The Kansas City Royals (12-7) are off to a great start early in the 2024 season, and one reason is their stellar defense. Kansas City is the only team in Major League Baseball yet to allow an unearned run. The Royals currently have the 11th-best fielding percentage in the league, but their defensive blunders have not cost them on the scoreboard up until this point.
Will the Kansas City Royals continue to defy expectations this season and make the playoffs for the first time since they won the World Series in 2015?
Kansas City Royals Season Analysis
The Royals are the only team in MLB yet to allow an unearned run this season 🔥 pic.twitter.com/I7OhNC4xsx
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) April 19, 2024
The Royals find themselves in second place in the American League Central just one game back of the division-leading Cleveland Guardians. Kansas City’s over/under win total heading into the 2024 MLB season was 73.5, which was the sixth-lowest in the entire league. The Kansas Royals are on a 102-win pace.
A seven-game winning streak beginning in early April against the Chicago White Sox and Houston Astros has the Royals in their best position in years.
A stellar defensive start for the Kansas City Royals has helped buoy the team’s pitching statistics. Kanas City is second in the league in ERA (2.79) and the pitching staff has surrendered the fewest earned runs this season with a mere 52. Starting Pitcher Seth Lugo is having a career resurgence in “The City of Fountains.” He is tied for the league lead with three victories and his 1.05 ERA is fourth in all of Major League Baseball.
More Than Just Defense Powering Royals Hot Start
The Royals offense is led by veteran Catcher Salvador Perez who is top 20 in batting average, home runs, and RBI. Kansas City is 11th in runs scored and seventh in home runs. They also have four games this season where the offense has put up double-digit runs.
It is a long year, but the Royals have gotten off to a great start in the first month of the 2024 season.
Kansas City begins a three-game set at home tonight against the Baltimore Orioles.
About The Author
Justin has always loved sports. He has previously written for Sports Illustrated and 247Sports. Check out all the great content Total Apex Sports has to offer. Check us out on X @TotalApexSports and our other sites: Total Apex Sports Bets and Total Apex Fantasy Sports
