Kansas City Royals Chairman and CEO John Sherman is standing behind general manager J.J. Picollo and says the organization intends to remain aggressive in building a contender for the 2027 season.
Sherman said the Royals continue to believe they have a young offensive core capable of helping the club return to contention.
That group includes Bobby Witt Jr., Maikel Garcia, Vinnie Pasquantino, Jac Caglianone and Carter Jensen.
“We have work to do, though,” Sherman said. “We’ve got this young core of position players that are going to be here for a while.”
Kansas City also decided to retain veteran starting pitchers Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo at the deadline rather than trade them for prospects.
Sherman said the organization believes it can build around its existing rotation while adding pitching during the offseason. He specifically identified the bullpen and starting rotation as areas that will need attention.
Injuries have complicated the pitching situation. Cole Ragans, Stephen Kolek and Luinder Avila underwent Tommy John surgery, while closer Carlos Estevez has missed much of the season because of injury.
Sherman said the Royals expect to spend money on pitching as they prepare for 2027.
The Royals opened the season with a payroll of approximately $143 million, but Sherman said about $30 million is expected to come off the books through free agency and trades, potentially creating room for offseason additions.
“We’re freeing up some money that I think we can invest,” Sherman said.
Despite his optimism about the future, Sherman acknowledged this season’s performance has fallen well short of expectations.
“We want to win. We want to win now,” Sherman said. “We’re in last place. We’re 20 games below .500. Those results are unacceptable.”
Sherman also gave Picollo a clear vote of confidence when asked whether he remains the right person to lead the baseball operation.
“No doubt,” Sherman said. “JJ has done a good job.”
Sherman said the Royals are already beginning to evaluate what changes will be necessary for 2027 while still attempting to finish the current season strongly.
The organization’s decision to retain Lugo and Wacha reflects its belief that established major-league pitching could be more valuable to a quick turnaround than prospects who may need several years to develop — or may never reach the majors.
Sherman pointed to the competitive balance in the AL Central as another reason Kansas City believes a turnaround could happen quickly.