{{Short description|None}} The [[Kansas City Royals]] are a [[Professional sports league organization#The system developed in baseball|franchise]] based in [[Kansas City, Missouri|Kansas City]], [[Missouri]]. They are members of the [[AL Central|Central]] division of [[Major League Baseball]]'s [[American League]].<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/|title=Kansas City Royals History & Encyclopedia|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|access-date=2009-09-18|archive-date=2011-04-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110406112511/http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/|url-status=live}}</ref> The Royals franchise was formed in [[1969 Major League Baseball season|1969]].

There have been 20 managers for the Royals. [[Joe Gordon]] became the first manager of the Kansas City Royals in 1969, serving for one season. [[Bob Lemon]] became the first manager who held the title of manager for the Royals for more than one season. [[Ned Yost]] has managed more games than any other Royals manager and as many seasons as [[Dick Howser]] and [[Tony Muser]]. [[Whitey Herzog]], [[Jim Frey]], Howser, and [[Ned Yost]] are the only managers to have led the Royals into the playoffs. Three Royals managers—Gordon, Lemon, and Herzog—have been inducted into the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum|Baseball Hall of Fame]];<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/hof.shtml|title=Kansas City Royals Hall of Fame Register|access-date=2009-09-18|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2009-02-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090216192443/http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/hof.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 1970, Gordon was replaced with [[Charlie Metro]]. The Royals made their first playoff appearance under Herzog. Four managers have led the Royals into the postseason. [[Dick Howser]] led the Royals to their first [[World Series]] Championship in [[1985 Major League Baseball season|1985]]. Ned Yost led the Royals into two [[World Series]] appearances, in the [[2014 World Series]], and a Win in the [[2015 World Series]]. Frey, led the Royals to One world series appearance in the [[1980 World Series]]. The highest [[winning percentage]] of any manager who managed at least one season was Herzog, with a percentage of .574. The lowest percentage was [[Bob Schaefer]] in 2005, although he managed for only 17 games. The lowest percentage of a manager with at least one season with the Royals was [[Buddy Bell]], the manager from 2005 through the 2007 season with a percentage of .399.

The highest win total for a Royals manager is held by Yost,<ref>[https://www.facebook.com/Royals/photos/a.71650843690.77854.35686273690/10153009891808691/?type=1&theater Facebook<!-- Bot generated title -->]</ref> who also holds the record for losses. [[Tony Peña]] became the first Royals manager to win the [[Major League Baseball Manager of the Year Award|Manager of the Year]] award, in 2003. [[Ned Yost]] was hired on May 13, 2010, after Trey Hillman was fired. Yost retired from coaching following the 2019 season, ending a 10-year tenure with Kansas City. Mike Matheny was hired as the new manager for the 2020 season in October 2019.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.espn.com/mlb/news/story?id=5186895 |title=Struggling Royals fire Hillman |agency=Associated Press |work=ESPN MLB |date=2010-05-13 |access-date=2014-10-03 |archive-date=2014-10-06 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141006185140/http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5186895 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.kshb.com/dpp/sports/baseball/royals/royals-sign-manager-ned-yost-through-2013-season|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120905113117/http://www.kshb.com/dpp/sports/baseball/royals/royals-sign-manager-ned-yost-through-2013-season|url-status=dead|archive-date=2012-09-05|title=Royals sign manager Ned Yost through 2013|publisher=KSHB-TV website|date=2012-02-14|access-date=2014-10-03}}</ref>

==Table key== {| class="wikitable" |- |{{center|'''WPct'''}}||Winning percentage: number of wins divided by number of games managed |- |{{center|'''PA'''}}||Playoff appearances: number of years this manager has led the franchise to the [[Major League Baseball postseason|playoffs]] |- |{{center|'''PW'''}}||Playoff wins: number of wins this manager has accrued in the playoffs |- |{{center|'''PL'''}}||Playoff losses: number of losses this manager has accrued in the playoffs |- |{{center|'''WS'''}}||World Series: number of [[World Series]] victories achieved by this manager |- |bgcolor="#ffffbb"|{{center|†}}||Elected to the [[National Baseball Hall of Fame]]<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/hof.shtml|title=Baseball Hall of Fame Inductees|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|access-date=2008-12-29|archive-date=2010-01-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104093600/http://www.baseball-reference.com/awards/hof.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> |}

==Managers== ''Statistics current through May 26, 2026'' {| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" !class="unsortable"| #{{ref label|Number|a|a}} !! class="unsortable"|Image !! Manager !! Seasons !! Wins !! Losses !! WPct !! PA !! PW !! PL !! WS !!class="unsortable"| Reference(s) |- |1|| [[File:Joe Gordon 1961.jpg|60px]] || bgcolor="#ffffbb"| {{sort|Gordon|[[Joe Gordon]]<sup>†</sup>}} || {{mlby|1969}} || {{sort|0069|69}} || {{sort|0093|93}} || .426 || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/gordojo01.shtml|title=Joe Gordon Managerial Record|access-date=2009-09-18|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2009-11-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091110085322/http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/gordojo01.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |2|| [[File:Charlie Metro Royals.jpg|60px]] || {{sort|Metro|[[Charlie Metro]]}} || {{mlby|1970}} || {{sort|0019|19}} || {{sort|0033|33}} || .365 || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/metroch01.shtml|title=Charlie Metro Managerial Record|access-date=2009-09-18|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2010-01-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104152707/http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/metroch01.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |3|| [[File:Bob Lemon.jpg|60px]] || bgcolor="#ffffbb"| {{sort|Lemon|[[Bob Lemon]]<sup>†</sup>}} || {{mlby|1970}}–{{mlby|1972}} || {{sort|0207|207}} || {{sort|0218|218}} || .487 || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/lemonbo01.shtml|title=Bob Lemon Managerial Record|access-date=2009-09-18|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2021-05-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210502013144/http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/lemonbo01.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |4|| [[File:Jack McKeon Padres.jpg|60px]] || {{sort|McKeon|[[Jack McKeon]]}} || {{mlby|1973}}–{{mlby|1975}} || {{sort|0215|215}} ||{{sort|0205|205}} || .512 || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/mckeoja99.shtml|title=Jack McKeon Managerial Record|access-date=2009-09-18|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2009-06-16|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090616103153/http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/mckeoja99.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |5|| [[File:Whitey Herzog ca 1989.jpg|60px]] || bgcolor="#ffffbb"| {{sort|Herzog|[[Whitey Herzog]]<sup>†</sup>}} || {{mlby|1975}}–{{mlby|1979}} || {{sort|0410|410}} || {{sort|0304|304}} || .574 || {{sort|003|3}} || {{sort|005|5}} || {{sort|009|9}} || {{sort|000|0}} ||<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/herzowh01.shtml|title=Whitey Herzog Managerial Record|access-date=2009-09-18|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2009-02-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090219005441/http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/herzowh01.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/1976.shtml|title=1976 Kansas City Royals season|access-date=2009-09-29|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2022-03-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220326184717/https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/1976.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/1977.shtml|title=1977 Kansas City Royals season|access-date=2009-09-29|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2022-03-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220326233423/https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/1977.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/1978.shtml|title=1978 Kansas City Royals season|access-date=2009-09-29|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2021-11-05|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211105134336/https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/1978.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |6|| [[File:Jim Frey (manager) - Kansas City Royals.jpg|60px]] || {{sort|Frey|[[Jim Frey]]}} || {{mlby|1980}}–{{mlby|1981}} || {{sort|0127|127}} || {{sort|0105|105}} || .547 || {{sort|001|1}} || {{sort|005|5}} || {{sort|004|4}} || {{sort|000|0}} || <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/freyji99.shtml|title=Jim Frey Managerial Record|access-date=2009-09-18|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2009-06-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090610110606/http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/freyji99.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/1980.shtml|title=1980 Kansas City Royals season|access-date=2009-09-29|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2022-03-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220326214120/https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/1980.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |7|| [[File:Dick Howser 1985.jpg|60px]] || {{sort|Howser|[[Dick Howser]]}} || {{mlby|1981}}–{{mlby|1986}} || {{sort|0404|404}} || {{sort|0365|365}} || .525 || {{sort|003|3}} || {{sort|008|8}} || {{sort|012|12}} || {{sort|000|1}} || <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/howsedi01.shtml|title=Dick Howser Managerial Record|access-date=2009-09-18|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2009-12-21|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091221034354/http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/howsedi01.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/1984.shtml|title=1984 Kansas City Royals season|access-date=2009-09-29|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2022-07-12|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220712012506/https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/1984.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/1985.shtml|title=1985 Kansas City Royals season|access-date=2009-09-29|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2007-02-06|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070206070226/http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/1985.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/1986.shtml|title=1986 Kansas City Royals season|access-date=2009-09-29|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2009-06-11|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090611101932/http://www.baseball-reference.com/teams/KCR/1986.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |8|| [[File:Mike Ferraro Royals.jpg|60px]] || {{sort|Ferraro|[[Mike Ferraro]]}} || {{mlby|1986}} || {{sort|0036|36}} || {{sort|0038|38}} || .486 || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/ferrami01.shtml|title=Mike Ferraro Managerial Record|access-date=2009-09-18|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2010-01-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104160850/http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/ferrami01.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |9|| [[File:Billy Gardner 1957.jpg|60px]] || {{sort|Gardner|[[Billy Gardner]]}} || {{mlby|1987}} || {{sort|0062|62}} || {{sort|0064|64}} || .492 || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/gardnbi02.shtml|title=Billy Gardner Managerial Record|access-date=2009-09-18|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2009-12-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091220235617/http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/gardnbi02.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |10|| [[File:John Wathan Royals.jpg|60px]] || {{sort|Wathan|[[John Wathan]]}} || {{mlby|1987}}–{{mlby|1991}} || {{sort|0287|287}} || {{sort|0270|270}} || .515 || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/wathajo01.shtml|title=John Wathan Managerial Record|access-date=2009-09-18|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2009-12-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091219191304/http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/wathajo01.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |11|| [[File:Bob Schaefer Royals.jpg|60px]] || {{sort|Schaefer|[[Bob Schaefer]]}} || {{mlby|1991}}|| {{sort|0001|1}} || {{sort|0000|0}} || 1.000 || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || <ref name=stats>{{cite web |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/schaebo99.shtml |title=Bob Schaefer Managerial Record |access-date=2009-09-18 |publisher=Sports Reference LLC |archive-date=2009-12-20 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091220234812/http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/schaebo99.shtml |url-status=live }}</ref> |- |12|| [[File:Hal McRae - Kansas City Royals.jpg|60px]] || {{sort|McRae|[[Hal McRae]]}} || {{mlby|1991}}–{{mlby|1994}} || {{sort|0286|286}} || {{sort|0277|277}} || .508 || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/mcraeha01.shtml|title=Hal McRae Managerial Record|access-date=2008-07-06|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2019-06-19|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190619214604/https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/mcraeha01.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |13|| [[File:2012 08 11 010 Bob Boone.JPG|60px]] || {{sort|Boone|[[Bob Boone]]}} || {{mlby|1995}}–{{mlby|1997}} || {{sort|0181|181}} || {{sort|0206|206}} || .468 || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/boonebo01.shtml|title=Bob Boone Managerial Record|access-date=2009-09-18|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2009-08-29|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090829142719/http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/boonebo01.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |14|| [[File:Tony Muser 1977.jpg|60px]] || {{sort|Muser|[[Tony Muser]]}} || {{mlby|1997}}–{{mlby|2002}} || {{sort|0317|317}} || {{sort|0431|431}} || .424 || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/muserto01.shtml|title=Tony Muser Managerial Record|access-date=2009-09-18|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2009-02-20|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090220075152/http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/muserto01.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |15|||| {{sort|Mizerock|[[John Mizerock]]}} || {{mlby|2002}} || {{sort|0005|5}} || {{sort|0008|8}} || .385 || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/mizerjo01.shtml|title=John Mizerock Managerial Record|access-date=2009-09-18|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2010-01-04|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100104163955/http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/mizerjo01.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |16|| [[File:Tony Pena April 2012.jpg|60px]] || {{sort|Peña|[[Tony Peña]]}} || {{mlby|2002}}–{{mlby|2005}} || {{sort|0198|198}} || {{sort|0285|285}} || .410 || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/penato01.shtml|title=Tony Peña Managerial Record|access-date=2009-09-18|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2009-06-08|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090608121551/http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/penato01.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |—|| [[File:Bob Schaefer Royals.jpg|60px]] || {{sort|Schaefer|[[Bob Schaefer]]}} || {{mlby|2005}} || {{sort|0005|5}} || {{sort|0012|12}} || .294|| {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || <ref name=stats/> |- |17|| [[File:Buddy Bell - Cleveland Indians.jpg|60px]] || {{sort|Bell|[[Buddy Bell]]}} || {{mlby|2005}}–{{mlby|2007}} || {{sort|0174|174}} || {{sort|0262|262}} || .399 || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/bellbu01.shtml|title=Buddy Bell Managerial Record|access-date=2009-09-18|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2019-04-28|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190428094053/https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/bellbu01.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |18|| [[File:Trey Hillman (2011).jpg|60px]] || {{sort|Hillman|[[Trey Hillman]]}} || {{mlby|2008}}–{{mlby|2010}} || {{sort|0152|152}} || {{sort|0207|207}} || .423 || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/hillmtr99.shtml|title=Trey Hillman Managerial Record|access-date=2010-07-11|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2010-07-26|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100726083229/http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/hillmtr99.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |19|| [[File:NedYost.jpg|60px]] || {{sort|Yost|[[Ned Yost]]}} || {{mlby|2010}}–{{mlby|2019}} ||{{sort|0687|687}} || {{sort|0736|736}} || .483 || {{sort|002|2}} || {{sort|022|22}} || {{sort|009|9}} || {{sort|000|1}} || <ref name="Ned Yost Managerial Record">{{cite web|url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/yostne01.shtml|title=Ned Yost Managerial Record|access-date=2015-07-01|publisher=Sports Reference LLC|archive-date=2015-07-02|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150702072017/http://www.baseball-reference.com/managers/yostne01.shtml|url-status=live}}</ref> |- |20|| [[File:2015 -WinterMeetings- Mike Matheny (23640046755) (cropped).jpg|60px]] || {{sort|Matheny|[[Mike Matheny]]}} || {{mlby|2020}}–{{mlby|2022}} ||{{sort|0165|165}} || {{sort|0219|219}} || .430 ||{{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || {{sort|000|—}} || <ref name="Ned Yost Managerial Record"/> |- |21|||| {{sort|Quatraro|[[Matt Quatraro]]}} ||{{mlby|2023}}–present ||{{sort|0246|246}} || {{sort|0295|295}} || {{Winning percentage|246|295}} ||1 || 3 || 3 || {{sort|000|0}} |[https://www.mlb.com/royals/roster/coaches/] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20221031022003/https://www.mlb.com/royals/roster/coaches/ |date=2022-10-31 }} |- class="sortbottom" !colspan="4"| '''''Totals''''' !! 4253 !! 4633 !! {{Winning percentage|4253|4633}} !! 10 !! 43 !! 37 !! 2 !! |}

==Notes== *{{note label|Note1|A|A}} A running total of the number of managers of the Royals. Thus, any manager who has two or more separate terms is counted only once.

==References== {{Reflist|30em}}

{{MLB managers by team}} {{Kansas City Royals managers}} {{Kansas City Royals}}

{{featured list}}

[[Category:Kansas City Royals managers]] [[Category:Lists of Major League Baseball managers|Kansas City Royals]] [[Category:Kansas City Royals lists|Managers]]