Pitcher Zack Greinke, who won the 2009 AL Cy Young Award while with Kansas City behoort being traded to Milwaukee, signed a $147 million six-year contract with the Los Angeles Dodgers in the offseason.
Former AL MVP, Miguel Tejada, made the team as a utility player with a $1.1 million one-year contract.
[4] The Royals were the only team losing less than 10 games other than the Baltimore Orioles (9 losses),[5] ending spring training with a 25–7–2 record.
[8] Kansas City manager Ned Yost said "The key to our success this year is going to be our pitching staff, because we can catch the ball.
Kansas City led the majors in team batting average, hits, doubles, runs scored and on-base percentage, clinching first place in the Cactus League standings.
•Minor League: Blaine Boyer, Chad Tracy, Endy Chávez, Miguel Tejada, Xavier Nady, Willy Taveras, George Sherrill, Dan Wheeler, Brandon Wood and Anthony Ortega.
•Acquired SP James Shields, P Wade Davis and IF Elliot Johnson from the Tampa Bay Rays for OF Wil Myers, P Mike Montgomery, 3B Patrick Leonard and P Jake Odorizzi.
In April, Jeremy Guthrie had the longest undefeated streak by a Royals pitcher over 13 starts since Kevin Appier in 1994-95.
Hall of Famers Mike Schmidt and George Brett, rivals when the Phillies beat the Royals to win their first championship 33 years earlier, threw out the first pitches (along with SNL's Joe Piscopo).
[18] However, on April 12 (after a day off), the Royals lost against the Toronto Blue Jays after committing three errors within the game, matching their season total at that time.
[21] Although performing well, the Royals helped the Atlanta Braves win their 10th straight game with a 6–3 victory over KC on April 16.
Like many teams, the Braves also held a moment of silence before the game for the victims of the Boston Marathon bombing (April 15).
[22] With Wade Davis pitching 7 scoreless innings, the Royals beat the Braves 1–0 on April 17 to end Atlanta's 10-game winning streak.
We've been told the hotel has been locked down, although I've seen a handful of people moving around," Royals vice president Mike Swanson said.
[27] However, with the second suspect captured that same evening and Fenway Park under tight security, play resumed Saturday, April 20, with a win of 4–3 by Boston over the Royals.
(The Red Sox wore white home jerseys with "Boston" on the front instead of the customary "Red Sox" while Kansas City players and staff wore a "B Strong" patch on the front of their jerseys, with the shirts being auctioned off for funds to support victims of the bombing.)
With tributes to the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings still visibly clear, the Royals ended a season-opening streak of 16 games by Red Sox starters allowing three runs or less, tying an AL record achieved by the Oakland Athletics in 1978 and 1981.
[33] On April 25, Alex Gordon's grand slam (clearing the 420-foot marker on the wall in center field) highlighted a five-run 10th inning for Kansas City, who rallied against the Detroit Tigers bullpen for an 8–3 win, keeping the Royals in first place (ALC).
Billy Butler had three hits on the day and improved to 23 for 55 (.418) off Justin Verlander, the best mark of anyone with at least 30 at-bats against the Detroit pitcher.
On April 28, in the opener of a doubleheader caused by a rainout two days earlier, Jeremy Guthrie (3–0) allowed six hits over 6 2/3 innings for his 16th consecutive start without a loss.