The 2026 Kansas City Royals season was the 58th season for the franchise, and their 54th at Kauffman Stadium.
On June 26, the Royals went on the road and lost to the Chicago White Sox by the score of 22–1 to make the 21-run differential the worst loss in franchise history.
On July 25, longtime catcher Salvador Pérez surpassed Hall of Famer George Brett's 317 career home runs to become the Royals all-time leader in home runs.
On September 7, the Royals failed to improve on their 82–80 record from last season after losing to the Arizona Diamondbacks in 10 innings. They were then eliminated from playoff contention for the second consecutive year on September 16 following the Cleveland Guardians' victory over the White Sox.
Regular season
Transactions
Offseason November 10 – acquired outfielder Kameron Misner from the Tampa Bay Rays for a player to be named later. November 11 – acquired right-handed pitcher Mason Black from the San Francisco Giants in exchange for right-handed pitcher Logan Martin. November 20 – signed free-agent right-handed pitcher Alex Lange. December 14 – acquired outfielder Isaac Collins and right-handed pitcher Nick Mears from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for left-handed pitcher Angel Zerpa. December 17 – signed free-agent outfielder Lane Thomas. December 19 – acquired left-handed pitcher Matt Strahm from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for right-handed pitcher Jonathan Bowlan. February 12 – acquired right-handed pitcher Mitch Spence from the Athletics in exchange for right-handed pitcher A. J. Causey. March 2 – signed free-agent outfielder Starling Marte. March 8 – outfielder Dairon Blanco was claimed off waivers by the Texas Rangers. March 13 – traded right-handed pitcher Matthew Hoskins to the Tampa Bay Rays. Regular Season May 29 – signed right-handed pitcher Dan Altavilla June 2 – claimed outfielder Matthew Lugo off waivers from the Los Angeles Angels. June 15 – acquired right-handed pitcher Connto Blue Jays in exchange for right-handedpitcher Denis Samudio and cash. June 17 – acquired right-handed pitcher Rand Mariners for cash.
American League Central
American League Wild Card
Record against opponents
Game log Legend Royals Win Royals Loss Game postponed Eliminated from playoff spot
|-style="background:#fbb;" | 1 || March 27 || @ Braves || 0–6 || Sale (1–0) || Ragans (0–1) || — || 39,697 || 0–1 || L1 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 2 || March 28 || @ Braves || 2–6 || Bido (1–0) || Estévez (0–1) || — || 39,362 || 0–2 || L2 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 3 || March 29 || @ Braves || 4–1 || Lugo (1–0) || Holmes (0–1) || Erceg (1) || 37,961 || 1–2 || W1 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 4 || March 30 || Twins || 3–1 || Bubic (1–0) || Woods Richardson (0–1) || Schreiber (1) || 39,320 || 2–2 || W2 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 5 || April 1 || Twins || 13–9 || Cameron (1–0) || Ryan (0–1) || Erceg (2) || 10,870 || 3–2 || W3 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 6 || April 2 || Twins || 1–5 || Bradley (1–0) || Ragans (0–2) || — || 11,694 || 3–3 || L1 |-style="background:#bbb;" | - || April 3 || Brewers ||colspan="8"|Postponed (rain) (Makeup date: April 4) |-style="background:#fbb;" | 7 || April 4 || Brewers || 2–5 || Patrick (1–0) || Avila (0–1) || Megill (2) || 17,055 || 3–4 || L2 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 8 || April 4 || Brewers || 8–2 || Mears (1–0) || Sproat (0–1) || Morgan (1) || 12,732 || 4–4 || W1 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 9 || April 5 || Brewers || 5–8 || Harrison (1–0) || Bubic (1–1) || Megill (3) || 14,584 || 4–5 || L1 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 10 || April 6 || @ Guardians || 4–2 || Wacha (1–0) || Pallette (0–1) || Erceg (3) || 13,143 || 5–5 || W1 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 11 || April 7 || @ Guardians || 1–2 || Smith (2–0) || Schreiber (0–1) || — || 10,328 || 5–6 || L1 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 12 || April 8 || @ Guardians || 2–10 || Cantillo (1–0) || Ragans (0–3) || Festa (1) || 14,734 || 5–7 || L2 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 13 || April 9 || White Sox || 0–2 || Kay (1–0) || Lugo (1–1) || Domínguez (2) || 13,001 || 5–8 || L3 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 14 || April 10 || White Sox || 2–0 || Bubic (2–1) || Martin (2–1) || Erceg (4) || 12,907 || 6–8 || W1 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 15 || April 11 || White Sox || 2–0 || Wacha (2–0) || Fedde (0–3) || Erceg (5) || 16,214 || 7–8 || W2 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 16 || April 12 || White Sox || 5–6 || Leasure (1–0) || Schreiber (0–2) || Domínguez (3) || 20,552 || 7–9 || L1 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 17 || April 14 || @ Tigers || 1–2 || Vest (1–2) || Mears (1–1) || Jansen (3) || 16,655 || 7–10 || L2 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 18 || April 15 || @ Tigers || 1–2 || Finnegan (1–0) || Morgan (0–1) || Jansen (4) || 19,609 || 7–11 || L3 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 19 || April 16 || @ Tigers || 9–10 || Seabold (1–0) || Erceg (0–1) || — || 15,034 || 7–12 || L4 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 20 || April 17 || @ Yankees || 2–4 || Doval (1–0) || Lange (0–1) || Bednar (6) || 44,244 || 7–13 || L5 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 21 || April 18 || @ Yankees || 4–13 || Warren (2–0) || Cameron (1–1) || — || 42,070 || 7–14 || L6 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 22 || April 19 || @ Yankees || 0–7 || Weathers (1–2) || Ragans (0–4) || — || 40,198 || 7–15 || L7 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 23 || April 20 || Orioles || 5–7 || Nunez (1–0) || Lange (0–2) || — || 13,589 || 7–16 || L8 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 24 || April 21 || Orioles || 6–5 || Erceg (1–1) || Helsley (0–2) || — || 15,164 || 8–16 || W1 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 25 || April 22 || Orioles || 6–8 || Bassitt (1–2) || Wacha (2–1) || Nunez (1) || 14,175 || 8–17 || L1 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 26 || April 24 || Angels || 6–3 || Cameron (2–1) || Kikuchi (0–3) || Erceg (6) || 19,079 || 9–17 || W1 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 27 || April 25 || Angels || 12–1 || Ragans (1–4) || Ureña (0–3) || — || 22,152 || 10–17 || W2 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 28 || April 26 || Angels || 11–9 || Erceg (2–1) || Lucchesi (0–1) || — || 11,579 || 11–17 || W3 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 29 || April 28 || @ Athletics || 4–1 || Mears (2–1) || Sterner (1–3) || Erceg (7) || 9,274 || 12–17 || W4 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 30 || April 29 || @ Athletics || 2–5 || Severino (2–2) || Wacha (2–2) || Leiter Jr. (3) || 9,399 || 12–18 || L1 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 31 || April 30 || @ Athletics || 3–6 || Medina (1–1) || Cameron (2–2) || Perkins (3) || 9,333 || 12–19 || L2
|-style="background:#bfb;" | 32 || May 1 || @ Mariners || 7–6 || Lynch IV (1–0) || Ferrer (0–1) || Erceg (8) || 36,384 || 13–19 || W1 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 33 || May 2 || @ Mariners || 3–2 || Strahm (1–0) || Criswell (1–1) || Erceg (9) || 42,794 || 14–19 || W2 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 34 || May 3 || @ Mariners || 4–1 || Bubic (3–1) || Castillo (0–3) || Lynch IV (1) || 39,408 || 15–19 || W3 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 35 || May 4 || Guardians || 6–2 || Wacha (3–2) || Bibee (0–5) || — || 16,434 || 16–19 || W4 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 36 || May 5 || Guardians || 5–3 || Kolek (1–0) || Williams (5–2) || Erceg (10) || 13,102 || 17–19 || W5 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 37 || May 6 || Guardians || 1–3 || Cantillo (2–1) || Avila (0–2) || Smith (9) || 13,039 || 17–20 || L1 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 38 || May 7 || Guardians || 5–8 || Cecconi (2–4) || Lugo (1–2) || Smith (10) || 24,892 || 17–21 || L2 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 39 || May 8 || Tigers || 4–3 || Erceg (3–1) || Hurter (4–1) || — || 29,374 || 18–21 || W1 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 40 || May 9 || Tigers || 5–1 || Wacha (4–2) || Smith (0–2) || — || 26,724 || 19–21 || W2 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 41 || May 10 || Tigers || 3–6 || De Jesus (2–0) || Mears (2–2) || Jansen (7) || 17,295 || 19–22 || L1 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 42 || May 12 || @ White Sox || 5–6 || Domínguez (3–3) || Strahm (1–1) || Hudson (2) || 13,256 || 19–23 || L2 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 43 || May 13 || @ White Sox || 5–6 || Davis (1–1) || Lugo (1–3) || Domínguez (10) || 11,905 || 19–24 || L3 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 44 || May 14 || @ White Sox || 2–6 || Kay (3–1) || Bubic (3–2) || Newcomb (1) || 14,913 || 19–25 || L4 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 45 || May 15 || @ Cardinals || 4–5 || Graceffo (3–1) || Cruz (0–1) || — || 26,949 || 19–26 || L5 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 46 || May 16 || @ Cardinals || 2–4 || Leahy (5–3) || Cameron (2–3) || Soriano (2) || 32,379 || 19–27 || L6 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 47 || May 17 || @ Cardinals || 2–0 || Kolek (2–0) || Pallante (4–4) || Erceg (11) || 38,051 || 20–27 || W1 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 48 || May 18 || Red Sox || 1–3 || Gray (5–1) || Lugo (1–4) || Chapman (11) || 15,531 || 20–28 || L1 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 49 || May 19 || Red Sox || 1–7 || Whitlock (3–1) || Falter (0–1) || — || 14,047 || 20–29 || L2 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 50 || May 20 || Red Sox || 3–4 || Early (4–2) || Cruz (0–2) || Chapman (12) || 14,091 || 20–30 || L3 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 51 || May 22 || Mariners || 0–2 || Bazardo (3–2) || Mears (2–3) || Muñoz (9) || 18,842 || 20–31 || L4 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 52 || May 23 || Mariners || 5–0 || Kolek (3–0) || Kirby (5–4) || — || 25,544 || 21–31 || W1 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 53 || May 24 || Mariners || 8–6 || Lugo (2–4) || Woo (4–3) || — || 25,014 || 22–31 || W2 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 54 || May 25 || Yankees || 3–4 || Hill (2–2) || Erceg (3–2) || Bednar (12) || 26,162 || 22–32 || L1 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 55 || May 26 || Yankees || 1–15 || Schlittler (7–2) || Falter (0–2) || Yarbrough (1) || 21,947 || 22–33 || L2 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 56 || May 27 || Yankees || 0–7 || Cole (1–0) || Cameron (2–4) || — || 17,007 || 22–34 || L3 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 57 || May 29 || @ Rangers || 1–9 || Gore (4–4) || Kolek (3–1) || — || 39,704 || 22–35 || L4 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 58 || May 30 || @ Rangers || 6–7 || Gray (1–0) || Erceg (3–3) || — || 32,270 || 22–36 || L5 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 59 || May 31 || @ Rangers || 3–6 || Leiter (3–4) || Wacha (4–3) || Latz (7) || 33,587 || 22–37 || L6
|-style="background:#bfb;" | 60 || June 1 || @ Reds || 9–2 || Avila (1–2) || Richardson (0–1) || — || 19,409 || 23–37 || W1 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 61 || June 2 || @ Reds || 3–4 || Burke (2–2) || Schreiber (0–3) || — || 25,824 || 23–38 || L1 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 62 || June 3 || @ Reds || 5–2 || Lynch IV (2–0) || Santillan (1–3) || Lange (1) || 15,959 || 24–38 || W1 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 63 || June 4 || @ Twins || 8–6 || Strahm (2–1) || Rogers (1–3) || Lange (2) || 17,802 || 25–38 || W2 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 64 || June 5 || @ Twins || 3–5 || Matthews (2–3) || Wacha (4–4) || Adams (2) || 19,805 || 25–39 || L1 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 65 || June 6 || @ Twins || 3–2 || Strahm (3–1) || Orze (2–2) || Lange (3) || 20,555 || 26–39 || W1 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 66 || June 7 || @ Twins || 6–5 || Cameron (3–4) || Prielipp (2–4) || Erceg (12) || 19,876 || 27–39 || W2 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 67 || June 9 || Rangers || 5–3 || Cruz (1–2) || Eovaldi (5–7) || Lange (4) || 25,075 || 28–39 || W3 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 68 || June 10 || Rangers || 4–6 || Junis (1–1) || Lange (0–3) || Latz (10) || 16,015 || 28–40 || L1 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 69 || June 11 || Rangers || 2–4 || Ahlstrom (1–0) || Wacha (4–5) || Latz (11) || 17,622 || 28–41 || L2 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 70 || June 12 || Astros || 8–10 || Pearson (1–0) || Avila (1–3) || Hader (2) || 25,672 || 28–42 || L3 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 71 || June 13 || Astros || 7–8 || King (1–1) || Lange (0–4) || Abreu (5) || 17,881 || 28–43 || L4 |-style="background:#bfb;" | 72 || June 14 || Astros || 4–0 || Kolek (4–1) || Arrighetti (7–2) || — || 23,730 || 29–43 || W1 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 73 || June 15 || @ Nationals || 3–7 || Lord (5–0) || Spence (0–1) || — || 14,444 || 29–44 || L1 |-style="background:#fbb;" | 74 || June 16 || @ Nationals || 4–6 || Schultz (1–2) || Lynch IV (2–1) || Varland (6) || 25,053 || 29–45 || L2