Major League Baseball

Few might have guessed the Kansas City Royals would be competing in the MLB playoffs in 2024, after last season's near-last-place finish. Matt LaMar, editor of Royals Review from SB Nation, told KCUR's Up To Date the key moves that led to the historic turnaround season.

The Kansas City Royals clinched an American League wild card despite a 3-0 loss to the Atlanta Braves on Friday, after the Minnesota Twins were eliminated with a 7-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles.

A statue of the baseball great, stolen and destroyed earlier this year, was replaced during a ceremony Monday night. The man who stole the statue was sentenced to 15 years in prison for the theft.

Attendance at Kauffman Stadium for Royals games is up, as of the MLB All-Star break, after their near-record-worst year last season. Across the state in St. Louis, the Cardinals have seen a drop in fans.

The Kansas City Royals have made a huge comeback this year after a disastrous 2023 season. Here’s how the team is performing so far, and how management plans to approach the MLB's July 30 trade deadline.

Herzog led the Royals to their first ever playoff appearances and three straight American League West titles. In St. Louis, the Hall of Fame manager launched the Cardinals to a World Series championship.

The Negro Leagues Baseball Museum accepted on Thursday the remnants of the vandalized statue. The cleats will be added to an existing exhibit about the first Black American to break Major League Baseball’s color barrier.

In Tuesday's election, 58% of voters opposed the 3/8ths-cent sales tax. The tax would have funded a downtown ballpark for the Royals and renovations to Arrowhead Stadium for the Chiefs.

The deals from the teams come after months of fraught negotiations with Jackson County and community groups. The teams call the deals historic. Community groups and economists aren’t so sure.

Tom Walsh will apply a special, league-approved mud to more than 200 balls for every game, including the upcoming Royals home-opener on March 28 against the Minnesota Twins. The substance, described as a cross between chocolate pudding and whipped cold cream, is designed to take the shine off the ball and provide a better grip.

On April 2, Jackson County voters will decide whether to give Royals $1 billion to construct a ballpark in the Crossroads Arts District. But the team has yet to share its full plan for funding the stadium, and experts warn that lack of transparency could lead to extra spending on unnecessary upgrades.

Jackson County voters will see a question in the April 2 election asking to repeal and replace a sales tax, which would help pay for a new Royals ballpark. Here is a guide to the stadium ballot measure, including whether the Royals needs taxpayer dollars and who would own it.