For years, the Kansas City Royals have been known for having a low payroll and simply not spending a lot of money. Small-market teams are looked down upon in pity due to the “fact” that they can’t build winning teams with the same ease as large-market squads. That isn’t always the case, though. Heck, the Tampa Bay Rays are playing playoff games despite holding the MLB’s lowest 2019 Opening Day payroll.
If you asked the casual baseball fan whether or not a team with a low payroll could win a championship, you’d probably hear “no” quite a bit.