Dan Syzmborski has released his 2017 ZIPS projections for the Royals and the numbers do not project the Royals to return to post-season glory. The ZIPS projection system is a computer-based projection model based on past performance, age, injury, and other factors, and is generally considered the gold standard of player projection systems. Overall, the model projects the Royals as a 79-83 team.
On the hitting side, ZIPS is rather pessimistic, expecting every regular to be a 3 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) player or less. ZIPS does not seem to believe Mike Moustakas has turned his career, around, projecting him to hit just .