Baseball Prospectus has released their annual projections for the 2018 season, and they are not predicting big things for the Royals this year. Their projection system, named the “Player Empirical Comparison and Optimization Test Algorithm” or PECOTA, predicts the Royals to win just 66 games, tied with the Marlins for worst record in baseball. Last year’s World Series participants, the Dodgers and Astros, are each projected to win 99 games, best in baseball.
PECOTA projects five of the six division title winners from last year to repeat, the only exception being the Yankees are projected to surpass the Red Sox in the American League East.