One of the refreshing traits that Royals general manager JJ Picollo and owner John Sherman have shown is awareness. They know how good the team is. They know where the gaps are. They are realistic about player development outcomes. And they are disciplined about making moves that don’t overextend the club’s finances.
Last year, the Royals had two glaring problems. One, in a league where leadoff hitters across baseball posted a .327 on-base percentage, Kansas City’s mark was a woeful .270. Two, the Royals had the second-worst outfield in the league by overall offensive production per wRC+.