KANSAS CITY, Mo. — With a 5-2 win over the New York Yankees on Sunday, Oct. 1, the Kansas City Royals closed the 2023 season with the second-worst record in the MLB.
“I didn’t expect it to be this rough. I thought after last year, I thought we were trending upward," said fan Chad Pendleton. "So it was a bummer to go backward a little bit."
Even with Bobby Witt becoming the first Royal to join the 30-30 club, in which a player hits 30 home runs and steals 30 bases in a single season, hopes were dashed.
“I was actually hoping for a little better season, especially with Bobby Witt coming in," added Royals supporter Ben Elliott.
But, the less-than-stellar season may soon be overshadowed by the team's announcement of the future site of a new ballpark district and stadium.
On Sept. 20, the Royals shared the decision between a downtown East Village site or a North Kansas City site was postponed. Nevertheless, fans like Elliott said they like the idea of a new place to watch the team.
“I’m excited for it. I think it will be a big upgrade for downtown, or wherever they’re going to put it," he said.
So while the team's decision on a future home remains unclear, the message from fans is not.
“Well, John, let’s make next year a better year," fan Michael Grimaldi said of John Sherman's 56-106 Royals. "Might have to spend a little money, but by all means, stay on the track for that ballpark."
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