Royals 2016 Season Preview
Ready to check out our 2016 Kansas City Royals predictions? The Royals just never go away. That’s been their M.O. the past two seasons and they finally got themselves into the promise land last season as they took down the Mets in the World Series
MLB Royals Predictions & Handicapping Insight
The Royals have made their mark on the AL Central. Two years ago Alex Gordon sat on third base, 90 feet away from tying Game 7 of the World Series, but that was as far as he got.
Last year, the Royals made sure they controlled their own destiny. After winning the AL Central, Kansas City celebrated and hoisted the trophy by defeating the Mets in 5 games.
They now bring back almost their entire team, trying to defend their title.
2016 MLB Team Previews
- Royals American League Central Future Odds: +250
- Royals NL Pennant Future Odds:6/1
- Royals 2016 World Series Future Odds: 14/1
Key Additions
Ian Kennedy, Joakim Soria, Dillon Gee
Ian Kennedy was the biggest move the Royals made. Kansas City spend almost 70 million when it was all said and done and linked Kennedy to a 5 year deal.
Kennedy was nothing special last year, and while this guy has plenty of potential, he still is a question mark. It’s a huge risk given his mediocre success that if it doesn’t pan out, a small market team such as the Royals really wasted a lot.
Soria, the former Royal, will slip into the back end of the bullpen, which is already so dangerous.
Key Losses
Ben Zobrist, Johnny Cueto, Ryan Madson, Alex Rios, Jeremy Guthrie, Franklin Morales
This is a tough list to see.
Johnny Cueto went to San Francisco this past offseason and after the Royals shipped away a lot for him, he was merely a rental after it was all said and done.
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Zobrist and Morales were crucial parts to this offense that will be missed. Luckily for the Royals, OF Alex Gordon decided to stay after exploring free agency, which is a very huge ordeal given how much Kansas will lose offensively with those two gone.
2016 Royals Predictions – Projected Lineup
- Alcides Escobar
- Mike Moustakas
- Lorenzo Cain
- Eric Hosmer
- Kendrys Morales
- Alex Gordon
- Salvador Perez
- Reymond Fuentes
- Omar Infante
The Royals won’t aren’t going to have a guy who hits homeruns on a regular basis or will even be a power threat. What they do have is 9 guys who are so unselfish and will do whatever is asked.
Kansas City has succeeded the past two years with small ball, speed, and aggressiveness.
Talk Hosmer in the World Series for example. Down a run in the 9th, Hosmer sat on 3rd with 1 out. He doesn’t have the best speed by any means either. On a routine grounder Hosmer dashed home to tie the game, despite there being no reason for New York to allow him to advance. It’s that kind of play that the Royals pride themselves on and it’s what makes them winners.
2016 Royals Predictions – Projected Rotation
- Yordano Ventura
- Edinson Volquez
- Ian Kennedy
- Chris Young
- Kris Medlen
Johnny Cueto will certainly be missed by this rotation, but that won’t stop them from succeeding.
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Led by the young gun who fires over 100 mph, the Royals have a very deep rotation. The big question mark still comes from Kennedy. He can really alter how this rotation falls and the rotations success depends on his success.
2016 Royals Predictions – Projected Bullpen
1.Wade Davis
2.Kelvin Herrera
3.Joakim Soria
If the Royals had the lead going into the 7th inning over the past two years, the game was likely over.
That was their recipe for success and they followed that success all the way through the playoffs. Soria was brought in during the offseason and will provide an even more dangerous bullpen that will be just as lock down.
2016 Royals Predictions
Kansas City has been doubted over the past two seasons and has proved everyone wrong.
After falling 90 feet short of a World Series in 2014, everybody thought this young Royals team would regress. They did the complete opposite in fact. Kansas City won the division and eventually was crowned champions.
This team will be in a tough division, one that saw every team improve. Don’t expect regression here. They’ll be right there when it’s all said and done and certainly compete for a division title or a wild card.
What do you think of our 2016 Kansas City Royals predictions? Comments are welcome below.
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