clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Kansas City Royals projected lineup, rotation for 2022 MLB season

We go over Kansas City Royals projected lineup and starting pitchers for this season.

By Teddy Ricketson
Bobby Witt Jr. #7 of the Kansas City Royals bats during the third inning of an MLB spring training game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Surprise Stadium on March 26, 2022 in Surprise, Arizona. Photo by Chris Bernacchi/Diamond Images via Getty Images

The Kansas City Royals are only a few pieces away from competing in the AL Central again. They brought back former Royal Zack Greinke to be their ace and help mentor the youth in their rotation. Speaking of youth, their top prospect Bobby Witt Jr. will be on the Opening Day roster so fans will get to see what he is capable of. DraftKings Sportsbook has the Royals with +1500 odds to win the AL Central.

Update, Opening Day — Here’s a look at the Royals lineup for their matchup vs. the Guardians on Opening Day. A few players are switched around compared to the projection, but all the same names. Perez will bat cleanup while Lopez and Taylor are swapped at the bottom of the order.

Kansas City Royals projected starting lineup

  1. Whit Merrifield (RF)
  2. Bobby Witt Jr. (3B)
  3. Salvador Perez (C)
  4. Andrew Benintendi (LF)
  5. Carlos Santana (1B)
  6. Hunter Dozier (DH)
  7. Adalberto Mondesi (SS)
  8. Nicky Lopez (2B)
  9. Michael Taylor (CF)

Merrifield and Witt Jr. are going to be fun to watch at the top of the order with Salvador Perez potentially setting an RBI record. Benintendi will look to have a big year as an impending free agent so he can secure the all-important second contract. If Mondesi can stay healthy he will be a sneaky bottom-of-the-order hitter that will be able to extend innings with his speed.

Projected rotation

  1. Zack Greinke
  2. Brady Singer
  3. Brad Keller
  4. Kris Bubic
  5. Carlos Hernandez

Expectations for this rotation aren’t very high, but the intrinsic value of having Greinke mentor the young pitchers is what Kansas City is going for. They know they are a longshot to compete this year, but look for Greinke to especially take Singer under his wing and help him develop. Hernandez is at the back end of this rotation, but if he can pitch as he did in 2021 while increasing his strikeout rate, he will move up the rotation.

More From DraftKings Network