The Kansas City Royals are working to keep some key personnel together, as the team marches on into 2026. Kansas City is giving a contract extension to manager Matt Quatraro, the team announced Sunday. The deal is for three years, with a club option for another year.
The extension goes into effect for 2027, the team said. Quatraro has helped turn Kansas City back into a successful franchise in the last few years.
“Kansas City improved from 56-106 during Quatraro’s first season to 86-76 in 2024, and the Royals then went 82-80 last year for their first consecutive winning seasons since 2013-15,” the Associated Press reported.
Kansas City went 82-80 during the 2025 Major League Baseball season. The Royals weren't able to make the playoffs.
The Royals did make the playoffs though during the 2024 season with Quatraro. It was one of the most special seasons in franchise history.
“In 2024, Quatraro was the runner-up in the American League Manager of the Year voting. The 2024 Royals were the sixth team in the 162-game Era (since 1961), according to Elias, to have a 30-win improvement from one season to the next (excluding shortened seasons). They were the third team ever, according to Elias, to make the postseason after a 100-loss season,” according to a report from MLB.com.
Kansas City is on the hunt for some offense this MLB offseason. The Royals mustered just 159 home runs in 2025, per league stats. That was good for just 26th in MLB.
One player that Kansas City has been linked to this offseason is free agent outfielder Austin Hays. Hays has also been getting interest from the New York Yankees, and a few other clubs.
Royals fans hope that Quatraro can build on his previous success. Kansas City has two World Series titles in franchise history. The last one came during the 2015 season.
