KC Royals take familiar approach to roster for AL Division Series

The Kansas City Royals, hot off a convincing sweep of the Baltimore Orioles in the American League Wild Card Series, are taking a time-tested approach to their roster for the AL Division Series — if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

So it is that when the Royals open the ALDS against the New York Yankees this evening, they'll field the very same 26-man roster they used to so efficiently drop the Orioles from postseason play earlier this week.

Kansas City made no changes. Not even one:

We'll learn later today how second-year manager Matt Quatraro, who worked wonders with the roster so masterfully retooled by general manager J.J. Picollo during the offseason, will assemble his starting lineup for tonight's 5:38 p.m. CDT contest at Yankee Stadium. Regardless, it's clear the Kansas City brain trust saw no reason to alter the makeup of the club for the best-of-five ALDS.

The KC Royals won't change what got them to New York

Kansas City's willingness to forge ahead without change extends to the blend of its roster. Like they did in Baltimore, the Royals will carry 15 position players and, although they're allowed 13, only 11 pitchers on the ALDS roster.

But it all makes perfect sense.

Having 15 non-pitchers to pick from provides Quatraro with the high degree of flexibility he so obviously relishes. Dairon Blanco, for example, probably won't see much action in the field or at the plate, but he's the Terrance Gore-like baserunning threat the Royals love to utilize for the playoffs. Similarly, keeping Garrett Hampson and Adam Frazier on the roster may not enhance the skipper's uncertain offense, but they give Quatraro valuable defensive versatility.

And the somewhat quirky ALDS schedule — the Royals and Yanks play tonight, take Sunday off, then play again Monday before taking Tuesday off for travel to Kansas City — allows Quatraro the opportunity to keep his hurlers fresh. The roster also features five left-handers, which could prove indispensable in Yankee Stadium.

The 26 Royals available in the ALDS:

Pitchers: Joining tonight's starter Michael Wacha on the pitching staff are Singer, Lorenzen, Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo, Ángel Zerpa, Lucas Erceg, Sam Long, John Schreiber, and Daniel Lynch IV, and Kris Bubic.

Catchers: Salvador Pérez, the only Royal who played on the club's last postseason entry in 2015, and Freddy Fermin.

Infielders: Hampson, Frazier, Bobby Witt Jr., Michael Massey, Vinnie Pasquantino, Maikel Garcia, Yuli Gurriel, and Paul DeJong.

Outfielders: Blanco, MJ Melendez, Hunter Renfroe, Kyle Isbel, and Tommy Pham.

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