10 most impactful KC Royals MLB All-Star Game performances

In anticipation of the 2024 MLB All-Star Game, here’s a look at the 10 most decisive Royals performances from previous Midsummer Classics. My measurement standard is Win Probability Added, which calculates the contribution toward victory of each player’s performance.

The KC Royals have a long history of great All-Star performances

For those not familiar with Win Probability Added, it reduces what each player did—outs, hits, and game situation — to a number representing the decisiveness of the player’s contribution on a scale where 0 equals neutral, -1.0 equals a train wreck, and +1.0 equals utter decisiveness. In exhibition contests such as All-Star Games, where 25 or more players play a role for each team, values are often very fractional, meaning that a score as low as +.100 can be very strong. 

Let's take a look.

No. 10. — Kevin Appier, pitcher, 1995.

American League manager Buck Showalter tabbed Appier to follow starter Randy Johnson to the mound in the July 11 game played at The Ballpark in Arlington. Appier justified Showalter’s faith in him, holding the National League starters scoreless and hitless over two innings. Eventually, however, the NL stars won 3-2. Appier Win Probability Added: +.123.

No. 8 (tie) — Amos Otis, outfielder, 1973. 

The starting center fielder in the game played at what was then known as Royals Stadium, Otis singled in the second inning, to drive home Reggie Jackson with the game’s first run. Otis' second hit, opening the fourth inning, came with the AL trailing  3-1 and did not result in a score. Otis was replaced in the fifth inning and the NL went on to win 7-1. Otis Win Probability Added: +.140.

Moving on, including the other No.8...