This is a change.
Usually, the annual PECOTA projections from Baseball Prospectus cast a dire scenario for the Royals. And while the outlook isn’t great for the Royals this year, it would be a vast improvement from the 2018 season.
PECOTA, which is an acronym for Player Empirical Comparison and Optimization Test Algorithm, each year projects a team’s win-loss record for the upcoming season. While its forecast for the 2019 Royals only sees a 71-91 record, that would be good for third place in the American League Central, ahead of the Tigers and White Sox.