the second straight campaign and missed the playoffs for the eighth consecutive year. The team has only made the postseason twice since 1986, dropping a seven-game heartbreaker in the 2014 Fall Classic before bouncing back with a World Series title in 2015.

After their 95-win regular season in 2015, the Royals were even at 81-81 in 2016 and finished 80-82 in 2017. The Royals have lost more than 100 games three times in the last six seasons, lost 97 times in 2022, 88 times in 2021 and went 26-34 in the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign.

Fans at Kauffman Stadium should rejoice in the organization's effort to revamp the roster this winter, even if they're not seeing names like Juan Soto and Shohei Ohtani join their team.

In addition to the flurry of new faces coming in, the Royals have some exciting youngsters as well.

The team features one of the best five-tool infielders in the sport in Bobby Witt Jr. Kansas City also has catcher/outfielder MJ Melendez entering his third season in 2024 and first baseman/designated hitter Vinnie Pasquantino, who has showcased a big bat with 19 home runs over his first 133 career games.

Add in the newcomers and the Royals could be a team to watch in the Junior Circuit next spring.

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