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Kansas City Royals

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Founded: 1969 · Metro Area: Kansas City · AL · AL Central · Home: Kauffman Stadium

WWikipediaQQ744530
RivalriesI-70 Seriesvs St. Louis Cardinalstwo-way

The Heartbreak Index4.0 · #514

The Numb · MLB, 2015

4.0
Heartbreak
#514
of 1,138 clubs
#26
in MLB
3.1
agony · 0.9 despair
The clocks
  • MLB since 20151.2
  • MLB final appearance since 20150.6
  • MLB deep run since 20150.3
Heaviest wounds

lost the final, 2014 · playoff run died early, 2015 · playoff run died early, 2024 · lost the final, 1980

One formula, every club the site covers. See the whole board →

Who controls the club

The entity that holds control today, one per franchise; co-controllers and minority holders are listed, never summed.

How this is measured

Exactly one control entity is recorded per franchise, so a portfolio can never count a club twice. Co-controllers and minority holders are shown as published and carry no weight in any total.

The chip names the evidence. Sourced: a primary source is linked (league, club, filing or tier-one outlet). Cross-checked: matched against the ownership-change sweep. Contested: disputed or mid-sale. Rows are reviewed weekly.

Stakes are as published, often only “majority”, and are not pro-rated. A record of control is not a claim about anyone’s intent or conduct.

Who controls the clubJohn Sherman
John Shermanindividual· Majority
Cross-checkedas of 11 Aug 2026

Minority holders: Peter Mallouk

John Sherman on the owners board →

YouTube

+13,494
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subscribers gained since 23 Oct 2026

Open the official channel on YouTube

Calculated by Citizen of Nowhere from YouTube channel statistics, as of 1 Nov 2026. Not part of the Fan Attention Index. Not ranked.

Data from YouTube API Services · YouTube Terms of Service · How we use YouTube data

2
World Series
4 WS Appearances
4
Pennants
8 LCS App · 7 Div titles
10
Playoff appearances
Postseason 43-37
0.477
All-time win pct
58
Seasons
since 1969

Championships

Pre-1903 cup wins (Temple Cup, World's Series, NL pennants) in slate; modern World Series titles in gold.

19852015
Pre-1903 cup / NL pennantWorld Series (1903-present)

Pennants

Every World Series appearance and pre-1903 cup appearance. Solid chip = won the pennant (WS / cup); outlined chip = lost the WS / cup.

1980198520142015

All-time record

Regular-season W-L4290-4703
Win pct0.477
Playoff record43-37
Championship appearances4 (2 wins)
LCS appearances8
Division titles7
Total seasons58
.500 or better seasons24
Most recent championship2015

Stadium history

Grouped by physical ballpark. Naming-rights eras nested.

Kauffman Stadium

1973-present
Kansas City, MO
  • Royals Stadium 1973-1992
  • Kauffman Stadium 1993-2026

Municipal Stadium II

1969-1972
Kansas City, MO
Season-by-season
1969 to 2026 · 58 seasons · click to expand
2026Kansas City Royals
W-L
69-93
Win%
0.426
RS
690
RA
810
AL Central · 5
—
2025Kansas City Royals
W-L
82-80
Win%
0.506
RS
651
RA
637
AL Central · 3
—
2024Kansas City Royals
W-L
86-76
Win%
0.531
RS
735
RA
644
AL Central · 2
Playoffs
2023Kansas City Royals
W-L
56-106
Win%
0.346
RS
676
RA
859
AL Central · 5
—
2022Kansas City Royals
W-L
65-97
Win%
0.401
RS
640
RA
810
AL Central · 5
—
2021Kansas City Royals
W-L
74-88
Win%
0.457
RS
686
RA
788
AL Central · 4
—
2020Kansas City Royals
W-L
26-34
Win%
0.433
RS
248
RA
272
AL Central · 4
—
2019Kansas City Royals
W-L
59-103
Win%
0.364
RS
691
RA
869
AL Central · 4
—
2018Kansas City Royals
W-L
58-104
Win%
0.358
RS
638
RA
833
AL Central · 5
—
2017Kansas City Royals
W-L
80-82
Win%
0.494
RS
702
RA
791
AL Central · 3
—
2016Kansas City Royals
W-L
81-81
Win%
0.500
RS
675
RA
712
AL Central · 3
—
2015Kansas City Royals
W-L
95-67
Win%
0.586
RS
724
RA
641
AL Central · 1
ChampionDiv Title

Top 12 postseason games

Highest-rated postseason games in franchise history by the site's Game Score metric, which combines hype, quality, stakes, and matchup rank. Losses can outrank routine wins because the formula scores game quality, not franchise spin.

1
Kansas City Royals 2-1 St. Louis Cardinals
1985-10-26 · 1985 World Series G6 · Royals Stadium
1.881
W
2
Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 Kansas City Royals
1980-10-21 · 1980 World Series G6 · Veterans Stadium
1.834
L
3
Kansas City Royals 7-2 New York Mets
2015-11-01 · 2015 World Series G5 · Extras · Citi Field
1.715
W
4
Philadelphia Phillies 4-3 Kansas City Royals
1980-10-19 · 1980 World Series G5 · Royals Stadium
1.715
L
5
New York Yankees 7-6 Kansas City Royals
1976-10-14 · 1976 ALCS G5 · Yankee Stadium II
1.547
L
6
San Francisco Giants 3-2 Kansas City Royals
2014-10-29 · 2014 World Series G7 · Kauffman Stadium
1.543
L
7
Kansas City Royals 4-3 Philadelphia Phillies
1980-10-17 · 1980 World Series G3 · Extras · Royals Stadium
1.529
W
8
Kansas City Royals 5-3 Philadelphia Phillies
1980-10-18 · 1980 World Series G4 · Royals Stadium
1.523
W
9
New York Yankees 5-3 Kansas City Royals
1977-10-09 · 1977 ALCS G5 · Royals Stadium
1.443
L
10
Kansas City Royals 4-3 Toronto Blue Jays
2015-10-23 · 2015 ALCS G6 · Kauffman Stadium
1.442
W
11
New York Yankees 6-4 Kansas City Royals
1977-10-08 · 1977 ALCS G4 · Royals Stadium
1.382
L
12
Philadelphia Phillies 7-6 Kansas City Royals
1980-10-14 · 1980 World Series G1 · Veterans Stadium
1.371
L

Rating through time

Where Royals sat against the rest of the league at the end of every season it played, from 1969 to 2026. Above average in 27 of 58 seasons.

80s90s00s10s20s13501500160019692026

Highest it ever rated
1578 1977, week 25
Lowest it ever rated
1413 2006, week 11

One point per season, at the rating it finished on, with a rule at every decade. Tap or drag any year for what it started on, where it peaked and where it finished. 1500 is the league average by construction, not a chosen line. The week-by-week detail for any season is on its own season page.

Games it had least right to win

Every Royals game ranked by the Elo win probability before first pitch. The last column is that probability; the lower it was, the bigger the upset.

Least likely wins, all time
  1. 12018-06-22beat Houston Astros (away)1–0
  2. 22018-07-28beat New York Yankees (away)10–5
  3. 32019-09-16beat Oakland Athletics (away)6–5
  4. 42023-06-22beat Tampa Bay Rays (away)6–5
  5. 52023-06-24beat Tampa Bay Rays (away)9–4
  6. 62005-08-20beat Oakland Athletics (away)2–1
  7. 72022-07-31beat New York Yankees (away)8–6
  8. 82005-08-21beat Oakland Athletics (away)5–4
  9. 92006-05-26beat New York Yankees (away)7–6
  10. 102006-05-05beat Chicago White Sox (away)5–4
Least likely losses, all time
  1. 11977-09-16lost to Seattle Mariners (home)1–4
  2. 22003-09-23lost to Detroit Tigers (home)6–15
  3. 31978-09-27lost to Seattle Mariners (home)2–4
  4. 41978-04-26lost to Toronto Blue Jays (home)1–3
  5. 52003-09-24lost to Detroit Tigers (home)3–4
Biggest upsets by decade7 decades
1960s
  1. 11969-07-27beat Detroit Tigers (away)7–2
  2. 21969-09-13beat Minnesota Twins (away)1–0
  3. 31969-09-14beat Minnesota Twins (away)4–3
1970s
  1. 11971-05-10beat Baltimore Orioles (away)4–1
  2. 21970-09-29beat Minnesota Twins (away)14–13
  3. 31970-07-30beat Detroit Tigers (away)3–2
1980s
  1. 11984-08-03beat Detroit Tigers (away)9–6
  2. 21984-08-04beat Detroit Tigers (away)9–5
  3. 31984-08-05beat Detroit Tigers (away)5–4
1990s
  1. 11999-08-18beat New York Yankees (away)3–0
  2. 21999-08-19beat New York Yankees (away)4–1
  3. 31997-08-26beat Baltimore Orioles (away)5–4
2000s
  1. 12005-08-20beat Oakland Athletics (away)2–1
  2. 22005-08-21beat Oakland Athletics (away)5–4
  3. 32006-05-26beat New York Yankees (away)7–6
2010s
  1. 12018-06-22beat Houston Astros (away)1–0
  2. 22018-07-28beat New York Yankees (away)10–5
  3. 32019-09-16beat Oakland Athletics (away)6–5
2020s
  1. 12023-06-22beat Tampa Bay Rays (away)6–5
  2. 22023-06-24beat Tampa Bay Rays (away)9–4
  3. 32022-07-31beat New York Yankees (away)8–6

Probabilities are Neil Paine's Elo, home advantage included, over 9,235 decided games. Ties are left out. The week-by-week rating for any season is on its season page.

Award winners

League-wide awards held by Royals players or managers. Curated to the headline tier: MVP, Cy Young, Rookie of the Year, Manager of the Year, postseason MVPs, Hank Aaron, Roberto Clemente, and the rare Triple Crown.

AL MVP · 1

  • 1980George Brett

AL Cy Young · 4

  • 2009Zack Greinke
  • 1994David Cone
  • 1989Bret Saberhagen
  • 1985Bret Saberhagen

AL Rookie of the Year · 4

  • 2003Angel Berroa
  • 1999Carlos Beltran
  • 1994Bob Hamelin
  • 1969Lou Piniella

AL Manager of the Year · 1

  • 2003Tony Pena

WS MVP · 2

  • 2015Salvador Perez
  • 1985Bret Saberhagen

ALCS MVP · 4

  • 2015Alcides Escobar
  • 2014Lorenzo Cain
  • 1985George Brett
  • 1980Frank White

All-Star Game MVP · 2

  • 2016Eric Hosmer
  • 1989Bo Jackson

Comeback Player of the Year · 1

  • 2017Mike Moustakas

Babe Ruth Award · 2

  • 2015Wade Davis
  • 1985Bret Saberhagen

Reliever of the Year Award · 7

  • 2014Greg Holland
  • 1993Jeff Montgomery
  • 1985Dan Quisenberry
  • 1984Dan Quisenberry
  • 1983Dan Quisenberry
  • 1982Dan Quisenberry
  • 1980Dan Quisenberry