Last season, the Royals had their breakout year, greatly exceeding expectations and making the playoffs for the first time since 2015 when they won the World Series. Bobby Witt Jr. became the star of Kansas City, putting up MVP numbers by hitting .295/.347/.517 while also being one of the best defensive shortstops in baseball. Royals starting pitchers finished the season with the second-best ERA in the MLB at 3.55 and looked significantly improved from years prior.
Going into this season, the Royals were able to return most of the players that sparked their playoff run in 2024. They also were able to make significant moves like trading for Jonathan India and adding Carlos Estevez.