Overview

• General manager J.J. Picollo said the Royals will not renew assistant hitting coaches Keoni DeRenne and Joe Dillon for 2026.
• Alec Zumwalt will return as hitting coach next season following end-of-year indications that only tweaks were planned.
• The club is prioritizing candidates who add analytical and biomechanical expertise alongside playing experience, with hires yet to be announced.
• Kansas City’s offense ranked near the bottom in 2025 at 4.02 runs per game with a .247/.309/.397 team slash line and a 93 wRC+.
• Second-half performance improved to .251/.322/.430, including an OPS with runners in scoring position that climbed to .864 after the break.