Getty Highly-touted prospect Bobby Witt Jr. makes his major league debut with the Kansas City Royals this season.
The Kansas City Royals may still be a year away from true contention, but with the arrival of No. 1 prospect Bobby Witt Jr., as well as some nice offseason additions, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if Mike Matheny’s squad challenged for the AL Central crown in 2022.
In 2022, most Royals games will be locally televised on Bally Sports Kansas City, while others may be nationally televised on MLB Network (those ones will also be on Bally Sports Kansas City), ESPN, ESPN2, Fox or Fox Sports 1.
If you don’t have cable, here are some different ways you can watch every Royals game live online in 2022, including options for both in-market and out-of-market viewers:
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If You’re in the Royals Market
DirecTV Stream
This is the only streaming service that includes Bally Sports Kansas City
DirecTV Stream has four different channel packages: “Entertainment,” “Choice,” “Ultimate” and “Premier.” ESPN, ESPN2, Fox and FS1 are included in every one, while Bally Sports Kansas City and MLB Network are in “Choice” and up, but you can pick any package and any add-ons you want with your free five-day trial:
Once signed up for DirecTV Stream, you can watch Royals games live on the DirecTV Stream app, which is available on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Samsung TV, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. Or you can watch on your computer via the DirecTV Stream website.
If you can’t watch live, DirecTV Stream comes with unlimited cloud DVR recordings.
If You’re Out of the Royals Market
Amazon Prime’s MLB.TV Channel
Amazon Prime subscribers (Prime comes with a 30-day free trial) can watch every out-of-market, non-nationally televised MLB game via Prime Channels.
The MLB.TV channel costs either $24.99 per month to watch every out-of-market game (“All Team Pass”) or $109.99 for the year to just watch out-of-market Royals games (“Single Team Pass”), but either option comes with a free seven-day trial:
MLB.TV Amazon Prime Free Trial
Once you’re signed up for the Prime MLB.TV Channel, out-of-market viewers can watch Royals games live on the Prime Video app on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), Xbox One or Series X/S, PlayStation 4 or 5, various smart TV’s, Xiaomi, Echo Show or Echo Spot, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. You can also watch on your computer via the Amazon website.
If you can’t watch live, all games are available on-demand by the next day.
MLB.TV
This is ultimately the same as the Amazon Prime option above, only you’ll watch games on MLB’s digital platforms instead of Amazon’s.
You can watch all out-of-market, non-nationally televised MLB games via MLB.TV. It costs $24.99 per month or $129.99 for the year to watch every out-of-market game, or $109.99 for the year to just watch out-of-market Royals games. The monthly and yearly all-team options include a free seven-day trial (the single-team option does not):
Once signed up for MLB.TV, out-of-market viewers can watch Royals games live on the MLB TV app on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Fire Stick, Apple TV, Chromecast, Xbox One, PlayStation 4, various Smart TV’s, Samsung Smart TV, Android TV, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet. You can also watch on your computer via the MLB.TV website.
If you can’t watch live, all games are available on-demand by the next day.
ESPN+
This isn’t going to be an option to watch many Royals games, but if you’re looking for a cheap way to watch a random MLB game daily, ESPN+ includes at least one out-of-market game every day during the regular season:
In addition to one live MLB game every day, ESPN+ also has dozens of other live sports, every 30-for-30 documentary and additional original content (both video and written) all for $6.99 per month.
Or, if you also want Disney+ and Hulu, you can get all three for $13.99 per month. Separately, the three streaming services would cost a total $20.97 per month, so you’re saving about 33 percent:
Get the ESPN+, Disney+ and Hulu Bundle
Once signed up for ESPN+, out-of-market viewers can watch select MLB games live on the ESPN app on your Roku, Roku TV, Amazon Fire TV or Firestick, Apple TV, Chromecast, PlayStation 4 or 5, Xbox One or Series X/S, any device with Android TV (such as a Sony TV or Nvidia Shield), Samsung Smart TV, Oculus Go, iPhone, Android phone, iPad or Android tablet.
You can also watch on your computer via ESPN.com.
Royals Season Preview 2022
Despite Kansas City’s youth, the Royals could be one of the more dangerous teams in the American League Central Division this season. The Royals have a strong defense with six Gold Glove-caliber players according to Alec Lewis of The Athletic.
Kansas City also moved top prospect Bobby Witt Jr. up from the minor leagues this year. Witt, the second overall pick in the 2019 draft, could be an instant spark for the Royals lineup as MLB.com’s Sam Dykstra noted.
2021 Season Review
Kansas City went 74-88 for fourth place in the AL Central last season under manager Mike Matheny.
The Royals had only one hitter who batted .300 or better, Nicky Lopez, though the team finished fifth in the AL for batting average. Kansas City ranked 13th in run production.
For pitching, the Royals ranked 11th in the AL. The Royals ranked eighth in fielding percentage with a .985 mark.
Key Transactions for 2022
Free Agency: The Royals signed pitcher Zack Greinke in March after he spent three successful seasons in Houston. Greinke started his career with the Royals in 2004 before leaving after 2010.
Projected Lineup
- Salvador Perez, C: Perez hit .273 for 48 home runs, 121 RBI, and 88 runs scored in 2021.
- Carlos Santana, 1B: Santana averaged .214 at the plate for 19 home runs, 69 RBI, and 66 runs scored last year.
- Nicky Lopez, 2B: Lopez batted .300 with 43 RBI, 29 extra base hits, and 78 runs scored in 2021.
- Bobby Witt Jr., 3B: Witt hit .290 for 33 home runs, 97 RBI, and 99 runs scored between AA and AAA in the minor leagues last year. He also stole 29 bases.
- Adalberto Mondesi, SS: Mondesi batted .230 for 17 RBI, 15 extra base hits, and 19 runs scored in 35 games last year.
- Andrew Benintendi, LF: Benintendi averaged .276 at the plate for 17 home runs, 73 RBI, and 63 runs scored in 2021.
- Michael Taylor, CF: Taylor had a .244 average for 12 home runs, 54 RBI, and 58 runs scored last year. He also had 14 stolen bases.
- Whit Merrifield, RF: Merrifield had a .277 average, 74 RBI, 10 home runs, 97 runs scored, and 40 stolen bases in 2021.
- Hunter Dozier, DH: Dozier batted .216 for 16 home runs, 54 RBI, and 55 runs in 2021.
Projected Starting Rotation
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- Zack Greinke, RHP: Greinke went 11-6 with a 4.16 ERA and 120 strikeouts for the Astros in 2021.
- Brady Singer, RHP: Singer had a 4.91 ERA and 131 strikeouts in 2021. He went 5-10 in his starts.
- Brad Keller, RHP: Keller went 8-12 with a 5.39 ERA and 120 strikeouts last year.
- Kris Bubic, LHP: Bubic had a 4.43 ERA, 114 strikeouts, and a 6-7 record in 2021.
- Carlos Hernandez, RHP: Hernandez went 6-2 with a 3.68 ERA and 74 strikeouts in 2021.
Projected lineups based on ESPN and CBS Sports.