The Kansas City Royals keep talking about adding bats and bullpen help, but that is not where the gap is. The real weakness is the Royals’ standards issue in the clubhouse. General Manager J.J. Picollo’s comments at the recent GM Meetings told a story about a team searching for complementary pieces when the truth is more straightforward. This club needs a higher bar for how it competes every single day, inspiring fans and analysts to believe in a stronger, more resilient culture.
The Royals Have a Standards Issue in the Clubhouse
Too Easy To Pitch To
Picollo mentioned the desire to lengthen the lineup during the GM Meetings, as reported by MLB.com. Kansas City finished with a .303 team OBP in 2024, which ranked 24th in MLB according to FanGraphs. When a team fails to control the strike zone, it cannot establish a standard of being hard to beat. The offense looked passive far too often.
One Player Cannot Carry a Culture
In that same interview, Picollo pointed to the Royals’ young core as the heart of the club.
That core has talent, but talent without accountability tends to stall. Veterans matter because they give shape to daily habits. The Royals never built that spine. Teams like the Baltimore Orioles and Texas Rangers climbed quickly because their veterans raised the daily standard, a standard Kansas City still needs to meet.
The Problem Was Identity, Not Personnel
Picollo emphasized that Kansas City’s challenge was inconsistency rooted in a fragile identity, underscoring the need for a mindset and standard shift.
The Royals ranked 27th in chase rate this season, per Baseball Savant. They also ranked 28th in walk rate, per FanGraphs.
Those numbers point to one truth. Kansas City surrendered too much control in the small details. Identity lives in the details.
“Nobody can outwork Salvy… but then when you get Bobby [Witt Jr.] in there. When your best players are your best leaders…”
J.J. Picollo speaks on the work ethic amongst the @Royals stars and how it rubs off on the younger players.
MLB Network + @SageUSAmerica https://t.co/UTFOaKchxz pic.twitter.com/W812C3bMJx
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) December 8, 2025
The Bullpen: Not More Arms, But More Resolve
Kansas City’s bullpen ERA finished at 3.63 in 2025, but they also had a 1.265 WHIP and 20 blown saves as a team. Great bullpens compete with conviction and a mindset built on attack, showing that resolve and standards matter more than personnel alone.
Standards Are Built, Not Signed
This winter cannot be about hunting for the perfect free agent or making the perfect trade. It has to be about raising expectations across the Royals roster. Championship teams compete with clarity and stubborn toughness. They refuse to give away pitches. They push the game in their direction.
The Royals showed flashes of this in 2025, but never owned it. That is the standard shift this organization must force if it wants to climb.
The Standard Must Change
Kansas City does not need a miracle signing. It requires a daily identity that does not back down from pressure. It needs hitters who control the zone, pitchers who attack with confidence, and leaders who hold everyone accountable. Picollo wants complementary pieces. What this team needs is a higher bar for what it means to wear the crown.
Kansas City does not have a roster issue. The weakness is a Royals standard issue, and raising that standard is essential for progress and returning to the postseason.
Main Photo Credit: Scott Winters/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The post The Royals Do Not Have a Roster Issue. They Have a Standards Issue. appeared first on Last Word On Baseball.