Kansas City Royals: Best Tickets of 2018

March/April:

March 29 – April 1: Chicago White Sox

While the opponent may not seem like a huge draw, fans will undoubtedly flock to Kauffman Stadium for Opening Day on Thursday, March 29th. There is a lot to check out on this Chicago team as well. Old friends James Shields and Joakim Soria seem to be locks to be on the club, and it is never a chore to watch Jose Abreu play. Also, with the rotation chalk full of young talent and Yoan Moncada likely to get a lot of looks, the famed White Sox farm system may finally be breaking through. Most importantly, we will get our first look at the 2018 Kansas City Royals.

April 12-15: Los Angeles Angels

This series cannot get here soon enough. The Angels were huge players in free agency, and boast an impressive lineup of capable big league talent. Mike Trout is undoubtedly the best player in the MLB right now. Local hero Albert Pujols is always a pleasure to watch. On top of that, he currently stands 7th on the all-time home run list. Perhaps the best reason to get out to Kauffman, though, will be the fresh new face of the Angels, Shohei Otani. It is unclear whether or not coveted Japanese phenom will receive prominent at bats, but being a four-game series, it is very likely that we will get to see him pitch at Kauffman Stadium this April.

April 24-25: Milwaukee Brewers

The Brewers surprised a lot of people last summer, and have added to the club this offseason. They acquired Christian Yelich from the deprived Marlins and are still looking for a frontline starter. It will be strange to see Lorenzo Cain not wearing a Kansas City Royals jersey, but fans will surely be ready to welcome one of the heroes of our championship team home.

May/June:

May 18-20: New York Yankees

Is there anything Kansas City Royals fans love to do more than hate the New York Yankees? If there is, they are few and far between. The rivalry formed and peaked decades ago, but the feelings have lingered. Even if you do not care about the long ball, Giancarlo Stanton and Aaron Judge teaming up is special. Also, their bullpen full of All-Stars and flamethrowers is claimed by many in the media to be one of the best of all time. Royals fans know a dominant bullpen when they see one. You be the judge.

June 15-17: Houston Astros

It seemed as if many Royals fans took a liking to the Astros during their postseason run in 2017. Whether it was due more to their collection of talent or because it felt like watching the 2015 Royals again is unclear, but the weekend series in June will be a fun one. Young superstars Carlos Correa, George Springer, and Alex Bregman will come to Kauffman feeling confident behind that lethal rotation. Finally, who does not love Jose Altuve?

July/August:

July 6-8: Boston Red Sox

The 2017 AL East Champion Red Sox will roll into Kauffman in July featuring a haul of young talent. Xander Bogaerts, Rafael Devers, Andrew Benintendi and Mookie Betts are sure to put on a show, even if the hometown Royals have not had the season they hoped for up to this point. Their closer is a surefire Hall of Famer, and jersey shredder Chris Sale may see his way to the mound that weekend.

August 6-8: Chicago Cubs

The Cubbies last visited Kauffman in 2012, and the two teams have not met since early in the 2015 campaign. Therefore, this is sure to be a coveted matchup. Similar to the 2017 Astros, fans of the Kansas City Royals seemed to take a liking to the 2016 Cubs as they snapped their historic 108 year championship drought. This Cubs team is loaded, but with the future always being uncertain, be sure to get out to see young phenoms Anthony Rizzo, Kris Bryant, and Javier Baez play in person while you have the opportunity. They just added Yu Darvish to the rotation that already hosts Jose Quintana, Kyle Hendricks, and beloved 2014 Wild-Card game figure, Jon Lester.

Regardless of which game you pick, you are sure to get a treat in way of the pitching matchup. Kansas City favorite Ben Zobrist will return to the K for the first time since Game 2 of the 2015 World Series. As if you need another reason to attend this series, the Cubs and the Royals share one important trait – absolute disdain for the St. Louis Cardinals.

August 10-12: St. Louis Cardinals

Speaking of the Cardinals, they will come to town immediately following the Cubs, separated by only one off day. Kansas Citians despise St. Louis fans who herald Yadier Molina like he is the single greatest player to ever live. Okay, his career longevity at such a volatile position is incredibly impressive. *Please don’t come after me!* The Cardinals are ready for a pennant race in 2018, so be sure to help pack the K in blue to help throw a wrench into their playoff hopes.

Wrap Up:

We did not preview all of the exciting matchups that 2018 will feature. The Cincinnati Reds will make a rare visit to Kansas City in June. Cleveland and Minnesota will be thoroughly entertaining when they visit as they compete atop the American League Central. The month of September will be full of good division rivalries and hopefully an exciting wave of call-ups. Also, when Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas find homes, their return will be a date to circle (assuming their new teams are coming to town). 

Kansas City Royals fans: What series, opponent, or matchup are you looking forward to most in 2018?