KC Royals: The top 5 series at Kauffman Stadium in 2023

Kansas City is still in the throes of the Chiefs' Super Bowl victory, but soon they can cheer on the KC Royals across the parking lot. Sure, the Royals may not be one of the league's top teams like the Chiefs, but they still boast a young and exciting core. Salvy splashes, Dollar Dog Night, and fireworks will all come together once again this summer.

It is easy to forget that the Royals started off with a great turnout at Kauffman Stadium last year. Opening Day against the Cleveland Guardians was their second-highest-attended game in 2022, while a Saturday night matchup against the Los Angeles Dodgers brought in the most fans. Ultimately, fans will buy tickets if the team is winning, and they did so best in Kauffman Stadium last year. In 2022, the Royals had a 39-42 home record, compared to a 26-55 record on the road. Sure, neither are a winning record, but at least in Kauffman Stadium, fans had a better chance.

KC Royals: The top 5 series at Kauffman Stadium in 2023

Ahead of the 2023 season, fans will be able to see some top competitors travel to Kauffman Stadium. What are some series that could be the most entertaining this season in Kansas City?

Home opener (Mar. 30-Apr. 2 vs. Minnesota Twins)

Any list without this as an option would be incomplete. MLB teams usually go all out for Opening Day, but the Royals are going big for the fans this season. Full powder blues make their debut in Kauffman, a Bobby Witt Jr. bobblehead, and a concert from Brothers Osborne is just the start of festivities. The Royals swept the Minnesota Twins in Kansas City in the last series between the two, but Minnesota won the season series 12-7 in 2022. The Royals could start off the season right with a series win against their AL Central foes, and send fans home happy. Even if the Royals lose one or two games during the series, the team is trying to get fans excited for the season's remaining games.

Friends from the North (Apr. 3-6 vs Toronto Blue Jays)

This may be cheating, but the season's second home series against one of the league's better teams would be a great bargain for fans. The Toronto Blue Jays sport one of the game's most exciting players in Vladimir Guerrero Jr., as well as former Royals star Whit Merrifield. Both will likely be pivotal players as the Blue Jays look to contend in the rigors of the AL East. On top of that, fans will enjoy quicker weekday games with the new pitch clock, and the promotions are great too. Price Chop Monday, Dollar Dog Night, and more are all in this series. If you are a Jackson County resident, you can get 50% off some tickets for the last two games of this series! If you want to catch an early-season game without the Opening Day crowds, this will be a good time.

Angels from the West (June 16-18 vs Los Angeles Angels)

The Dodgers proved star power draws fans to Kauffman Stadium, and few visiting teams have more stars than the Los Angeles Angels. Fans could see both Mike Trout and Shohei Ohtani, albeit not in Royals uniforms, at Kauffman Stadium. The Angels are a sexy pick out of the AL West, but the Royals could be early-season spoilers. The two teams won three games apiece in the 2022 season series, but the Angels have traditionally been the better team. Well, except when it mattered the most, that is. Plus, the Sunday game is celebrating Father's Day, and that is a wonderful reason to spend an afternoon in the ballpark.

The Show-Me Series (Aug. 11-12 vs St. Louis Cardinals)

Personally, this is my favorite series every year. The St. Louis Cardinals are the yin to the Royals' yang. St. Louis has the fancy downtown stadium, the overall series lead, and is a consistent contender in the NL Central. But, the Royals won the two teams' first meeting in the 1985 World Series, and the rest is history. The 2015 series saw both teams enter the series with their respective league's best records, proving that the I-70 rivalry can be a potent one. Plus, fans will enjoy fireworks and Mizzou Night in this two-game weekend series.

Season finale (Sept. 29-Oct. 1 vs New York Yankees)

The days when the Royals were called the New York Yankees AAAA team are fresh in fans' minds. If a successful Royals player ever emerged, they would almost certainly end up with the Yankees. Outfielder Andrew Benintendi is the most recent example of that idea. Like the Angels, New York will bring some serious star power to Kansas City in the likely final series at Kauffman Stadium in 2023. If the Royals improve this season, fans will be cheering them on with vim and vigor against the villainous Yankees.