These Kansas City Royals are completely different. A comparison to last year shows it

Matt Quatraro has tried to put his first managerial campaign far out of his subconscious.

And for good reason. The Royals finished the 2023 campaign with a 56-106 record … tying for the most losses in franchise history.

“We don’t think about last year,” the Kansas City Royals skipper said recently.

However, to fully understand the scope of the resurgent 2024 Royals, one must venture into the club’s past doldrums.

The Royals struggled in their first year under Quatraro. The roster saw consistent turnover as declining veterans and eager prospects walked through the door.

Notable veteran players included Hunter Dozier, Franmil Reyes, Amir Garrett and Aroldis Chapman. A few prospects, such as Samad Taylor and Logan Porter, got a cup of coffee with the organization.

None of those players are currently in the organization. That underscores where the Royals were as a rebuilding team, and where they are now.

The ‘Season of Evaluation’

Last season, KC was a land of opportunity. The front office dubbed the 2023 campaign as a “season of evaluation,” where every player had a chance to plead their roster case.

Some players took advantage of the proving ground. Alec Marsh developed as a fifth starter and James McArthur secured the closer role.

Still, the Royals were determined to become a contender in the American League Central. It had been a decade since the club made the World Series. The memories of the 2014 and 2015 postseason runs are still talked about in the city.

Players like Eric Hosmer, Mike Moustakas and the famed HDH (Kelvin Herrera, Wade Davis, Greg Holland) were celebrated for their impact on the field. They each played a major role in creating the magical World Series run.

Now, a young group led by Bobby Witt Jr. and Cole Ragans attempts to pick up the mantle and carry it forward. They have help from the remaining resident of the 2014-15 teams: team captain Salvador Perez.

Perez, now 34 years old, made it clear he wanted to taste the postseason again. The Royals gave him that chance by acquiring veterans this offseason.

New faces in Royals blue

This Royals team has a new look, thanks to some offseason spending.

The Royals signed free-agent starters Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha. The club also added position players Hunter Renfroe, Adam Frazier and Garrett Hampson. The bullpen would later be fortified by Will Smith, Chris Stratton and John Schreiber.

Each player brought one key element: MLB experience.

“There’s a lot of different guys in there and the other guys have been here another year,” Quatraro said. “It’s a totally different team, and the dynamic in that locker room is totally different.”

It’s the reason the Royals are one of the surprise teams in the league.

The Royals matched their 2023 win total on July 22; they were 28-72 on July 22, 2023, with twice as many wins one year later. The Royals’ run differential ranks third in the American League.

“It just shows you what we are capable of doing,” Witt said. “We all knew that, and (we’ve) just got to prove to ourselves that we can do it.”

A superstar emerges: Bobby Witt Jr.

Witt is a main cog for the Royals success. The 24-year-old star has stepped into the national spotlight and carried the club with him. This season, Witt is hitting .344 with 18 home runs and 70 RBIs.

He also made his first All-Star appearance and competed in the Home Run Derby. Witt leads the majors with 141 hits and 83 runs scored.

On Monday, Witt nearly hit for the cycle against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He was hit by a pitch in the game and it led to tempers flaring. Amid the chaos, Witt was protected by Perez and his teammates.

The passion and fire was another sign this is a different team — one driven by a deep chemistry and desire to win.

“It’s a lot of fun right now,” Witt said.

Witt was joined by Lugo, Ragans and Perez in the All-Star Game. Both Lugo and Ragans pitched in the 94th Midsummer Classic. They have led a revamped starting rotation.

Royals starters have dominated opposing teams. Prior to Wednesday’s game, they had a combined 3.50 ERA. Three starters have at least a 2.0 WAR (wins above replacement), per FanGraphs.

The starters are connected as well. The group huddles after each start and watches bullpens together.

“We want to help each other out as much as possible,” Royals starter Alec Marsh said. “We are all in this together and it’s like a family for me.”

The unselfishness has bred success.

Winning culture grows in Kansas City

Each night, different players are making winning plays.

Kyle Isbel and Freddy Fermin have swung momentum with sacrifice bunts. Vinnie Pasquantino has made inning-saving grabs.

Earlier this year, Frazier made a leaping catch against the Detroit Tigers. He hit a go-ahead home run against the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim.

These moments have defined the Royals turnaround. KC is finally finding ways to win, not lose.

And the Royals faithful have noticed.

Kauffman Stadium has seen increased attendance. The Royals have fed off the fan support by owning a 35-20 home record entering Wednesday. The success stems back to Witt’s walk-off homer on July 28, 2023, against the Minnesota Twins.

Since that game, the Royals are 53-32 in their last 85 home matchups.

In that stretch, KC leads the American League in home winning percentage and runs per game.

While the Royals aren’t pondering the 2023 campaign, they are looking ahead to how the rest of the 2024 season could unfold.

KC is squarely in the American League postseason mix. The Royals are five games behind the Cleveland Guardians in the AL Central and maintain the final AL Wild Card spot.

“I think we need to continue to preach that one day at a time,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said. “It’s easy to look at the schedule and see who you are playing and when there are some opportunities to win games and when there’s going to be tougher stretches. ...

“I think we are in a great spot to compete. We’ve got to go out and do it.”