Skip to content

Royals GM: Payroll to 'regress a little bit' in 2017

Denny Medley / USA TODAY Sports / Reuters

Having missed the playoffs for the first time since 2013, finishing 81-81 after winning the World Series last October, the Kansas City Royals' payroll will "regress a little bit" in 2017, general manager Dayton Moore said Monday.

"This (2016) payroll was put together with going deep in the postseason (in mind)," Moore told reporters during a news conference at Kauffman Stadium, according to Rustin Dodd of the Kansas City Star. "That didn't happen. Again, I'm accountable for that. It’s not going to look very good on the spreadsheet when the bill comes due."

In 2016, after handing out several long-term contracts in an effort to augment the group that won the World Series, the Royals had an Opening Day payroll just north of $131 million, an increase of almost $19 million from the season prior, and a new franchise record. Though the club's payroll in 2017 may approximate that number after accounting for raises for arbitration-eligible players, their budget for player salaries definitely isn't going up, Moore said.

"Last year's payroll, it was built to go deep in the postseason; that worked out. This year, it didn’t. So we’ll have to re-evaluate that, probably reorganize, take some steps back."

As such, the Royals will have to get creative in addressing the holes on their roster, particularly in the rotation and corner outfield.

"We're going to have to look internally and (in) trades," Moore said. "We won't be adding money. That's for darn sure."

Daily Newsletter

Get the latest trending sports news daily in your inbox