Kansas City Royals: Five Players With Most to Prove in 2017

Jun 25, 2016; Kansas City, MO, USA; Kansas City Royals left fielder Alex Gordon (4) celebrates with teammate Eric Hosmer (35) after hitting a solo home run against the Houston Astros during the sixth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter G. Aiken-USA TODAY Sports /

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Kansas City Royals left fielder Alex Gordon (4) – Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports /

All five of these guys have a large amount of pressure riding on them this season. Will they live up to the hype?

Personally, I think this KC Royals team will be a playoff contender, but only if these five guys all perform to the best of their abilities. That means Gordon can’t struggle again, Hosmer has to be playing for that contract, and Moustakas has to show he’s healthy.

Soria can’t suck again in 2017 and Duffy has to be the Duffy we saw last year. Not to mention, the rest of the pitching staff has to come through in the clutch.

If those five guys can contribute, this Royals team could surprise a lot of people. That’s weird to say too, considering they’re only a year and a half removed (not even) from winning the World Series in 2015.

The KC Royals are always going to be underdogs, but they have the talent to make it to another World Series. They just have to stay healthy and hope that the players don’t crack under the pressure.

Next: 20 Best Royals During the Dark Years

What do you think, Royals fans? Who do you think has the most to prove in 2017 and why?

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