Royals' traditional pitching strategy led to significant success

The Kansas City Royals had an impressive turnaround in the 2024 MLB season, winning 30 more games than the previous year. This marked one of the largest year-to-year improvements in baseball history. The team not only had a better record but also made a notable impact in the playoffs. The key to the Royals' success was their starting pitching. The rotation's earned run average (ERA) improved significantly, from 5.17 to 3.76. They achieved this without any major new stars, relying instead on veteran free agents Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha. This emphasis on strong starting pitching was a central part of their strategy. Lugo and Wacha contributed substantially, with Lugo leading the league in batters faced and both pitchers providing stability throughout the season. The Royals' starters pitched a high number of innings, which helped the team win games consistently. They focused on pitching deep into games, an approach that set them apart from other teams who often rely on short outings from their starters. Despite their success, not many other teams are following the Royals' old-school focus on starting pitchers. Most of the offseason spending on pitchers went to teams that already performed well. The Royals themselves ranked eighth in investment for starting pitching. In contrast, teams like the Milwaukee Brewers used different strategies to succeed. While the Royals leaned on their core starters, the Brewers relied on a rotating cast of pitchers, often utilizing their bullpen effectively. This approach allowed them to win games consistently despite not having star pitchers. Both teams demonstrated that there are different ways to achieve success in baseball, whether through a strong rotation or a flexible bullpen strategy. The Royals' resurgence shows that traditional methods of managing pitchers can still yield great results, even as baseball evolves.