Platoons are not the problem with the Royals offense

Q: Why are the Kansas City Royals struggling in the 2026 season?

The Royals are tied for the worst record in baseball due to poor performance, which has led to criticism of manager Matt Quatraro.

Q: What is the platoon strategy in baseball?

Platooning involves splitting playing time between players based on matchups, typically aligning hitters against pitchers of the opposite hand to enhance performance.

Q: How have the Royals utilized platooning compared to other MLB teams?

The Royals are actually below league average in utilizing the platoon advantage, despite evidence showing they perform better when they do.

Q: Who were some historical managers known for using platoon strategies?

Earl Weaver and Whitey Herzog are notable managers who successfully employed platoon strategies to maximize their teams' offensive potential.

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - MARCH 30: Manager Matt Quatraro #33 of the Kansas City Royals stands in the dugout prior to the game against the Minnesota Twins at Kauffman Stadium on March 30, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images The Royals are tied for the worst record in baseball, and manager Matt Quatraro has been the target of ire for many fans. When a team loses, the manager will bear a brunt of the criticism. It is more than fair to hold him accountable, since ultimately performance is judged by wins and losses. Fans have criticized Quatraro for his bullpen management, for the poor fundamentals the team exhibits, for playing too many different lineups, and even for not shaking the lineup up enough! One familiar complaint has been that the team platoons too much – they sit left-handed hitters against left-handed pitchers, and sit right-handers against right-handed pitching. Fans argue the team should play the “hot hand”, that hitters need to learn how to hit against pitchers with the platoon advantage, that the numerous lineups exhibit overthinking and an excessive reliance on analytics. But what looks like excessive platooning is really just….baseball. The Kansas City Royals aren’t reinventing baseball strategy. They’re doing what teams have always done when trying to get the most out of a roster – trying to put their players in the best possible position to succeed. At its simplest, a platoon is when a team splits playing time at one position between two (or more) players based on matchups, most commonly pitcher handedness. Instead of one everyday starter, you might have a right-handed hitter who starts against left-handed pitching and a left-handed hitter who starts against right-handed pitching, with each player put in situations that play to their strengths. Most hitters (certainly not all) do better against pitchers of the opposite hand. They can track the ball better coming out of the pitcher’s hand, and the ball is coming into their swing zone, rather than away from it. You can see how all MLB hitters have performed in 2026, broken down by platoon matchups. Platooning has been embraced by analytics, but it is hardly new. Earl Weaver built a dynasty with the Orioles in the 1970s and frequently employed platoons, famously using the left-handed-hitting John Lowenstein and right-handed hitting Gary Roenicke in an outfield platoon. Whitey Herzog, perhaps the most successful manager in Royals history, was also a believer in platoons. When the team traded first baseman John Mayberry away after the 1977 season, Herzog filled the void with a left-handed hitting Pete LaCock and right-handed hitting John Wathan. Jay Jaffe at Fangraphs found that Herzog had the , the highest for any manager during his era. More teams are using platoons to maximize offensive potential. The Royals may not be using platoons enough. A look at how often Royals hitters face opposite-handed pitching shows they are actually below league average in holding the platoon advantage. And when they have the platoon advantage, they fare much better, even as compared to the league as a whole. There are always going to be individual exceptions of course. And there is some evidence that a , although a common baseball adage is “momentum is only as good as the next day’s starting pitcher.” The Royals have precious little roster depth in the offense. Quatraro needs to squeeze every ounce of offensive potential as he can. That generally means putting hitters in the best position to succeed and giving them the platoon advantage.