Royals Enter Offseason With Plenty of Questions to Answer: One Royal Way

KC Sports Network’s Joel Penfield discusses Royals’ 2026 season and offseason questions

Jul 20, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals manager Matt Quatraro (33) looks out from the dugout against the San Francisco Giants prior to the game at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Kansas City Royals enter the offseason with a handful of questions after finishing with a 69-93 record in the 2026 season. In the latest episode of “One Royal Way,” host Joel Penfield dives into the biggest takeaways from the Royals’ season and the end-of-season press conference.

Kansas City wasted no time making changes once the offseason began. Penfield discussed one of the first significant moves the Royals announced. Alec Zumwalt will no longer serve as the team’s Major League hitting coach. The organization will look to add another assistant coach alongside Connor Dawson and Marcus Thames.

Penfield then discussed the Royals’ decision not to bring back head athletic trainer Kyle Turner, assistant athletic trainer Chris Lucia and minor league rehab coordinator Jeff Blum. The host pointed to the team’s repeated injuries, particularly instances when players suffered setbacks during rehab assignments.

General manager J.J. Picollo said the Royals expect to be aggressive this offseason while making sure that does not mean going crazy with payroll spending. Penfield identified the bullpen as a top concern this offseason, as the unit struggled to protect leads throughout the year. The host also addressed Kansas City’s potential need to add starting pitching, with several injured pitchers remaining sidelined.

Despite the rough season, there were still some positives to take away. Penfield highlighted the young core of Carter Jensen and Jac Caglianone and the seasons they had, as both emerged as legitimate parts of the Royals’ core. Michael Massey and Michael Wacha were also mentioned for the productive seasons they had.

A poor bullpen, bad starts and struggles with situational hitting with runners in scoring position are all factors Penfield touched on as contributors to the Royals’ disappointing season. Catch all of this and much more on the latest edition of “One Royal Way” on KC Sports Network.