Royals breaking Kauffman Stadium HR record might be key to success in 2026

The Kansas City Royals, coming into the 2026 MLB season, will have a bit of a different outlook for the year. While the roster is a bit different, that's not the biggest change from 2025 to 2026.

Instead, the Kauffman Stadium dimensions are changing, with the outfield fences moving in a bit, which is the bigger change from last year. That change should lead to more home runs, which might lead to the key to the year for the Royals.

ESPN's Bradford Doolittle identified that the Royals' home run record at home in Kauffman Stadium, with the shallower fences beginning this season, could help make the difference and get Kansas City back into the postseason.

Kauffman Stadium change could lead to Royals postseason berth

"... the Royals have been out-homered at the K 409 to 375 during that span (past five seasons)," Doolittle writes. "Now the fences have been moved in, under the theory that the tinkering will benefit the royals more than their opponents. It seems like Kansas City has a good shot at breaking that record of 88 home homers."

Seeing the Royals record more than 88 home runs this upcoming season would break the previous Kauffman Stadium record made by the Royals on their home turf, set back in 2017 and 2023.

Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino, Jac Caglianone, Salvador Perez, and the rest of the lineup will be key to hitting above 88 homers this upcoming season with the new dimensions.

If the Royals can hit more home runs this season at home, their odds to make the postseason might jump up a bit with better offensive output than in years past.

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But, there is still an issue for Kansas City: opposing teams will also have those shorter porches. As Doolittle made sure to note, the Royals' breaking their home-run record will only matter if the opposing teams cannot out-homer the Royals.

This trend will be a very interesting one to follow all season long. If the Kansas City offense can hit more homers than visiting teams this season, something they've struggled to do the last five years, their odds of making the postseason will be better.

They have the power hitters to do so, and with the new dimensions, it should be possible to not only break the 88-homer record but also out-homer their opponents this season.

Witt, Pasquantino, Caglianone, Perez, and the rest of the Royals hitters will need to have a much better home-run season than they've had in years past. This could be the key to a postseason berth, as a Kauffman Stadium redesign could jolt the Royals into October.

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