J.J. Picollo was in the Royals’ dugout hours before a game against the Angels this week, discussing what has been one of the most impressive turnarounds in major league history. The chat shifted to Picollo’s wife, Nicole, and the Royals’ general manager pointed to the upper deck down the third-base line.
“She likes to sit up there,” he said with a smile. “She enjoys being among the fans.” Is she just pretending to be interested up there, so far from the action?
“Oh no,” Picollo said. “It’s not like she’s bringing a book. She’s very into it.” That seems to be the case for many people in Kansas City these days.
The Royals, who set a franchise record with 106 losses last season, had a day off Thursday while they are in the playoff race. With only 35 games left in the regular season, they were 2 1/2 games behind the Guardians in the AL Central and three games behind the Yankees for the best record in the American League.
Equally important, they were three games ahead of the Red Sox for the last wild-card spot.
It’s been a remarkable turnaround for an organization that shone brightly in 2014 and ’15, winning back-to-back AL pennants and their first World Series title in 30 years, but then quickly declined.
The Royals have not had a winning season in eight years, losing at least 100 games in three of the past six seasons, and were considered a joke just last year.
But as shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., the new face of the team, puts it: “The boys are playin’ some ball.”
“Once you get past Aug. 1, it’s hard not to check the standings,” Picollo admitted. “I try not to look at other scores until we get a win because if we win, we’re not losing any ground, and that’s how we have to think.
But yes, as soon as our game ended yesterday, I checked the Twins game to see them tied and lose it. So, that’s natural. And that’s exciting.” Picollo didn’t spend a lot to build a successful team. In fact, he didn’t even need a big loan.
The players who have helped Kansas City reach heights not seen in nearly a decade were either already on the team last year and just needed more time to improve, or were free-agent signings and trades that showed Picollo’s baseball knowledge.
Take the rotation, for example. Cole Ragans, who ranks fifth in the majors with 183 strikeouts in 152 1/3 innings, was acquired in a trade with the Rangers last season.
Seth Lugo, who is tied for the big league lead with 14 wins, signed a relatively small three-year, $45 million free-agent contract. Michael Wacha, who signed a similar two-year, $32 million deal, has a 10-6 record with a 3.33 ERA.
Brady Singer has bounced back from a tough 2023 season, and Michael Lorenzen has a 1.99 ERA in four starts since being traded last month.
The bullpen has been completely revamped, too. John Schreiber and Kris Bubic have been standout performers in relief, while Lucas Erceg has given up only four hits and no runs, with 14 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings since the Royals acquired him in a trade with Milwaukee.
Picollo has also been successful in strengthening the lineup. The trade for Paul DeJong from the White Sox didn’t make big news, but he’s hitting .286 with three homers and eight RBIs in 14 games with Kansas City.
“It’s given me a lot of life to be able to come here every day and compete with these guys,” he said. “They’ve had their culture all year and they’ve been doing well, but for me it just makes coming to the ballpark a lot more fun.”
No one seems to be having more fun than Witt, the 24-year-old star who is having an amazing year just months after signing an 11-year deal worth $288.7 million to be the cornerstone of the franchise.
Witt leads the majors with a .352 batting average, which is almost 20 points higher than the Yankees’ Aaron Judge. He has already hit 25 home runs and stolen 25 bases. Advanced stats show he is not only one of the best defenders in baseball but also its fastest player.
His fWAR, a measure of a player’s value compared to a replacement-level player at the same position, suggests Witt is on track for the best season by a shortstop since Honus Wagner more than a hundred years ago.
“Man, he has tremendous ceiling,” said Angels manager Ron Washington. “He’s got everything it takes to be a superstar.” The Royals seem ready for a playoff push, though it will be tough.
Their next 20 games, starting Friday night against the Phillies, are against teams that currently hold playoff spots. Except for three games against second-place Minnesota, all are against teams that lead their divisions.
But the Royals are ready for the challenge, as few expected them to be in this position, chasing a postseason spot with six weeks left in the season.
“We’re certainly aware and have been aware of the stretch coming up,” Picollo said. “The big thing was to take care of business before this stretch. And we have. It’s still going to be tough, but maybe we’re in a little better position to hold our ground.
And really, that’s part of what we’ve been saying all year: Take it day by day. This stretch requires taking it day by day, because there will be ups and downs. Those are good teams. “If we can keep that mindset,” Picollo said, “we’ll be in a good spot.”
