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3 best front office decisions that fueled KC Royals' surge toward 2024 postseason

By Rachael Millanta |
/ Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
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After a woeful 106-loss season last year, the Kansas City Royals bounced back in 2024 to secure a playoff berth, and even sweep the Baltimore Orioles in the Wild Card series. It's a historic comeback for the franchise, and one that proved the Royals are ready to be in contention conversations as they move into 2025.

Looking back at the 2024 season and how the Royals managed to turn around their trajectory after the year prior, here are the three best front office decisions that fueled the team's surge to the playoffs.

KC Royals added Lucas Erceg to bolster their flailing bullpen

Through the 2024 regular season, the Royals bullpen ranked 20th in MLB with a combined ERA of 4.13, 23rd in WHIP at 1.33, and last in strikeouts with just 463 — but one player who shone brightly was closer Lucas Erceg. In one of the best moves they made all season, the Royals' front office acquired Erceg from the Oakland Athletics on July 30 in exchange for Mason Barnett, Will Klein, and Jared Dickey.

In 23 regular-season appearances with the Royals this year, Erceg posted a 2.88 ERA, 0.84 WHIP, and 31 strikeouts in 25 innings of work. The 29-year-old went on to appear in five out Kansas City's six postseason games, accumulating an ERA of 3.00 with 3 saves, proving himself crucial to the team's success in the Wild Card series.

Erceg is under club control until after the 2029 season, and is still pre-arbitration for another year. In 2025, the right-hander is owed just $800,000, meaning that not only did the Royals successfully bolster their bullpen with a closer for the next five seasons, but they did it for a fraction of what it would've cost to sign a reliever out of free agency.

KC Royals acquired Yuli Gurriel as backup plan after Vinnie Pasquantino's injury

When Vinnie Pasquantino broke his thumb at the end of August and was subsequently ruled out for six to eight weeks, the Royals' front office needed to find a backup plan — and quickly. In an eleventh hour move before the cut-off to include a player on their postseason roster, the Royals acquired Yuli Gurriel in a minor-league trade with Atlanta Braves on August 31, and immediately promoted him to the majors.

Gurriel ended up being one of Kansas City's most effective hitters over the last few weeks of the regular season, slashing .241/.338/.296 with 6 RBI in 18 games. Despite Pasquantino's surprise return from the IL before the Wild Card series, Gurriel played in all six of the Royals' playoff games, recording 4 hits on a batting lineup that was worrying quiet.

Gurriel is unlikely to be back in Kansas City in 2025, but that doesn't mean the decision to add him to the lineup for the last month of the regular season wasn't a fantastic one. He played a crucial role in getting the Royals to the playoffs when the offense was otherwise shaky at best, and that's about as good as a last-minute emergency trade can get.

KC Royals prioritized veterans over internal options by trading for Michael Lorenzen

Developing players within the farm system is crucial to a team's long-term success — but sometimes, a team needs an experienced veteran to get the job done. On July 29, the Royals announced they had traded fan-favorite prospect Walter Pennington to the Texas Rangers in exchange for 2023 All-Star pitcher Michael Lorenzen, and while many fans were sad to see Pennington leave the organization after making just one appearance in the majors, Lorenzen ultimately helped the Royals more than Pennington ever could've over the next few months.

In seven appearances (six starts) during the regular season with the Royals, Lorenzen went 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, and 22 strikeouts in 28.2 innings of work. He held opposing batters at an average of just .183, adding reinforcements to the starting rotation over the last few months of the season. Lorenzen also made two appearances out of the bullpen during the Royals' playoff campaign, accumulating a 3.86 ERA with 3 strikeouts.

Without an extension from the Royals, Lorenzen will become a free agent this offseason. While it's unclear whether or not Kansas City will offer a him a deal for 2025, adding the veteran to the rotation for the last part of 2024 was a strong move to get the team to the playoffs.

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