With Salvador Perez mashing, we recall the Kansas City Royals’ top seasons of offense
Salvador Perez has had a season, including and especially this past week, that’s nothing short of stunning.
Grand slams in consecutive games, home runs in five straight and counting ... he’s not only putting together the best of his 11 seasons, but he’s on pace to have one of the best seasons ever by Royal.
More than a month remains in the season and Perez sits at 38 home runs and 94 RBIs as the Royals open a home stand Tuesday against Cleveland. How far can Salvy push those numbers? By season’s end he’ll have one of the top 10 offensive seasons in franchise history. Heck, if he didn’t play another game that might be the case.
So we came up with a list of the greatest offensive seasons in team history, which started in 1969. Some great hitters have worn a Royals uniform and amassed big numbers.
Counting ‘em down, here’s our list of the best:
10. Jorge Soler, 2019, 48 home runs, 117 RBIs
Soler smashed Mike Moustakas’ Royals record of 38 home runs in a season, and his RBI total is the club’s seventh best for one year. Soler slugged .569 but also set the team strikeout record with 178. He couldn’t regain that form in Kansas City but has rediscovered his power stroke in Atlanta.
9. Carlos Beltran, 2002, 29 home runs, 105 RBIs, .847 OPS
Overall, this was the most productive of Beltran’s six-plus years in a Royals uniform (he hit for better average in other seasons). Beltran came up one home run short of becoming the franchise’s only 30-30 player (30 home runs, 30 stolen bases). He swiped 35 that season.
8. Mike Sweeney, 2000, 144 RBI, 29 home runs, .333/.407/.523
Sweeney set the club record for RBIs in the first of his five All-Star seasons. He spent most of the year playing first base on the best-hitting Royals team of all-time. Two teammates put up incredible numbers, and one is listed next. Not on the list is Johnny Damon, who set the team record with 136 runs scored.
7. Jermaine Dye, 2000, 33 home runs, 118 RBIs, .951 OPS
The best of Dye’s four seasons with the Royals included his first All-Star appearance. He also collected the only Gold Glove of his career this season.
6. Danny Tartabull, 1991, 31 home runs, 100 RBIs, .316/.397/.593
In the only All-Star season of his career, Tartabull led the American League in slugging. He’s the team record-holder in career slugging (.518) and on-base plus slugging (OPS) .894.
5. George Brett, 1979, 23 home runs, 20 triples, 42 doubles, .329/.376/.939
The first of Brett’s entries on this list, and there probably still aren’t enough. This was an amazing season, with Brett becoming the first player since Willie Mays in 1957 to join the 20-20-20 club. Brett finished third in the MVP voting. His most incredible season (spoiler alert), the one at the top of this list, came next.
4. Hal McRae, 1982, 27 home runs, 133 RBIs, .46 doubles, .308 batting average
One of the Royals’ greatest hitters, McRae had his best power season as a designated hitter in 1982, when he set career bests in home runs and RBIs. This RBI total is the only time a Royals player has led the American League in that category.
3. Willie Wilson, 1980, 133 runs, 230 hits, 79 stolen bases, .326 average
Wilson had one of the greatest seasons in Royals history ... and the second best on the team in 1980. He led the AL in plate appearances (745), at-bats (705), runs, hits and triples (15). His 79 stolen bases were one fewer than the team record he set in 1979. Wilson finished fourth the the MVP voting this season — by far his best showing.
2. Brett, 1985, 30 home runs, 112 RBIs, 108 runs, .335/.585/.1.022
Perhaps Brett’s most complete year as a player. In addition to leading the AL in slugging and OPS, he won his only Gold Glove in this season. His postseason became even more memorable, as he led the Royals to their first World Series title.
1. Brett, 1980, 24 home runs, 118 RBIs, .390/.454/.664
The remarkable season. Brett chased .400 well into September and finished with the highest batting average for a player in a full season since Ted Williams hit .406 in 1941. Brett, who played in 117 games, averaged more than one RBI per game. For the season, he hit .437 with six strikeouts in 270 at-bats against right-handed pitchers. He hit .494 in July, and .469 with runners in scoring position.
We can quibble about the other nine spots, and where Perez might fit in when the 2021 season ends, but when it comes to first place on this particular list, Brett’s 1980 season is the best in Royals history.
This story was originally published August 31, 2021 at 5:00 AM.