KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals’ season may have ended last month, but that doesn’t mean fans will have nothing to watch as the Houston Astros and Atlanta Braves battle it out for the World Series trophy.
Every year, fans watch players come and go from the organization and this year, several former Royals will step foot on the diamond when the World Series starts on Tuesday night on FOX4.
Atlanta Braves
- RHP Jesse Chavez (2010-2011) – ERA 6.95 – 33.2 innings pitched
- LHP Will Smith (2012-2013) – ERA 4.76 – 123 innings pitched
- PR/OF Terrance Gore (2014-2017, 2019) – 34 stolen bases – .226 batting average
- RF/DH Jorge Soler (2017-2020, 2021) – 80 homeruns – 212 RBI
In 2019, Jorge Soler hit 48 homeruns which is tied for the most in a single season with Salvador Perez who accomplished the milestone in 2021. Soler played n a career high 162 games that season with .265 batting average.
Although he did not make the roster for the 2015 World Series, Terrance Gore was a member of the team and received a ring after the win. In his five season in Kansas City, Gore stole 34 bases and was a regular pinch hitter throughout the regular season.
Houston Astros
- RHP Zack Greinke (2004-2010) – ERA 3.82 – 1,108 innings pitched
- RHP Jake Odorizzi (2012) – ERA 4.91 – 7 innings pitched
- C Martin Maldonado (2019) – .227 batting average – 17 RBI
In 2002, the Kansas City Royals selected Zack Greinke as the sixth overall pick in the MLB Draft. He made his pro debut 2 years later and spent seven season with the ball club.
He pitched 1,108 innings with a 3.82 ERA. Greinke won the AL Cy Young Award in 2009 and was named to the American League All-Star Team.
Greinke was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers for Alcides Escobar, Lorenzo Cain, Jeremy Jeffress and Kale Odorizzi.
Escobar and Cain became pillars in the Royals’ 2014 and 2015 World Series runs, winning in 2015.