(Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)
Most people figured the Kansas City Royals were at least one or two years away from competing for a playoff spot.
However, to say they have been bad to open the 2023 season would be an understatement.
If not for the 2-8 Detroit Tigers who are just as bad – if not worse – the 3-9 Royals would be last in the AL Central division.
We also knew pitching would be a problem, as the player development department hasn’t been able to help young prospects take the next step.
We did expect more from the offense, though.
Royals’ .182 team batting average is the worst in MLB, .24 points behind the next closest team pic.twitter.com/BWBrUnClP0
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 12, 2023
That batting average shared above was before Tuesday’s game.
At the moment, after that contest and as of Wednesday afternoon, the Royals as a team are hitting a putrid .190/.258/.317.
They don’t get on base and they have no power, or at least that’s what they have showed so far.
Some of the hitters listed in the picture are bound to improve.
Bobby Witt Jr. should hit way better than .158, and the same can be said about MJ Melendez (whose underlying batted-ball metrics say his numbers should be much better).
They also have Salvador Perez, who led the league in home runs in 2021 and has been one of the most consistent offensive catchers in the league, and Vinnie Pasquantino.
Beyond that, there really isn’t much to highlight.
The Royals, if we are being realistic, have a lot of work to do at all levels to have a chance to compete for the playoffs sometime in the next two or three years.
They might need an organizational overhaul of player development staff, scouts, and coaches.
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