Some quick knee-jerk reactions now that the season is over

What’s next?

The season is over, as the Royals fell in four games to the Yankees in the ALDS. The Royals had an incredible bounceback season after losing 106 games, but also face a lot of questions as we begin the off-season. Just a few quick thoughts.

• The Royals did have an amazing season that they should be proud of, and no one expected them to get this far. However, it was still a missed opportunity to fall in the ALDS. There are no guarantees Bobby Witt Jr. ever has a season like this again, or that Seth Lugo performs like a Cy Young contender, or that Cole Ragans stays healthy, or that Salvy continues to stave off Father Time. The only other team to make the playoffs after losing 100+ games was the 2017 Twins. The next year they fell back to 78-84, but then won 101 games the year after that. So it’s a good thing the Royals made the playoffs this year, but there is no guarantee of success next year. You can’t count on beating the White Sox 12 of 13 times again.
• The playoffs are so much fun, even when you lose.
• Despite holes in the lineup, this offense managed to finish in the top half in runs scored - and they were top ten much of the year until their September swoon. The offense went cold in the post-season as most lineups do - you’re facing elite pitchers all the time. Each game in this series was decided by two or fewer runs.
• It's easier to say in hindsight, but others were saying this at the time - Freddy Fermin should have gotten a start in the ALDS with Salvy at first to replace Yuli Gurriel. Fermin seems like the kind of guy that rises to the occasion. Would it have made a difference? Well like I said, every game was close!
• Send a search party for Hunter Renfroe and Paul DeJong! I know both slumped in September, but everyone slumped in September. The Royals had a ton of trouble stringing together a series of hits, so why not give yourself a shot at a run with one swing of the bat? If Renfroe was too hurt to contribute, he shouldn’t have been on the roster.
• Alex Duvall of Royals Farm Report made this point on his private social media account and I agree - Yuli Gurriel filled in admirably at age 40, but it is sad that Nick Pratto didn’t live up to his potential here and become that guy that could fill in. I suspect he is on the way out.
• The top priority this off-season needs to be getting someone that can get on base and hit at the top of the lineup. Finding that is difficult, and may require being creative or making a trade that “hurts”, but it is paramount to find a guy that Bobby, Vinnie, and Salvy can drive in. I’d be asking about Lamonte Wade of the Giants, Lars Nootbaar of the Cardinals, Mike Tauchman of the Cubs, and Rob Refsnyder of the Red Sox.
• I like Maikel Garcia and he has some spitfire and speed and some ability to draw a walk. But sometimes the effort and focus doesn’t seem to be there. I don’t think he should be handed a starting job next year. They should bring in a veteran (better than Adam Frazier) to compete with him and push him to be better. It also makes sense to bring in depth considering Michael Massey’s chronic back issues.
• The Royals are stuck with Hunter Renfroe and some fans may not want to hear this, but they’re probably bringing MJ Melendez back too. But they need to be a platoon, neither one is good enough to be a starter at this point. Even then, you’re probably looking at a .220/.290/.430 hitter with shaky defense. Kyle Isbel is in for his glove, meaning the other corner outfield position really has to hit.
• I’m probably reading too much into this, but the fact Brady Singer faced just one hitter in the entire playoffs may say something about his future. I’m not necessarily saying he’s getting traded, but I don’t think he’s getting a long-term deal here. The team has talked about being transactional, and trading a guy two years before he hits free agency for prospects to keep this thing sustainable would be what teams like the Rays and Brewers would do.
• The bullpen returning for next year looks....pretty good? Royals relievers had a 2.77 ERA in September, then a 2.16 ERA in 25 innings in the playoffs. Lucas Erceg, Sam Long, and Angel Zerpa is a solid base and Hunter Harvey should be in that mix next spring. Daniel Lynch IV and Carlos Hernández could also be interesting, although I don’t know that the Royals should count on them yet. It will be interesting to see whether they try Kris Bubic as a starter again, but I suspect they like what he brings out of the pen. I’d probably still add an arm, use John Schreiber in lower leverage innings, and cut ties with Chris Stratton despite his $4.5M player option that he would be owed next year.
• Looming over the off-season is the uncertainty with the TV deal with the possibility that Bally Sports Kansas City may not broadcast games next year which means they won’t pay the Royals. And looming over that is the team’s continuing effort to build a downtown stadium. The Royals have nearly $60 million in contract obligations next year if Michael Wacha declines his $16 million player option, plus about $25 million in arbitration salaries. Will John Sherman continue to invest in this payroll?

What are your initial thoughts as we begin the off-season?