Can the KC Royals compete in the AL Central in 2021?

Last season the KC Royals finished fourth place in the AL Central division, posting a record of 20-36 in the shortened 2020 season. How will the Royals do in the AL Central this year?

The AL Central looks to be one of the most competitive divisions in baseball this year, as Chicago, Cleveland, and Minnesota are all vying for the top spot. The Kansas City Royals probably won’t win the division, but where could they place in the AL Central when the season is over with?

PECOTA predicts that the Royals will be fourth in the division and gave the boys in blue a 71-91 chance to win the division. Even though the Twins, the White Sox, and Cleveland will most likely keep their places in the top three spots of the AL Central, Royals fans should be excited about the upcoming session.

One reason as to why is the talent the team brought in for the 2021 season.

The Royals signed  Carlos Santana to be their new first baseman. This was a good move because it gives KC their starting first baseman for the next two years and allows prospect Nick Pratto more time to marinate in the minor leagues.

In 2020, Santana had a .199 batting average with Cleveland, but he looked terrific the year prior, batting .281 with 34 home runs in the last 162-game season that took place. He’s also very good at drawing walks and that’s an area where the Royals have struggled in previous years.

What version of Santana will the Royals be getting though? Will he make enough of an impact to move the Royals up from fourth place in the division?

Another big move the Royals made was trading for former Red Sox outfielder Andrew Benintendi. He was the Red Sox’s Rookie of the Year in 2017 and part of their World Series-winning club a year later. Benintendi was off to a hot start in his MLB career, but injuries hurt his progression and he’s struggled as a result. He hit just .103 last year but missed the majority of the season due to injury.

The changes the Kansas City Royals made in the offseason have improved the team.

Santana and Benintendi have proven themselves to be great additions to the roster. The Royals are better than they were last year and these two additions definitely make that clear.

However, the odds of winning the AL Central are against them.

The Royals might be better at their plate, but their starting rotation could see some struggles and while the bullpen is mostly the same as last year’s unit, it is an older group of players. Pitching will be a big question mark in 2021 and that’s why it’s hard to really know what kind of team the Royals will be this year.

PECOTA put the odds of the Royals being the 2021 AL Central champs at one percent and as such, this season will most likely be a learning experience for the Kansas City Royals. We can expect some exciting games from them. Yet, at this moment, I cannot see them in the playoffs or even getting above fourth place in their own division.

Where do you think the Royals will finish in the AL Central?