Ten big reasons why the Kansas City Royals are headed to the World Series

After finishing off the Toronto Blue Jays in a thrilling Game 6 of the American League championship series, the Kansas City Royals are headed back to the World Series for the second straight season. The Royals will look for better results this time around after losing in seven games to the San Francisco Giants. They are seeking their second World Series championship. The first came in their memorable victory over the St. Louis Cardinals in 1985.

Faced with higher expectations and left with a bitter taste in their mouth, the Royals looked the part of a contender. The AL Central was theirs to lose and rather than lose it, they actually ran away with it. Even with keys players like James Shields and Billy Butler gones, the Royals continued on and improved.

It’s a resilient bunch, as we’re sure you’ve heard. But it’s also a talented bunch and perhaps even the team to beat in the World Series. Here, you’ll find all the reasons why the 2015 Royals have succeeded and now have a chance to achieve the ultimate in baseball.

1. Royals resolve
With their backs against the wall, no team comes out fighting harder or stronger than the Royals.
We’ve seen it on multiple occasions over the past two seasons. Teams have them down and out, but make one critical mistake that opens the door and suddenly it’s a new game and a new series. In the last 13 months, the Royals have crushed the souls of the Oakland A’s in 2014 AL wild card game, the Houston Astros in the 2015 ALDS, and now the Toronto Blue Jays in the ALCS. The other teams have all seen it coming too, and all they can do is look on helplessly.

2. The Royals’ rock: Salvador Perez
Every team needs its heart and soul. Salvador Perez fills that role for Kansas City. The three-time All-Star catcher has appeared in 138 games in the last three seasons. A high number for a player at his grueling position. He doesn’t complain and he continues producing both offensively and defensively. This season, Perez hit 260/.280/.426 with 21 homer and 70 RBIs. He’s added another four homers in the postseason, all while providing the usual leadership and Gold Glove defense. And he’s done the majority of it while playing through pain. He’s the real deal.

3. Stormed out of the gate
The Royals quickly established there would be no hangover following their World Series loss last season. The Royals started the season 7-0, including sweeps over the White Sox and Angels, and ultimately finished the month of April at 15-7. They would play leapfrog with Detroit and Minnesota throughout May and June, but their good start coupled with a strong summer (36-20 in July and August) allowed them take control of the AL Central and finish with the AL’s top record.

4. Johnny Cueto’s outing in ALDS Game 5
General manager Dayton Moore acquired Cueto to be his ace. It hasn’t panned out that way exactly, though Cueto did fit the bill at the opportune time, leading Kansas City to a do-or-die win in ALDS Game 5 against Houston. Cueto was locked in, allowing just two runs over eight innings while striking out eight. Prior to that, Kansas City had only won five of Cueto’s 14 starts.

5. Kendrys Morales pays off
After watching Billy Butler leave town for a three-year, $30 million contract with the Oakland A’s, the Royals signed Morales to a two-year, $17 million deal hoping he could replace a good chunk of that production. Morales did more than that, driving in 106 runs on his own after Butler combined for 131 RBIs the two previous seasons. It proved to be an upgrade at a better cost, and Morales hasn’t stopped in the postseason, hitting .273/.320/.409 with four homers and 10 RBIs.

6. Bullpen withstands loss of Greg Holland
The Royals bullpen is so deep and talented it’s almost unfair. The loss of an All-Star closer would cripple most teams. Especially given the timing of the diagnosis. When the Royals learned they lost Holland to a UCL tear in late September, they simply rolled with Wade Davis — an elite reliever in his own right — as closer while settling on Ryan Madson — who had not pitched in MLB since 2011 — as the set up man. It worked, and it allows Kelvin Herrera — a future closer — to continue roaming the sixth, seventh and eighth innings. It’s still a dream set up for Ned Yost.

7. Eric Hosmer’s postseason heroics
The Royals rode Hosmer’s hot bat to the World Series in 2014, and he’s back delivering key hits and driving in big runs again this October. Among them: Hosmer’s two-run home run in the ninth inning of ALDS Game 4. That sealed the comeback. His RBI single to get on the board in ALDS Game 5. His RBI singles that ignited Kansas City’s five-run seventh in ALCS Game 2. And, of course, his go-ahead single in ALCS Game 6.

8. Road Warriors
The Royals were an excellent 51-30 at Kauffman Stadium during the regular season. They were also good on the road, finishing 44-37. Only Texas, St. Louis, Pittsburgh and the Chicago Cubs finished with more. The Royals have added two more critical road wins in the postseason, including ALDS Game 4 in Houston with their backs against the wall, and ALCS Game 4 to reestablish control of that series.

9. Yordano Ventura’s second half turnaround
After emerging as an ace during the 2014 postseason and earning a start on opening day, Ventura was ticketed for a stint in the minors in July if not for an injury to Jason Vargas. Ventura turned his car around and headed back to Kauffman Stadium, then he turned his season around, posting a 3.10 ERA in 14 starts after the demotion. In his 14 starts prior, Ventura’s ERA was two full runs higher at 5.19. Essentially, he bounce back to provide what was expected before the season, and what Cueto was supposed to replace after the trade deadline, and the Royals needed every bit of it.

10. Lorenzo Cain runs to the World Series
It was the play that clinched the Royals return to the World Series, and it was thrilling from beginning to end. With ALCS Game 6 tied in the eighth inning, Cain raced all the way around from first base on Eric Hosmer’s single. Cain’s run was the difference maker, but it was about more than his hustle. It represented a team that’s determined to succeed, a team that finishes every play, and a team that pays extra attention to detail. It was so Royals.

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