The Kansas City Royals are World Series champions. Now what?

We still like to say it out loud: The Kansas City Royals won the World Series.

Five months later, the world championship continues to sound improbable, even with the very real energy of the victory parade still ringing in our ears, our legs still aching with the memory of the many miles we walked just to be a part of it all.

For many Royals fans — especially those under the age of 35 — this will be a season of firsts. As we welcome the boys in blue home for opening day — Sunday, April 3 — the Royals are no longer underdogs. They’re defending their first World Series title in 30 years by doing what they do best — running down balls, taking one for the team and keeping the line moving. In addition to indomitable defense and more awkward videos of Lorenzo Cain on Salvador Perez’s Instagram, here are 10 things we expect to see this season.

1. Wade Davis dominates

Over the last two seasons, closer and probable cyborg Wade Davis has been nearly unhittable. Since 2014, he has a historically good .97 ERA over 139 innings, posting a 17-3 record with 20 saves. Ranked as the game’s top reliever by the MLB Network, Davis seems primed for another season messing with minds from the mound. Maybe he’ll even crack a smile.

2. Salvy makes a splash

After signing a five-year, $52.5 million contract in the offseason, inimitable catcher and World Series MVP Salvador Perez announced that he wants to spend the rest of his career in Kansas City. Salvy’s new deal isn’t the only thing sporting fresh ink — photos from spring training show the three-time Gold Glove winner rocking a World Series tattoo on his right biceps. We hope his trusty Gatorade bucket is here to stay, too.

3. Reymond Fuentes levels up

With Jarrod Dyson sidelined with an oblique strain, 25-year-old outfielder Reymond Fuentes has a shot at becoming the Royals’ starting right fielder, making the leap from the minors to the highlight reel alongside All Stars Alex Gordon and Lorenzo Cain. Fuentes is solid on offense, too. Last season, he hit .310 in AAA Omaha, with 29 stolen bases. This spring, his average climbed to .419. It’s also worth noting that Fuentes is a cousin of former Royal Carlos Beltran.

4. The K gets a championship makeover

Look anywhere in Kauffman Stadium, and you’ll see evidence of last season’s glory. On the back of the scoreboard, visible from Interstate 70, big blue letters read “2015 World Champions.” On opening day, the championship flag will go up, a brag-worthy addition to that row of outfield banners. Perhaps most noteworthy, a photo of the 800,000 fans who attended the parade last November now adorns the back of the Hall of Fame, guaranteeing you’ll overhear multiple variations of “Look, it’s me — I’m the one in blue!”

5. Ned Yost: keeper of championship trophies, bees

When a swarm of honeybees delayed a spring-training game against the Colorado Rockies, officials were prepared to exterminate the wily insects responsible for pollinating at least a third of our food supply. But Royals manager Ned Yost revealed his indubitable alliance with the surly stingers, locating a retired beekeeper in the audience, who expertly removed the bees. After the game, Yost told Fox Sports KC, “They [bees] are not gonna mess with you; just don’t mess with them. Kind of like the Royals.”

6. Joakim Soria makes himself at home

Once called “the Mexicutioner,” Joakim Soria was the Royals’ closer from 2007 to 2011, serving as the team’s lone All Star in 2008. Now, the 31-year-old has said he’s glad to be back in Kansas City. With Wade Davis and Kelvin Herrera locking down the last two innings, Soria bolsters the Royals’ already formidable bullpen, making each game’s final innings a scary place for opponents.

7. Power becomes a factor

The Royals won the World Series despite hitting only 139 home runs, the seventh-fewest in the majors. But Mike Moustakas and Eric Hosmer both had career years, with the 26-year-old Hoz knocking 18 homers and 93 RBIs, and 27-year-old Moose hitting 22 bombs and 84 RBIs. Considering both players are entering their prime power years, it’s not unreasonable to expect a 100-RBI, 30-home-run season from either — or both.

8. Batters hit by pitches

As defending American League champions, Royals players were hit by pitches 77 times, the third-most in the majors. This sparked several on-field scuffles, including memorable throwdowns with the Chicago White Sox, the Los Angeles Angels and the Oakland A’s. Will the Royals’ success on baseball’s biggest stage equal even more bench-clearing brawls with their rivals?

9. Bubba Starling watch

Top prospect Bubba Starling is beginning his fifth year of pro ball in the minors — AA, to be exact. The homegrown talent, who dominated three sports at Gardner Edgerton High School, showed solid improvements last year, but his progress lagged in spring training, with his average hovering around .150. Still, general manager Dayton Moore remains confident in Starling’s ability.

Imagine Starling is a cake. If you take him out of the oven too soon, he will be doughy and soft and will likely collapse. If you leave him in too long, everyone will grow impatient because they haven’t gotten any damn cake yet. But if you take him out at exactly the right time, he will be moist and fluffy and productive on offense and defense, and everyone will love him as much as former Royal Billy Butler loved Oreos.

10. Attendance reaches new heights

The Royals set a new regular-season attendance record in 2015, with 2,708,549 fans packing the stands for 81 home games. This year that number is likely to go up, so we’ll see you at the K — and be sure to look for us in that Hall of Fame photo. We’re the ones in blue. •