History suggests it will be a quiet and unproductive Christmas for KC Royals

Over 40 years ago, just three months after their 90-72 record wasn't good enough to squeeze into the 1982 MLB playoffs and with only two days left in the year, the Kansas City Royals gave the franchise and its fans an excellent Christmas season gift. But the December 30, 1982, re-signing of legendary pitcher Paul Splittorff has proven to be one of the Royals' rare beneficial Christmastime deals.

Although the Royals' 79-83 record kept them out of postseason play again in 1983, Splittorff, the winningest pitcher in club history and a member of its Hall of Fame, went 13-8 in 1984 to help them return to the playoffs before he retired after the '84 campaign.

The Royals haven't had much Christmas luck since. Yes, they signed pitchers Edinson Vólquez in 2014 and Ervin Santana in 2020, but those deals aren't typical of other holiday season moves they've made.

The club's Christmas season (December 22-28) transaction history suggests the past will be prologue for KC this year. Starting with Christmas Day and Christmas Eve, here's why.

Christmas Day has always been quiet for the KC Royals

Not surprisingly, Kansas City hasn't engaged in much Christmas Day action — only twice has the club signed anyone, and never has it made a trade, on December 25.

Pitcher Mike Griffin, then a veteran of 23 major league games split between the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, and San Diego Padres, signed a Christmas Day free agent contract with the Royals in 1984. Griffin pitched two seasons at Triple-A Omaha without making it to Kansas City, and returned to free agency after the '86 campaign. He pitched for the Baltimore Orioles in 1987 before finishing his 7-15, 4.60 ERA big league career two years later with the Cincinnati Reds.

José Lima celebrated Christmas Day 2004 by returning to the Royals, with whom he'd gone 8-3 in 2003. The journeyman starter pitched for five teams during a 13-year major league career and went 5-16, 6.99 for the 2005 Royals, whose 106 losses stood as the franchise record until the club tied it in 2023. He signed a free agent deal to pitch for the New York Mets in 2006, spent most of the season in the minors, and appeared in only four games with the big club. Lima never pitched in the majors again.