5 Things For Royals Fans To Be Thankful For

Thanksgiving is here, and in between your second and third plates of turkey, mashed potatoes, and stuffing, it’s good to look back on the year and your life to find what you are thankful for. This can be family, friends, or a new job, perhaps. So here are five things Royals fans can be thankful for before falling into their tryptophan coma. 

1. Bobby Witt Jr.
Not since the days of George Brett have the Royals had a bona fide superstar to cheer for. Fresh off another 8+ bWAR season, Witt also added some hardware to his collection with his first Platinum Glove Award and second Silver Slugger. Witt finished 2025 in fourth place in MVP voting, following up his 2024 campaign in which he came in second; this marked the first time since the 1984 and 1985 seasons that the Kansas City Royals had back-to-back years with a player cracking the Top 5 with Dan Quisenberry (third place), and George Brett (second place), respectively. Having a perennial MVP-caliber player is more than just something to be thankful for; it’s something to be excited about as fans. 

2. The Defense
For all of the Royals' offensive woes that might have occurred this past year. One thing they can really be thankful for is elite defense from some of the most crucial positions. The left side of the diamond was anchored by two Gold Glove recipients, with Maikel Garcia having a career year at third base, both at the dish and on the field, and Bobby Witt Jr. getting his second consecutive Gold Glove and his first Platinum Glove. As a team, the Royals ranked eighth in the majors in Defensive Runs Saved. Elite defense can carry a team deep into October, as fans may recall from the 2014 and 2015 postseason runs. 

3. Starting Pitching
If the Royals have 99 problems, starting pitching isn’t one of them. Noah Cameron deserves a quick mention as the 26-year-old rookie out of St. Joseph, MO, made splashes in his first year with the team, posting a 2.99 ERA in 138 innings.

Not making his debut, but certainly his breakout, Kris Bubic showed the big leagues his potential. Before getting shut down for the rest of the season in late July with a rotator cuff strain, Bubic was absolutely dealing, posting a 2.55 ERA with a 9:3 strikeout to walk ratio en route to his first All-Star Game appearance. Barring any trades (the rumor mill is swirling), The Royals will be coming into the 2026 season with a lot of depth on the mound. 

4. An Invested Ownership Group
Regardless of where a fan may stand with the ever so talked about and controversial New Royals Ballpark conversation, one thing most can agree on is the effort put forth by the ownership group led by John Sherman. Since purchasing the team from David Glass in late 2019, Sherman has made substantial efforts to improve the on field product. The Royals of old were once mocked as a “major league farm team” for their lack of never signing their top talent to long term deals. John Sherman quickly flipped that script when he signed Bobby Witt Jr. to a whopping 11 year, $288 million deal. Whether it is savvy trades bringing in guys such as Cole Ragans, or free agent signings like those of Seth Lugo or Michael Wacha, it’s clear that this ownership group wants to win and put a competitive team on the field year in and year out. 

5. Our “Kauffman Era”
Apologies for the Taylor Swift pun. Back to the stadium conversation, nothing is concrete yet but one thing seems like a forgone conclusion and that is that the Kansas City Royals' days of playing at Kauffman Stadium are numbered. Luckily there is still time to enjoy it as the move will take several years, making this a great time to really reflect and be thankful for such a beautiful and awesome ballpark this team has called home since 1973. From the world renown fountains in the outfield, to the massive crown that sits atop the scoreboard, it truly is a sight for sore eyes. Kauffman has been the stage for so many cherished moments in Royals history; Bret Saberhagen's complete game shutout in Game 7 of the 1985 World Series, the 2014 Wild Card miracle, Bo Jackson launching a ball 475 feet into the center field lawn for his first career homer, the list goes on and on. Speaking personally, some of my fondest memories as a kid were coming to baseball games and watching the Boys in Blue play at “The K”. Truly one of the best experiences in all of baseball.