Royals GM expects to have a similar budget but much shorter offseason to-do list after playoff run

AP Sports Writer

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Kansas City Royals general manager J.J. Picollo expects to have a similar budget as last season to plug the holes in a team that reached the AL Division Series this year. He said Monday that the Royals this offseason would look for someone to get on base at the top of the lineup and someone to provide more offensive punch in the middle of the order. Their inability to get on base, and drive in runs, cost them dearly down the stretch, particularly in a four-game loss to the Yankees in their best-of-three series. Still, the Royals had a remarkable turnaround from 106 losses a year ago to a team that made the postseason this year.