Royals 2020 Season Preview
Ready to check out our 2020 Kansas City Royals predictions? The Royals probably won’t be very good this year but they may find good competition with the Tigers to simply stay out of last place in the American League Central.
MLB Royals Predictions & Handicapping Insight
Last season, Kansas City won just 59 games but stayed ahead of Detroit and out of the gutter in the division.
It was actually the second consecutive season Kansas City failed to win 60 games and neither the Royals nor the Tigers have really raised the bar from last season.
2020 MLB Team Previews – Kansas City Royals
- Kansas City Royals 2020 American League Central Odds: +6000
- Kansas City Royals 2020 American League Odds: +25000
- Kansas City Royals 2020 World Series Odds: +50000
Key Additions:
- Maikel Franco
- Greg Holland
- Chance Adams
Franco’s tenure in Philadelphia officially ended when he reached a 1-year deal with the Royals. He’s got talent as a right-handed hitter but he isn’t complete and that generated much of the frustration Philadelphia fans felt with him.
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He’ll hit down the bottom of the lineup in Kansas City, where the fans’ expectations are low. To me, he’s an excellent candidate to exceed projections of 18 home runs and 58 RBIs. If a book is offering him with long odds in the home run race, I’m buying.
Greg Holland returns to where his career started in 2010. He twice finished inside the top-10 for the AL Cy Young with the Royals in 2013 and 2014 and is slotted as a set-up man this season.
Key Losses:
- Cheslor Cuthbert
- Jorge Bonifacio
The Royals were weak in 2019 but they also didn’t lose anything they can’t replace with the next man up in 2020.
2020 Kansas City Royals Predictions: Projected Lineup:
- Whit Merrifield OF
- Adalberto Mondesi SS
- Jorge Soler DH
- Hunter Dozier OF
- Alex Gordon OF
- Salvador Perez C
- Ryan O’Hearn 1B
- Maikel Franco 3B
- Nicky Lopez 2B
Adalberto Mondesi may not be the full price of admission but he’s a reason to watch the Royals. He stole 43 bases in 102 games in 2019, despite a .291 on-base percentage.
It’s not that Mondesi can’t hit. His 2019 line of 20 doubles, 9 triples and 10 home runs was unique, though. If he can do something to better balance his walks and strikeouts (he struck out 132 times last season to just 19 walks!), he’s one his way.
Hunter Dozier posted a 125 OPS+ in his first full season last year but the former first-round pick out of Stephen F. Austin still lost out on the Rookie of the Year to Yordan Alvarez, who won the vote unanimously.
2020 Kansas City Royals Predictions: Projected Rotation:
- Danny Duffy
- Brad Keller
- Jacob Junis
- Mike Montgomery
- Jorge Lopez
The Royals are going to lose most starting pitching matchups throughout the season. There really is no ace but Danny Duffy makes the most sense being there, while he’s healthy.
Brad Keller and Jacob Junis have some strikeout stuff but walked too many in 2019. If either guy can improve his command in 2020, he will have the ability to be the best pitcher on the staff.
Jorge Lopez, a native Puerto Rican who was drafted in the second round in 2011, struck out 109 and walked just 43 last season.
2020 Kansas City Royals Predictions: Projected Closer:
- Ian Kennedy
Ian Kennedy has eight seasons of at least 30 starts in his career. He had his first season with 30 saves in 2019.
2020 Kansas City Royals Predictions: 63 wins and 4th in the AL Central (Bet Now at any of our reviewed MLB Sportsbooks!)
I’m buying a lot of variety in the divisional, pennant and World Series futures market but nothing to do with Kansas City.
That said, I buy Franco to exceed expectations and perhaps really bust out as someone who isn’t on the radar whatsoever.
I also like some of Kansas City’s young players and certainly expect them to beat the Tigers and beat them relatively easily.
What do you think of our 2020 Kansas City Royals predictions? Comments are welcome below.
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