The Royals had made moves to contend in 2014, but still, their postseason run had a “we’re just happy to be here” feel, where every day the team was playing with house money. They parlayed that attitude into a pennant, falling just short of winning one of the most improbable championships in modern baseball history.
The 2024 Royals had a more improbable postseason appearance, after improving by 30 wins that season. They had a remarkable sweep over the Orioles in the Wild Card round, but the clock struck midnight in the ALDS against the Yankees. Still, most everyone saw it as an extraordinarily successful season after losing 106 games the year before.
But expectations change, and the definition of “success” changes with it. The Royals have established they are no longer a cellar-dwelling team, but can they go from being in baseball’s middle class to reaching the penthouse?
What would you consider a successful 2026 season?
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