3 Big Royals Names Who Should Not Be In Club's 2027 Plans

[Mike Gillespie]

Image courtesy of William Purnell-Imagn Images

After a surprising trip to the playoffs in 2024, their first taste of postseason play since winning the 2015 World Series, that the Royals will miss October baseball for the second straight year was decided long ago. Now, all they have to fight for is avoiding a last-place finish in the American League Central, but even that could be a losing battle after Tuesday night’s series-opening loss at Houston left the cellar-dwelling Royals four games behind fourth-place Minnesota with 11 games to go.

That puts next season front and center for general manager J.J. Picollo — even with an all-but-certain lockout looming large as the December 1 expiration of the major league collective bargaining agreement nears, Picollo and his front office lieutenants have no more pressing and formidable task than to make the roster adjustments necessary to bring winning back to Kauffman Stadium.

Accomplishing that mission, especially because a lockout will block all transactions involving 40-man rosters, won’t be easy. Picollo must focus on his shaky bullpen and, aside from right fielder Jac Caglianone, an outfield short on productive hitters. Fixes require opening roster spots; at least a few Royals are on hot seats, and some won’t be back whenever the 2027 campaign begins.

Here are three players Kansas City shouldn’t bring back.

Isaac Collins Should Not Return To The Royals

Picollo’s offseason quest to add pop to KC’s outfield corps produced Collins and Lane Thomas. Thomas is gone, dealt to Atlanta at the midsummer trade deadline, and Collins hasn’t produced enough to warrant a 2027 return. After going 0-for-2 against Houston Tuesday, he’s slashing .220/.326/.335 with six homers and 40 RBI in 135 games, and is hitting .133 this month, hardly the kind of numbers that inspire hopes of a big 2027. Yes, he walks a bit over 12% of the time, but that’s not enough for a club so lacking in big bats.

And although he’s under team control through the 2030 season, the Royals need the roster spot he’d occupy if they bring him back. Triple-A outfielders Carson Roccaforte and Gavin Cross are enjoying good seasons — through Tuesday in a campaign split between the Storm Chasers and Double-A Northwest Arkansas, Roccaforte had 35 homers, 94 RBI, 30 steals, and was slashing .259/.341/.527 with an .868 OPS, and Cross had homered 17 times, driven in 52 runs, stolen 25 bases, and was slashing .248/.307/.437 with a .744 OPS in 114 games for Omaha. KC will have to find room for Roccaforte, Cross, or both, on next season’s 26-man roster — it’s time for each to get major league shots.

Passing on Collins will free up one much-needed roster spot.

The Royals Should (Perhaps Reluctantly) Cut Ties With Craig Kimbrel

There’s a good argument to be made, as Royals Keep’s Yirsandy Rodríguez did recently, that Kimbrel, who trails only four relievers on baseball’s all-time saves list, is worthy of being a Royal in 2027. But he’s expendable, and Picollo can use the roster room.

Kimbrel came to the Royals late, signing a free agent deal to join the club on August 10. He’s 1-3 with a save since then (through Tuesday), and although his 3.97 ERA is neither stingy nor overly generous, it isn't ideal for the kind of high-leverage reliever the Royals need. He does a nice job limiting hard contact (his 5.5 barrel rate ranks in the 83rd percentile per Baseball Savant), but his control is inconsistent, and he suffers from a sixth-percentile groundball percentage.

And 2027 will be Kimbrel’s age-39 season. He’s done the Royals fairly well, but should the club continue to invest in a pitcher for whom retirement seems close? No.

The Royals Should Not Pick Up Their Option On Carlos Estévez

And that’s too bad. Kansas City picked the veteran right-hander up on a two-year deal with a club option for a third before the 2025 season, and he didn’t disappoint — he led the majors in saves with a career-high 42,  and posted a 67-game, 66-inning 2.45 ERA.

But Estévez pitched only once this season — after blowing a save and losing his club’s Opening Day game, he landed on the injured list with a foot contusion, suffered a rotator cuff injury before he could return to the majors, and underwent season-ending surgery for that issue earlier this month. Precisely when he’ll pitch again isn’t known.

This was the final year of Estévez’s contract; the Royals can pick up the $13 million club option for his services for next season, or buy him out for $2 million. All things considered, it’s probably time to take the latter path. Uncertainty surrounds Estévez, and Kansas City can use the $11 million savings on a younger reliever (Estévez turns 34 in December), or elsewhere.

There is, of course, another choice. The Royals could buy Estévez out, then try to sign him for far less than the $13 million required to pick up their 2027 option. It’s better to look for a replacement … but don’t be shocked if Kansas City takes a chance on him.

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