KC Royals: 2020 defined the next steps for Dayton Moore

The 2020 season is over, but it left behind a better map and idea for the KC Royals organization to follow going into the offseason.

The postseason is officially here for most, and for the teams that didn’t make it, like the KC Royals, the offseason is here. While things won’t start heating up until after the World Series is over, it’s likely many within the Royals organization are looking ahead to what moves may be made.

It’s obvious to many that the offense needs some help. There are some players on the team that could factor into this, such as Adalberto Mondesi, but a full season of work is needed, not just portions. Pitching will also need some looks. While the pitching staff as a whole was much better in 2020, there is still some need for more veteran presence in the bullpen.

Recently, Royals GM Dayton Moore held a Zoom conference with reporters to talk about the end of the season plans. Dayton more was positive about the direction of the Royals and seems to have a clear idea of where the organization needs to move to compete in 2021. Jeffrey Flanagan provided an update on Moore’s discussion at MLB.com.

Moore mentioned that the young pitchers and bullpen were an important factor during the 2021 season, but that due to the shortened season, there are still unknowns surrounding many of the pitchers. All will need a full season of work to see where they actually stand realistically.

Moore understands that he needs someone to guide the way, and based on his statements, fans can likely expect the Royals to look at veteran pitching on the free-agent market. Moore mentioned the need to add to the talent already in the bullpen, as they have pending free agents as well.

"“We can still add to that. We’ve got some guys that are free agents. Obviously, Trevor Rosenthal isn’t with us. Greg Holland is a free agent. Ian Kennedy is a free agent. There are some things to build on. We need to supplement some of those younger guys with veteran guys.” mlb.com"

Moore also mentioned the need to build up the offense. He talked about adding to the outfield to account for the retirement of Alex Gordon while waiting for other prospects to make their way to the majors.

Franchy Cordero was brought up as well, and Moore is looking towards a longer look for him that was missed in 2020.

"“We didn’t get a chance to see Get Get Cordero the way we wanted to. There is a lot of ability there. We’ve had our eye on him for five years. We tried to work deals the last three years to get him in Kansas City.” mlb.com"

The infield duo of Adalberto Mondesi and Nicky Lopez was also discussed. Moore wants to see more from Lopez, calling him a “pesky hitter” but feels that Mondesi is not on track to continue the success he saw at the end of the season. While the production might not be what is needed right now, the Royals like the defense they have with both Mondesi and Lopez up the middle, so it is likely they will continue in their roles.

Moore was overall positive in his discussion and pointed to the things that need to be worked on. Unfortunately, 2020 didn’t provide the sample that was needed for many players, but it did give the Royals a good idea of what they need to be successful.

The Royals are typically quiet during the offseason, making small acquisitions that are high risk but relatively cheap. If they really feel they are close to contention, though, the organization could shock fans a bring in a few more players to help round things out.

It should be interesting to see what the offseason brings for Kansas City. With a couple of extra bats and a pitcher or two, the Royals might just be back on the path to the postseason.

Dayton Moore has hopes after the 2020 season and seems to have a good idea of what the team needs and where to focus during the offseason.