The Kansas City Royals entered Thursday's game against the Los Angeles Angels at 70-69. Matt Quatraro has come up with new plans for Salvador Perez and Co. as the team makes a playoff push. However, the Royals' road to the playoffs is tough. Despite the optimism around the squad recently, Vinnie Pasquantino and the offense face a big problem heading into the final stretch.
As a team, the Royals' offense sits near the middle of the pack. Despite their middling numbers, Witt Jr., Pasquantino, and Perez make up one of Major League Baseball's best trios at the plate. Quatraro has not had to worry about their production for the majority of the season. His issue has been getting reliable offense from the other six players in his order each night.
If the Royals are going to make a deeper playoff run than they did last season, they need balance. Witt Jr. has put together another impressive season, but he can only do so much as one player. The best teams in the league this season have depth across the diamond. The ones that don't have elite players they can rely on at the plate or on the pitcher's mound.
Kansas City is unique in the sense that it does not have a plethora of role players despite being a small market team. Witt Jr. is one of the brightest stars in the league right now. Perez and Pasquantino are less than household names, but each consistently put together All-Star caliber seasons as offensive engines. However, that is not good enough to make it into the AL playoffs.
A lack of contributors to a team's offense is often a death sentence. In order to the Royals' chances at the playoffs to improve, Quatraro needs to make some big changes.
How could a lack of balance hold the Royals back?
The Royals were hunting for an outfielder at the trade deadline. Ideally, Kansas City wanted a player under contract for multiple seasons that could become a piece of a rapidly improving young roster. While the team did not secure its top target, it emerged with a few intriguing pieces. However, the majority of the offensive production has come from the same three players all season.
Looking at the team's numbers, its issues are evident. The trio of stars are the only ones with more than 20 home runs on the season. Maikel Garcia is fourth with just 15 and is the only other Royals player with more than 10. That lack of production outside of the heart of Quatraro prevents Kansas City from staying attached in games where the opposing offense is hot.
If the Royals want to make the playoffs, it is on their offense to make it happen. Seth Lugo is the latest addition to Kansas City's injured list. Without his ace pitcher, Quatraro needs his offense to come through in order to have any kind of chance this season. Luckily for him, there are specific adjustments that might just kickstart his offense as it tries to make it to the postseason.
How can Quatraro fix his team's issues?
Teams like the Milwaukee Brewers need to consider condensing their star power at the top of their lineups. However, some squads have gone the other way, spreading out sluggers throughout the lineup. The Royals need to consider doing the same with their lineup. The easiest way to do so is to shift Perez and Garcia down in the order to give the offense its best chance to produce.
Perez is in the later stages of his career, but the veteran continues to come up clutch for the Royals. However, he might be better served batting closer to sixth or seventh in the order. Putting contact hitters ahead of him gives the second half of Kansas City's order a chance to pull its weight compared to its counterpart. Another move that might help? Leaning on Jac Caglianone.
The former top prospect has produced when Quatraro called on him earlier this season. Caglianone is another power hitter that can be another threat in the back of the Royals' order. Kansas City does not need him to do everything, just bring some balance to its offense. At the end of the day, Caglianone needs to get his feet wet in high-pressure games as early in his career as possible.
The Royals' chances of making the playoffs ride on its offense. If Quatraro can find a way to even things out and get runs from all sides of his order, Kansas City has a chance to make a run.
