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Sal Perez Sends Honest Message About Kansas City Royals' 2025 Struggles
The Kansas City Royals entered 2025 with high expectations after making the postseason for the first time in eight years, but things did not go according to plan.
Kansas City finished the year with an 82-80 record, landing in third place in the AL Central and falling short of a playoff spot after going 86-76 and earning a wild card berth in 2024.
Royals captain Salvador Perez did not hold back when reflecting on how the season played out, and his words carry a lot of weight heading into 2026.
"Last year, it was kind of sad," Perez said via Jaylon Thompson of the Kansas City Star. "It was not the goal. I think I saw a lot of players super excited talking about the playoffs. I think that's a great mentality."
A Step Backward in 2025
The Royals came into the season feeling like they could build on what they did in 2024, when they swept the Baltimore Orioles in the Wild Card Series before falling to the New York Yankees in the ALDS.
We're back. ✌️ pic.twitter.com/g81CcGUorM
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) February 11, 2026
Instead, Kansas City never found enough consistency to make a serious push, and the team sat just outside the playoff picture for most of the year despite solid pitching and the continued brilliance of shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., who hit .295 with 23 home runs, 88 RBI, and a league-leading 184 hits.
Perez himself still put together a productive season, finishing with a .236 batting average, 30 home runs, and 100 RBI across 155 games.
Those power numbers were strong, but the team around him could not produce enough as a whole, posting a 93 wRC+ that ranked among the lowest in baseball.
Bouncing Back in 2026
What stands out about Perez's comments is not just the disappointment but the hope he sees in his teammates' mindset.
Players being excited about the playoffs tells Perez that the hunger is still there, and that is exactly what a team needs after a letdown season.
The Royals have made moves this offseason to address their weaknesses, including trading for outfielder Isaac Collins and acquiring relievers Matt Strahm and Nick Mears.
You love to see it. 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/jQhCAr6J7w
— Kansas City Royals (@Royals) February 11, 2026
The bullpen in particular could be a real strength with closer Carlos Estevez coming off an All-Star season and Strahm bringing elite left-handed relief experience from Philadelphia.
On the mound, the return of a healthy Cole Ragans alongside Seth Lugo, Kris Bubic, and Michael Wacha gives the rotation plenty of upside heading into the new year.
Perez has spent 15 years in Kansas City and knows what it takes to win at the highest level.
His honesty about the sting of 2025 combined with his belief in the team's competitive fire should give Royals fans confidence that better days are ahead.
If Kansas City's roster additions click and the offense takes a step forward, there is no reason the Royals cannot return to October baseball in 2026.
Byron Buxton Wanted Minnesota Twins to Shut Down Trade Talk in Offseason
Byron Buxton is back at spring training in Fort Myers and he is not holding back about how the offseason went.
The Minnesota Twins center fielder spoke to reporters on Sunday for the first time since last season ended, and his message was direct when it came to the trade rumors that followed him all winter long.
"All it takes is for somebody at the top to go to the media, 'We're not trading you,' " Buxton said Sunday, Feb. 15.
"Trade rumors stop, and now we don't have those conversations. That's how simple this could get."
A Frustrating Offseason
Buxton holds a full no-trade clause in his contract, so he always had the final say on any potential deal.
But that did not stop his name from popping up in trade speculation throughout the winter months.
After the Twins tore things down at the 2025 trade deadline and moved 11 players off the roster, questions about whether the organization would go even deeper into a rebuild kept swirling, and Buxton was often at the center of those conversations.
.@robparkerMLBbro ranks Byron Buxton as his No. 1 Center Fielder Right Now 💪#Top10RightNowpic.twitter.com/5nnZtjbtbY
— MLB Now (@MLBNow) January 31, 2026
The 32-year-old made his feelings clear well before spring training started.
He told reporters at last year's All-Star Game that he was "a Minnesota Twin for the rest of my life," and he repeated that same pledge after the deadline fire sale.
So when the offseason rumor mill kept churning anyway, it clearly wore on him.
Buxton wanted the front office to step up publicly and put an end to the noise, something he felt would have been a simple fix.
Building on a Career Year
What makes the whole situation even more frustrating for Buxton is the fact that he just put together arguably the best season of his career.
After years of battling injuries and availability concerns, Buxton played in 126 games in 2025 and delivered across the board.
He finished the year hitting .264 with a .327 on-base percentage and an .878 OPS while mashing 35 home runs, driving in 83 runs and swiping 24 stolen bases.
Byron Buxton outplayed his contract in 2025, posting a 6.15 PAP score at a $15.1M salary.
— RosterEconomics (@RosterEconomics) January 12, 2026
His production and salary would interest contenders, but Buxton has been clear he wants to remain in Minnesota, keeping trade conversations largely theoretical. pic.twitter.com/o3M0rbyB9b
That earned him his second career All-Star selection and his first Silver Slugger award.
For a player who has always had the talent but struggled to stay on the field, 2025 was the year everything clicked.
His 4.9 WAR was among the best on the entire team, and he showed that when healthy, he is still one of the most dynamic five-tool players in baseball.
MLB Network ranked him the No. 3 center fielder in the sport heading into the new season, behind only Julio Rodriguez and Wyatt Langford.
What's Ahead in 2026
The Twins finished 2025 with a 70-92 record, their worst mark since 2016, and they enter 2026 with a payroll that sits well below what they have spent in recent years.
New manager Derek Shelton takes over for Rocco Baldelli, and the front office kept core pieces like Joe Ryan and Pablo Lopez alongside Buxton, which at least signals some level of commitment to competing rather than a full teardown.
Byron Buxton and Pablo López are projected to lead the way for the @Twins come #OpeningDay 😤 pic.twitter.com/0mriYHPFgL
— MLB (@MLB) February 13, 2026
Buxton understands where the team stands, and he wants to be part of the solution.
He talked about how the veteran players need to lead the younger guys and show them how to play the game the right way as the organization tries to turn things around.
With three years left on his contract at $15 million per season, Buxton is not going anywhere, and after the year he just had, there is every reason to believe he can be the anchor of this next chapter for the Twins.
If the front office follows through on keeping the group together and building around their star center fielder, Buxton believes the path forward is a lot simpler than people think.
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