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Kansas City Royals owner David Glass is reportedly planning to sell the franchise due to health reasons, according to USA TODAY Sports' Bob Nightengale:
Prayers to David Glass, 83, who has told friends and associates this past week that his urgency to sell the #Royals is because of health reasons. The sale of the franchise to KC businessman John Sherman will be just north of $1 billion. It should be finalized by November.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) August 29, 2019
Glass first purchased the Royals for $96 million at the turn of the millennium. Since he has been in ownership, the team has had just four winning seasons. However, Kansas City also made consecutive trips to the World Series in 2014 and 2015, defeating the New York Mets in 2015 to win their first Fall Classic in 30 years.
Initially, there was a lot of confusion as to whether or not Glass was actually considering selling the team. ESPN's Jeff Passan and Jayson Stark and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic first reported that Glass was in discussions to sell the Royals to Kansas City businessman John Sherman for $1 billion:
Kansas City Royals owner David Glass is negotiating a sale of the team to local businessman John Sherman for more than $1 billion, sources tell ESPN. Sherman is currently a minority owner of the Cleveland Indians and would divest himself if Royals deal is finalized as expected.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 27, 2019
However, the Royals released an official statement declaring that they had no comment on impending matters, and general manager Dayton Moore also refused to address any potential sale:
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Dayton Moore tells https://t.co/6TSm0LErFq "It would be inappropriate for me to comment on any potential sale of the club." https://t.co/VfnKdisEKQ
— Jeffrey Flanagan (@FlannyMLB) August 27, 2019
However, MLB Network reporter Jon Heyman tweeted on Wednesday night that Sherman is all but assured to acquire full ownership of the Royals because of his positive standing with league officials:
Barring something unforeseen John Sherman’s purchase of the Royals from David Glass will happen. Sherman, well-respected KC businessman who’d been buying up points in the Indians, seen as a sure thing for MLB approval, too.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) August 29, 2019
The Royals have experienced quite a harsh fall from grace since their 2015 World Series win. Kansas City managed to finish the 2016 season at the .500 mark, but they never really contended for a playoff spot after losing key bullpen arms like Greg Holland and Ryan Madson.
After former figureheads like Lorenzo Cain, Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas all departed, the Royals finished with just 58 wins in 2018, and they are 47-88 through their first 135 games in 2019.
