The Kansas City Royals have postseason aspirations. The journey begins on Friday night against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia.
First pitch is set for 6:15 p.m. Central.
The Royals will send All-Star ace Cole Ragans to the mound. He will make his third opening day start opposite Braves star Chris Sale. It’s the first time the Royals have opened on the road since 2020.
Here are three questions ahead of opening day:
Can Royals get off to a good start?
In the last decade, the Royals have stumbled out of the gates.
Since 2016, the Royals own a 93-131 record in April — excluding the COVID-shortened 2020 campaign.
The Royals are hopeful their April woes will subside. After opening with the Braves, the Royals will face the Minnesota Twins, Milwaukee Brewers, Cleveland Guardians, Chicago White Sox, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Angels, and Athletics all in April.
There’s also a 12-game stretch without an off day. The April slate includes four playoff teams from 2025.
The Royals will rely heavily on their core. Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino, Salvador Perez and Maikel Garcia all shined at the World Baseball Classic. Now, they must help the club navigate a brutal April.
The Royals have a great opportunity this weekend. The Braves are dealing with injuries in their starting rotation. Outside of Sale, the Braves will turn to Reynaldo Lopez on Saturday. They haven’t announced a Sunday starter.
There is a chance for the Royals to win the series and return home with momentum.
Then, the April gauntlet begins.
Will new additions make an impact?
The Royals shuffled their outfield this offseason. New acquisitions Isaac Collins, Lane Thomas and Starling Marte are set to make their Royals debut.
Collins produced a strong rookie season. He finished fourth in National League Rookie of the Year voting and was the centerpiece in the Angel Zerpa trade.
Now, Collins will patrol left field. He has elite bat-to-ball skills and should help the Royals in various ways.
Both Thomas and Marte are MLB veterans with an impressive track record. Thomas is a player to watch. He could be in store for a resurgent season after dealing with a right foot injury in 2025.
However, the biggest addition could be Matt Strahm. The high-leverage reliever was among the best setup men last season. He posted a 2.74 ERA in 66 games and was a 2024 All-Star with the Philadelphia Phillies.
Will WBC momentum carry over to the regular season?
The Royals were on the national stage in March. The WBC introduced the global audience to Garcia, Pasquantino and Jac Caglianone.
Now, the Royals need to see WBC experience pay off. Garcia was a breakout player in 2025 and he solidified it being named MVP of the entire WBC.
Pasquantino hit 32 homers and recorded 113 RBIs. He added a new chapter by becoming the first player to hit three homers in a WBC game.
As for Caglianone, he looked more comfortable. He recorded blistering exit velocities for Team Italy.
The opening series is a litmus test. The Royals want more offense — as evident with their outfield fences coming in at Kauffman Stadium — and a fast start from their young core will go a long way.
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Jaylon Thompson covers the Royals for The Kansas City Star. He previously covered the 2021 World Series and the 2016 Summer Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Jaylon is a proud alumnus of the University of Georgia.