The 1996 Kansas City Royals season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Royals finishing 5th in the American League Central with a record of 75 wins and 86 losses. Offseason October 22, 1995: Doug Linton was signed as a free agent by the Royals. December 19, 1995: Brent Mayne was traded by the Royals to the New York Mets for Al Shirley (minors). December 21, 1995: Wally Joyner and Aaron Dorlarque (minors) were traded by the Royals to the San Diego Padres for Bip Roberts and Bryan Wolff (minors). January 31, 1996: Tim Belcher was signed as a free agent by the Royals. Regular season Season standings Record vs. opponents Game log |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 1 || April 2 || @ Orioles || 2–4 || Mussina || Appier (0–1) || Myers || 46,818 || 0–1 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 2 || April 3 || @ Orioles || 1–7 || Wells || Gubicza (0–1) || — || 40,068 || 0–2 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 3 || April 4 || @ Orioles || 3–5 || Rhodes || Pichardo (0–1) || Myers || 38,753 || 0–3 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 4 || April 5 || Red Sox || 5–4 (12) || Clark (1–0) || Pennington || — || 39,526 || 1–3 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 5 || April 6 || Red Sox || 7–3 || Pichardo (1–1) || Belinda || — || 17,339 || 2–3 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 6 || April 7 || Red Sox || 1–3 || Moyer || Gubicza (0–2) || Slocumb || 13,183 || 2–4 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 7 || April 9 || @ Yankees || 3–7 || Pettitte || Haney (0–1) || — || 56,329 || 2–5 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 8 || April 11 || @ Yankees || 3–5 || Key || Belcher (0–1) || Howe || 17,519 || 2–6 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 9 || April 12 || @ Brewers || 4–1 || Appier (1–1) || Bones || Montgomery (1) || 7,113 || 3–6 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 10 || April 13 || @ Brewers || 3–2 || Gubicza (1–2) || Sparks || Montgomery (2) || 9,224 || 4–6 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 11 || April 14 || @ Brewers || 2–5 || McDonald || Haney (0–2) || Miranda || 19,131 || 4–7 |- bgcolor="ffbbbb" | 12 || April 15 || White Sox || 10–11 || Karchner || Pichardo (1–2) || Hernandez || 12,653 || 4–8 |- bgcolor="ccffcc" | 13 || April