2017 Kansas City Royals season

The 2017 Kansas City Royals season was the 49th season for the franchise, and their 45th at Kauffman Stadium. The Royals opened the season at the Minnesota Twins on April 3, 2017, and finished the season at home against the Arizona Diamondbacks on October 1. They failed to make the playoffs for the second consecutive season.

Offseason

Transactions November 3: C Drew Butera and RHP Peter Moylan elected free agency. November 4: RHP Edinson Vólquez, RHP Kris Medlen, and DH Kendrys Morales elected free agency. November 5: RHP Luke Hochevar elected free agency. November 18: C Tony Cruz designated for assignment. C Drew Butera signed. C Cam Gallagher, RHP Andrew Edwards, Jake Junis, and 1B Samir Dueñez signed from minors. November 23: C Tony Cruz released. December 1: RHP Brooks Pounders traded to the Los Angeles Angels for RHP Jared Ruxer. December 7: RHP Wade Davis traded to the Chicago Cubs for LF Jorge Soler January 3: RHP Sam Lewis traded to the Arizona Diamondbacks for LF Peter O'Brien. January 6: LF Jarrod Dyson traded to the Seattle Mariners for RHP Nate Karns. February 1: DH Brandon Moss signed. February 8: RHP Alec Mills traded to the Chicago Cubs for CF Donald Dewees Jr. RHP Jason Hammel signed. February 15: LHP Travis Wood signed.

Yordano Ventura

On the morning of January 22, 2017, it was announced that Kansas City Royals pitcher Yordano Ventura was killed in a car accident in the Dominican Republic.

Regular season The team's 16–4 win over the Detroit Tigers on July 20, 2017, was the first time in franchise history that the Royals had recorded four 4-run innings in a game. In the month of August, the Royals set a dubious franchise record of 45 innings without scoring a run, spanning more than 4 games. It was the longest such streak by any team since the pitching mound was lowered in the late 1960s.

Game log

|-style=background:#fbb |1||April 3||@ Twins || 1–7 || Santana (1–0) || Strahm (0–1) ||—|| 39,615 || 0–1 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb |2||April 5||@ Twins || 1–9 || Santiago (1–0) || Kennedy (0–1) ||—|| 15,171 || 0–2 || L2 |-style=background:#fbb |3||April 6||@ Twins || 3–5 || Rogers (1–0) || Minor (0–1) || Kintzler (1) || 16,078 || 0–3 || L3 |-style=background:#bfb; |4||April 7||@ Astros || 5–1 || Vargas (1–0) || Fiers (0–1) ||—|| 30,491 || 1–3 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb; |5||April 8||@ Astros || 7–3 || Duffy (1–0) || Gregerson (0–1) ||—|| 35,373 || 2–3 ||W2 |-style=background:#fbb |6||April 9||@ Astros || 4–5 (12) || Devenski (1–0) || Strahm (0–2) ||—|| 32,411 || 2–4 ||L1 |-style=background:#fbb |7||April 10||A's|| 0–2 || Cotton (1–1) || Kennedy (0–2) || Doolittle (1) || 40,019 || 2–5 || L2 |-style=background:#fbb |8||April 12||A's|| 3–8 || Triggs (2–0) || Hammel (0–1) ||—|| 24,380 || 2–6 || L3 |-style=background:#bfb; |9||April 13||A's|| 3–1 || Vargas (2–0) || Hahn (0–1) || Herrera (1) || 22,160 || 3–6 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb; |10||April 14||Angels|| 7–1 || Duffy (2–0) || Ramírez (2–1) ||—|| 26,838 || 4–6 || W2 |-style=background:#bfb; |11||April 15||Angels|| 3–2 || Soria (1–0) || Alvarez (0–1) || Herrera (2) || 24,162 || 5–6 || W3 |-style=background:#bfb; |12||April 16||Angels|| 1–0 || Herrera (1–0) || Parker (0–1) ||—|| 27,950 || 6–6 || W4 |-style=background:#fbb |13||April 18||Giants|| 2–1 (11)|| Law (1–0) || Alexander (0–1) || Melancon (3) || 20,863 || 6–7 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb; |14||April 19||Giants|| 2–0 || Vargas (3–0) || Bumgarner (0–3) || Herrera (3) || 24,402 || 7–7 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb |15||April 20 ||@ Rangers|| 0–1 (13) || Álvarez (1–0) || Wood (0–1)||—|| 26,898 || 7–8 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb |16||April 21||@ Rangers|| 2–6 || Hamels (1–0) || Karns (0–1) ||—|| 31,320 || 7–9 || L2 |-style=background:#fbb |17||April 22||@ Rangers|| 1–2 || Bush (1–0) || Wood (0–2) ||—|| 41,446 || 7–10 || L3 |-style=background:#fbb |18||April 23||@ Rangers||2–5||Darvish (2–2)||Hammel (0–2)||Bush (1)||37,177 || 7–11||L4 |-style=background:#fbb |19||April 24||@ White Sox|| 1–12||González (3–0)||Vargas (3–1) ||—||11,484|| 7–12||L5 |-style=background:#fbb |20||April 25||@ White Sox|| 5–10 || Jennings (2–0) || Duffy (2–1) || — || 14,591 || 7–13 || L6 |-style=background:#fbb |21||April 26||@ White Sox || 2–5 || Quintana (1–4) || Karns (0–2) || Robertson (5) || 18,218 || 7–14 || L7 |-style=background:#fbb |22||April 28||Twins|| 4–6 || Breslow (1–0) || Soria (1–1)|| Kintzler (6) || 27,911 || 7–15 || L8 |-style=background:#bbb |—||April 29||Twins || colspan="7"| Postponed (rain) (Rescheduled for July 1st) |-style=background:#fbb |23||April 30||Twins|| 5–7 || Hughes (4–1) || Hammel (0–3) || Kintzler (7) || 32,685 || 7–16|| L9

|-style=background:#bfb |24||May 1||White Sox|| 6–1 || Vargas (4–1) || Covey (0–2) ||—|| 20,148 || 8–16 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb |25||May 2||White Sox|| 0–6 || Quintana (2–4) || Duffy (2–2) ||—|| 18,604 || 8–17 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb |26||May 3||White Sox|| 6–1 || Karns (1–2) || Pelfrey (0–2) ||—|| 22,298 || 9–17 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb |27||May 4||White Sox|| 3–8 || Holland (3–2) || Kennedy (0–3) ||—|| 36,525 || 9–18 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb |28||May 5||Indians|| 3–1 || Hammel (1–3) || Salazar (2–3) || Herrera (4) || 25,722 || 10–18 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb |29||May 6||Indians|| 1–3 || Miller (2–0) || Herrera (1–1) || Allen (8) || 23,743 || 10–19 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb |30||May 7||Indians|| 0–1 || Clevinger (1–0) || Duffy (2–3) || Allen (9) || 25,754 || 10–20 || L2 |-style=background:#bfb |31||May 8||@ Rays|| 7–3 || Karns (2–2) || Snell (0–3) ||—|| 12,826 || 11–20 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb |32||May 9||@ Rays|| 7–6 (12)|| Junis (1–0) || Moreno (0–1) || Herrera (5)|| 9,921 || 12–20 || W2 |-style=background:#fbb |33||May 10||@ Rays|| 1–12 || Archer (3–1) || Hammel (1–4) ||—|| 9,320 || 12–21 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb |34||May 11||@ Rays|| 6–0 || Vargas (5–1) || Odorizzi (2–2) ||—|| 9,340 || 13–21 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb |35||May 12||Orioles|| 3–2 || Soria (2–1) || Nuño (0–1) || Herrera (6) || 25,467 || 14–21 || W2 |-style=background:#bfb |36||May 13||Orioles|| 4–3 || Maness (1–0) || Asher (1–2) || Herrera (7) || 24,662 || 15–21 || W3 |-style=background:#bfb |37||May 14||Orioles|| 9–8 || Strahm (1–2) || Bleier (0–1) || Herrera (8) || 30,662 || 16–21 || W4 |-style=background:#fbb |38||May 16||Yankees|| 1–7 || Sabathia (3–2) || Hammel (1–5) ||—|| 30,878 || 16–22 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb |39||May 17||Yankees|| 7–11 || Pineda (4–2) || Vargas (5–2) || Betances (1) || 22,899 || 16–23 || L2 |-style=background:#bfb |40||May 18||Yankees|| 5–1 || Duffy (3–3) || Montgomery (2–3) ||—|| 22,803 || 17–23 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb |41||May 19||@ Twins|| 3–4 (10) || Kintzler (2–0) || Alburquerque (0–1) ||—|| 23,553 || 17–24 || L1 |-style=background:#bbb |—||May 20||@ Twins|| colspan="7" | Postponed (rain) (Rescheduled for May 21) |-style=background:#bfb |42||May 21||@ Twins|| 6–4 || Minor (1–1) || Hughes (4–3) || Herrera (9) || || 18–24 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb |43||May 21||@ Twins|| 4–8 || Mejía (1–1) || Kennedy (0–4) ||—|| 27,852 || 18–25 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb |44||May 22||@ Yankees|| 2–4 || Pineda (5–2) || Vargas (5–3) || Betances (3) || 35,005 || 18–26 || L2 |-style=background:#bfb |45||May 23||@ Yankees|| 6–2 || Duffy (4–3) || Warren (1–1) ||—|| 35,931 || 19–26 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb |46||May 24||@ Yankees|| 0–3 || Severino (3–2) || Hammel (1–6) || Betances (4) || 34,610 || 19–27 || L1 |-style=background:#bbb |—||May 25||@ Yankees|| colspan="7" |Postponed (rain) (Rescheduled for September 25) |-style=background:#bfb |47||May 26||@ Indians|| 6–4 || Minor (2–1) || Shaw (1–1) || Herrera (10) || 29,603 || 20–27 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb |48||May 27||@ Indians|| 5–2 || Vargas (6–3) || Salazar (3–5) || Herrera (11) || 30,920 || 21–27 || W2 |-style=background:#fbb |49||May 28||@ Indians|| 1–10 || Tomlin (3–6) || Duffy (4–4) ||—|| 23,136 || 21–28 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb |50||May 29||Tigers|| 7–10 || Rodríguez (2–5) || Soria (2–2) || Wilson (4) || 28,419 || 21–29 || L2 |-style=background:#bfb |51||May 30||Tigers|| 1–0 || Skoglund (1–0) || Verlander (4–4) || Herrera (12) || 21,864 || 22–29 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb |52||May 31||Tigers|| 5–6 || Saupold (1–0) || Kennedy (0–5) || Wilson (5) || 24,347 || 22–30 || L1

|-style=background:#bfb |53||June 2||Indians|| 4–0 || Vargas (7–3) || Tomlin (3–7) ||—|| 33,408 || 23–30 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb |54||June 3||Indians|| 12–5 || Hammel (2–6)|| Carrasco (5–3) ||—|| 26,497 || 24–30 || W2 |-style=background:#fbb |55||June 4||Indians|| 0–8 || Otero (1–0) || Skoglund (1–1) ||—|| 28,185 || 24–31 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb |56||June 5||Astros|| 3–7 || Fiers (2–2) || Kennedy (0–6) ||—|| 21,892 || 24–32 || L2 |-style=background:#bfb |57||June 6||Astros|| 9–7 || Minor (3–1) || Giles (1–2) ||—|| 20,974 || 25–32 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb |58||June 7||Astros|| 7–5 || Vargas (8–3) || Díaz (0–1) || Herrera (13) || 25,628 || 26–32 || W2 |-style=background:#fbb |59||June 8||Astros|| 1–6 || Harris (2–1) || Herrera (1–2) ||—|| 32,747 || 26–33 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb |60||June 9||@ Padres|| 3–6 || Chacín (5–5) || Strahm (1–3) || Maurer (10) || 23,055 || 26–34 || L2 |-style=background:#bfb |61||June 10||@ Padres|| 12–6 || Wood (1–2) || Hand (1–4) ||—|| 26,107 || 27–34 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb |62||June 11||@ Padres|| 8–3 || Junis (2–0) || Lamet (2–2) ||—|| 25,599 || 28–34 || W2 |-style=background:#bfb |63||June 13||@ Giants|| 8–1 || Vargas (9–3) || Blach (4–4) ||—|| 41,284 || 29–34 || W3 |-style=background:#bfb |64||June 14||@ Giants|| 7–2 || Hammel (3–6) || Cueto (5–6) ||—|| 41,144 || 30–34 || W4 |-style=background:#bfb |65||June 15||@ Angels|| 7–2 || Strahm (2–3) || Nolasco (2–8) ||—|| 34,884 || 31–34 || W5 |-style=background:#bfb |66||June 16||@ Angels|| 3–1 || Kennedy (1–6) || Chavez (5–7) || Herrera (14) || 34,184 || 32–34 || W6 |-style=background:#fbb |67||June 17||@ Angels|| 0–9 || Meyer (3–3) || Junis (2–1) ||—|| 41,209 || 32–35 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb |68||June 18||@ Angels|| 7–3 || Vargas (10–3) || Ramirez (6–5) || Herrera (15) || 40,178 || 33–35 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb |69||June 19||Red Sox|| 4–2 || Hammel (4–6) || Boyer (0–1) || Herrera (16) || 27,992 || 34–35 || W2 |-style=background:#fbb |70||June 20||Red Sox|| 3–8 || Sale (9–3) || Strahm (2–4) ||—|| 25,983 || 34–36 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb |71||June 21||Red Sox|| 6–4 || Soria (3–2) || Scott (0–1) || Herrera (17) || 30,826 || 35–36 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb |72||June 23||Blue Jays|| 5–4 || Soria (4–2) || Loup (2–1) ||—|| 38,848 || 36–36 || W2 |-style=background:#bfb |72||June 24||Blue Jays|| 3–2 || Vargas (11–3) || Estrada (4–6) || Herrera (18) || 26,938 || 37–36 || W3 |-style=background:#fbb |74||June 25||Blue Jays|| 2–8 || Liriano (4–3) || Alexander (0–2) || — || 37,182 || 37–37 || L1 |-style=background:#fbb |75||June 27||@ Tigers|| 3–5 || Verlander (5–4) || Strahm (2–5) || J. Wilson (7) || 29,488 || 37–38 || L2 |-style=background:#bfb |76||June 28||@ Tigers|| 8–2 || Kennedy (2–6) || Norris (4–6) || — || 29,614 || 38–38 || W1 |-style=background:#fbb |77||June 29||@ Tigers|| 3–7 || Fulmer (7–6) || Junis (2–2) || — || 33,681 || 38–39 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb |78||June 30||Twins|| 8–1 || Vargas (12–3) || Santana (10–5) || — || 34,332 || 39–39 || W1

|-style=background:#bfb |79||July 1 (1)||Twins|| 11–6 || Minor (4–1) || Duffey (0–2) || — || 25,571 || 40–39 || W2 |-style=background:#fbb |80||July 1 (2)||Twins|| 5–10 || Jorge (1–0) || Hammel (4–7) || — || 32,448 || 40–40 || L1 |-style=background:#bfb |81||July 2||Twins|| 6–2 || Alexander (1–2) || Santiago (4–8) ||—|| 28,775 || 41–40 || W1 |-style=background:#bfb |82||July 3||@ Mariners|| 3–1 || Kennedy (3–6) || Moore (1–1) || Soria (1) || 35,789 || 42–40 || W2 |-style=background:#bfb |83||July 4||@ Mariners|| 7–3 || Duffy (5–4) || Hernandez (3–3) ||—|| 25,555 || 43–40 || W3 |-style=background:#bfb