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  • Kansas City Royals Free Agent & Trade Rumors, Notes, & Tidbits

    The latest Kansas City Royals free agent and trade rumors, along with notes and tidbits about the team.
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    Brock Beauchamp
    Katie Woo and Fabian A, writing for The Athletic, reported that the Royals are interested in slugging Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernandez. 
    Interested in learning more about Hernandez? Read our in-depth write-up on him as a trade candidate.
    Before the 2024 season, Hernandez signed a one-year, $23.5 million contract with Los Angeles. After the season, he declined the club’s qualifying offer and became a free agent. In early January 2025, he rejoined the Dodgers on a three-year, $66 million contract that runs through 2027, with a $15 million club option for 2028. 
    In 2024, with the Dodgers, he appeared in 154 games and logged 652 plate appearances, hitting .272/.339/.501 with 33 home runs. In 2025, he played 134 games and collected 546 plate appearances, hitting .247/.284/.454 with 25 home runs, a 4.8 percent walk rate, a 24.5 percent strikeout rate, an .207 isolated power, and a .315 wOBA with a 102 wRC+.
    Kevin O'Brien
    The Winter Meetings ended on Wednesday, but the hot stove discussion didn't conclude by any means. On Wednesday evening, it was reported that Mike Yastrzemski, who came over to Kansas City at the Trade Deadline last year, agreed to a multi-year deal with the Atlanta Braves.
     
    Yastrzemski was a massive boost to a Royals lineup that was stagnant for most of the season.
    In 50 games and 186 plate appearances, the 35-year-old outfielder slashed .237/.339/.500 with a 127 wRC+, 1.14 BB/K ratio, and 1.3 fWAR. His fWAR was 0.3 higher than his fWAR in 97 games with the Giants earlier in the season. The outfielder also showcased excellent plate discipline and strong launch ability with the Royals, as illustrated in his Statcast percentiles via TJ Stats.

    For the season, the Royals' offense ranked 22nd in baseball with a 93 wRC+, according to Fangraphs. However, from August until the end of the season, the Royals ranked 11th in wRC+ with a 107 mark. Yastrzemski's presence in the lineup had a significant effect on that turnaround. 
    According to Sam Forsberg of Discuss Baseball, the Royals and Braves were the two primary teams in the mix for Yastrzemski this offseason. 
     
    While nothing official was confirmed, the Royals likely offered Yastrzemski a deal. MLB.com Royals beat writer Anne Rogers mentioned at the conclusion of the Winter Meetings that the Royals had made offers to free agents, but were waiting for their decisions. 
     
    Losing out on Yastrzemski is tough, especially considering his impact after the Trade Deadline. That said, at 35, it may be challenging for Yastrzemski to live up to the contract he just signed with Atlanta. If the Braves exercise his option, he'll be nearly 40 by the end of the deal. He also has struggled in his career against lefties, with a career 79 wRC+ against southpaws, according to Fangraphs.
    Royals GM JJ Picollo will continue to scour the free-agent and trade markets for outfield help. According to multiple reports, acquiring a couple of outfielders this offseason is the top priority for Kansas City. 
    Photo Credit: © Peter Aiken-Imagn Images
    Brock Beauchamp
    Anne Rogers, in her latest rundown from the Winter Meetings, mentioned that the Kansas City Royals are receiving interest in several of their young players.
    Noah Cameron, Ryan Bergert, and Stephen Kolek all finished 2025 on the big-league pitching staff. Cameron worked 138 1/3 innings with a 2.99 ERA, 109 hits allowed, 46 earned runs, 43 walks, and 114 strikeouts. His line included a FIP of 4.18, with 7.4 strikeouts and 2.8 walks per 9 innings. 
    Bergert split his debut season between San Diego and Kansas City, totaling 76 1/3 innings with a 3.66 ERA, 4.00 FIP, 61 hits allowed, 35 walks, and 73 strikeouts. Kolek also pitched for both clubs in 2025 and finished with 112 2/3 innings, 98 hits allowed, 44 earned runs, 31 walks, and 77 strikeouts, producing a 3.51 ERA (3.82 FIP).
    From a team control and expense standpoint, all three are pre-arbitration. Players do not become arbitration-eligible until roughly three years of service, and do not reach free agency until about six years. As recent rookies with less than two years of service time, Cameron, Bergert, and Kolek are projected to remain under club control for at least half a decade.
    Kevin O'Brien
    On Monday evening, Brian McTaggart, a Houston Astros beat writer for MLB.com, wrote that the Kansas City Royals and Cincinnati Reds are two teams that have been talking with the Astros during the Winter Meetings about acquiring outfielder Jake Meyers. 
    Meyers is coming off one of the best seasons of his career in 2025, making him a candidate for a more extended role with another team next season.
    In 104 games and 381 plate appearances, the University of Nebraska product hit .292 with a 107 wRC+. He also hit three home runs, stole 16 bases, and accumulated a fWAR of 2.3, a career-high. Meyers doesn't offer a whole lot of power, and his batted-ball metrics are a bit questionable. However, he shows strong plate discipline (0.46 BB/K ratio) and strong contact ability, as seen below in his TJ Stats summary from last season.

    Though he hits right-handed, Meyers actually had reverse splits last season. Against lefties, he posted a 0.27 BB/K ratio and 93 wRC+ in 71 plate appearances. Against righties, he posted a 0.50 BB/K ratio and 111 wRC+. Over his career, however, he has a 110 wRC+ against lefties and an 85 wRC+ against righties, so 2025 may have been an aberration. 
    If acquired, the 29-year-old outfielder would likely split time in centerfield with Kyle Isbel, who has a career 64 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers. However, Isbel has cemented his place as the Royals' primary center fielder over the past three seasons due to his excellent defense. He posted a +12 OAA and +10 FRV last season, which earned him a nod as a Gold Glove finalist. 
    Meyers offers the same defensive upside. Last year, he posted a +9 OAA and +8 FRV. He also posted OAA and FRV of +13 and +11, respectively, in 2024. Thus, the defense in centerfield wouldn't miss a beat with Meyers. 
    McTaggart mentioned that the Astros are looking to acquire young starting pitching this offseason. Kris Bubic appears to be an early target for Houston, and could be part of a deal involving Meyers.
    While Bubic is coming off an injury and is a free agent after 2026, the Astros may need to throw something else in a trade package with Meyers to solidify a deal with Kansas City. Bubic made his first All-Star team last year and posted a 2.55 ERA, 2.89 FIP, and 3.3 fWAR in 116.1 IP before his season ended due to a shoulder injury. 
    A straight-up trade of Meyers for Bubic may be light on the Royals' end, so it will be interesting to see what talks develop between Houston and Kansas City over the coming days in Orlando. 
    Photo Credit: © Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
    Matthew Lenz
    Aside from trade rumors, the Kansas City Royals have had a very quiet offseason to this point. With a variety of near replacement-level players ready to split outfield duties, the team is rumored to be interested in a trio of outfielder free agents.
    Jon Heyman of the NY Post is reporting that the Kansas City Royals have expressed interest in multiple outfielders, including Harrison Bader, Mike Yastrzemski, and Austin Hays. As of right now, Kyle Isbel and John Rave are penciled as the starting left and center fielders, respectively, according to FanGraphs Roster Resource.
    Bader, 32, enjoyed a bounce-back year in 2025, posting a .796 OPS with 17 home runs and 11 stolen bases. He was a positive contributor defensively, +5 Outs Above Average (OAA) across all three outfield positions. He's projected to earn $26 million over two years by MLBTR.
    Yastrzemski, who was traded to the Royals, also experienced a bounce-back in 2025. He posted a .736 OPS with 17 home runs and seven stolen bases, though he wasn't great in the field, posting a -3 OAA across all three outfield positions.
    Hays was a plus-hitter (105 wRC+), though he benefited from the extremely hitter-friendly confines of Great American Ballpark. He posted a .768 OPS with 18 home runs and seven stolen bases. Between both corner outfield positions, he posted +1 OAA and spent a fair amount of time as a designated hitter.
    Of the three, who would you like to see the Royals sign? Let us know in the comments!
    Kevin O'Brien
    On Sunday morning, Jaylon Thompson, Royals beat writer for the Kansas City Star, mentioned that the Royals are reportedly interested in reuniting with outfielder Mike Yastrzemski and utility player Adam Frazier. Both players were acquired in trades last season, with Frazier being acquired at the All-Star Break and Yastrzemski at the Trade Deadline.
    Here's what Thompson said about Yastrzemski and Frazier coming back in his piece, essentially a Royals Winter Meetings Preview on the KC Star. 
    Frazier played with the Royals in 2024 and was a key member of a squad that made it to the ALDS. While he only posted a 65 wRC+ and -0.5 fWAR in 294 plate appearances, he seemed to be a leader in the clubhouse and helped mentor many of the young hitters on the Royals roster. He was much better in his return to Kansas City in 2025, as evidenced by a 98 wRC+ and 0.6 fWAR in 197 plate appearances. 
    Yastrzemski would be the more impactful acquisition of the pair. As mentioned in Thompson's piece, he hit nine home runs in 50 games, and he also posted a 127 wRC+ and 1.3 fWAR in 186 plate appearances. The former San Francisco Giant can also play all three outfield positions and brings a disciplined approach to the plate. He posted a 1.14 BB/K ratio in his tenure with the Royals last season.
    Yastrzemski will likely be looking for a multi-year deal, which may be tough for Kansas City to offer, considering Yastrzemski will be 36 years old in August. He is also limited in terms of splits, as he has a career .211 average and a 79 wRC+ against left-handed pitchers. 
    In addition to Frazier and Yastrzemski, Thompson mentioned outfielders Austin Hays and Harrison Bader as free-agent options, and Luis Robert Jr. as a trade option the Royals could pursue this week in Orlando during the meetings. It was not reported whether the Royals have spoken with those players or if they are just seen as possible fits given Kansas City's offensive needs for 2026. 
    Photo Credit: © David Richard-Imagn Images
    Kevin O'Brien
    On Tuesday afternoon, MLB announced the order of the two Competitive Balance rounds of the 2026 MLB Draft, as highlighted by Sam Dykstra of MLB Pipeline on Bluesky.
    For those unaware, the Competitive Balance rounds in the MLB Draft can be described as follows, according to MLB.com's Joe Trezza: 
    The Royals rank 28th in MLB franchise value, ahead of only the Tampa Bay Rays and Miami Marlins, according to Forbes. Thus, Kansas City not only tends to receive draft picks in the Competitive Balance round, but it also tends to receive an excellent draft position in those rounds. 
    Here's a layout of the two rounds, according to Trezza. 
    The Royals draft behind only the Guardians, who rank 25th in Forbes' franchise valuations. Competitive Balance round picks are the only draft picks that are allowed to be traded by MLB teams. In 2022, the Royals utilized their CB pick in a deal with Atlanta that netted them outfielder Drew Waters, pitcher Andrew Hoffmann, and infielder CJ Alexander. In 2024, they acquired reliever Hunter Harvey from the Nationals in a trade package that included their CB pick and third-base prospect Cayden Wallace. 
    While the Competitive Balance rounds are set, the whole draft order will not be set until December 9th, when the MLB Draft Lottery takes place, during the Winter Meetings. The Royals have 0.84% odds to win the top pick in the 2026 MLB Draft, according to Trezza. The 2026 MLB Draft is set to take place July 12th-13th in Philadelphia, home of the All-Star game next season. 
    Kevin O'Brien
    On Saturday, Boston Globe reporter Alex Speier reported that the Royals may be open to trading Cole Ragans for a package involving a Major League outfielder, with Jarren Duran being floated as the centerpiece of such a trade. 
     
    Here's a snippet from Speier's piece that discusses trade interest between the Red Sox and Royals and what a possible Ragans trade could look like, courtesy of Red Sox Stats on Twitter.
     
    We have talked about Duran as a trade possibility for the Royals before on Royals Keep. He would certainly boost a Kansas City outfield that rated as the worst in baseball in both fWAR (-1.4) and wRC+ (70). Duran had 3.9 fWAR and 111 wRC+ in 696 plate appearances, which led all Red Sox outfielders.
     
    However, this is the first time the mention of Ragans has been floated in trade rumors this offseason (Kris Bubic and Noah Cameron have been mentioned as trade candidates).
     
    Ragans was hurt last season, making only 13 starts and pitching 61.2 innings for Kansas City. He also posted a 4.67 ERA, his worst mark since joining the Royals in 2023 at the Trade Deadline. However, the 27-year-old lefty still had a 38.1% K rate and a 30.4% K-BB%, the latter the third-best rate among pitchers with 60 or more innings. As a result, Ragans has been identified as a bounce-back candidate for 2026 by many experts, especially if he can return to his 2024 form, which saw him post a 3.14 ERA and 4.9 fWAR in 186.1 IP. 
     
     
    The Royals signed Ragans to a three-year, $13.25 million extension last offseason. While the deal gives him and the Royals some salary stability from 2025 to 2027, he will still have one more year of arbitration in 2028 before becoming a free agent in 2029. If Ragans rebounds to his 2024 self, he could be due for a big payday when he becomes a free agent, which may be difficult for the Royals after committing money to Michael Wacha and Seth Lugo over the past calendar year. 
    The Red Sox recently acquired Sonny Gray from the Cardinals, which lessens the need for an immediate trade to improve the rotation. However, Boston still needs help at the bottom of the rotation, especially if it wants to compete in a division with the Yankees and Blue Jays. Roster Resource projects Kutter Crawford and Patrick Sandoval to be in the rotation for 2026, and neither pitched for the Red Sox last year due to injuries. 
    Photo Credit: © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
    Kevin O'Brien
    On Monday, the Kansas City Royals announced that they hired Mike McFerran as assistant pitching coach. McFerran replaces Zach Bove, who left earlier this month for the head pitching coach role with the Chicago White Sox.
     
    McFerran is only 32 years old but has a diverse coaching history, with much of his time spent at his alma mater, Skidmore College in Saratoga Springs, New York, Wake Forest University, and the Sacramento Athletics. With Wake Forest, he served as an associate head coach and pitching lab coordinator, helping develop first-round draft picks such as Ryan Cusick and Rhett Lowder. After a successful tenure with the Demon Deacons, he moved on to the Athletics organization, where he primarily worked with Minor League pitchers for the past two seasons. 
    The Royals' new assistant pitching coach had a pretty interesting interview on "And That's The Game" from Pro Batter Sports last year, when he was a member of the Athletics organization. In the podcast, he discussed his unique coaching background and his overall coaching philosophy. 
    When it came to replacing Bove, the Royals were looking for someone who shared Bove's ability to work closely with pitchers, especially in game strategy and pitch design, according to MLB.com Royals beat writer Anne Rogers. With his extensive background in pitch mechanics and incorporating science, data, and technology to develop athletes, especially pitchers, it seems like Kansas City found that fit with McFerran.
    Here's a snippet from Rogers' piece that provides background on McFerran's coaching history, especially during his tenure at Wake Forest.
    With the McFerran hiring, the Royals' coaching staff should be complete for the upcoming season. In addition to Bove, the Royals needed to replace assistant hitting coaches Keoni DeRenne and Joe Dillon. They found those replacements in Connor Dawson of the Brewers and Marcus Thames of the White Sox. 
    Photo Credit: © William Purnell-Imagn Images
    Kevin O'Brien
    On Friday afternoon, right before the MLB Non-Tender deadline, the Royals announced that they had avoided arbitration with second baseman Jonathan India, agreeing to a one-year deal.
    On Twitter, Ken Rosenthal reported that the deal was worth $8 million, according to sources.
    India came over to the Royals last offseason from the Reds in exchange for starting pitcher Brady Singer, a 2018 first-round draft pick (both players played college baseball at the University of Florida). Last year, the 28-year-old second baseman was in the final season of a two-year, $8.8 million deal he signed with the Reds before the 2023 season.  However, he still had one more year of club control after the 2025 season.
    It was a disappointing season for India, who posted an 89 wRC+, .301 wOBA, and a -0.3 fWAR, all career lows, according to Fangraphs. He also struggled with nagging injuries, saw his power stats decline (only nine home runs, also a career low), and failed to fit in defensively. He rotated between third base, second base, and left field early in the year but struggled and eventually settled back into his natural position of second base. Unfortunately, he posted a -9 FRV and -14 OAA, both career-worst marks, according to Statcast data.
    On a positive note, he still showed strong plate discipline with a 9.5% walk rate and 0.51 BB/K ratio. The latter mark was the sixth-best ratio of Royals hitters with 50 or more plate appearances last year. His Statcast plate discipline percentiles also looked strong, as illustrated in his TJ Stats Statcast summary.  

    It is possible that the Royals could still trade India before Spring Training. They likely will return Michael Massey, who has primarily played second base the past two seasons, though he struggled with inconsistency and injuries last season. Nick Loftin is also an internal option, but he only has a career 72 wRC+ and 0.2 fWAR in 143 career games at the MLB level. 
    If he is not traded, the Royals hope India can bounce back to the 2024 version that posted a 109 wRC+ and a 2.9 fWAR in 637 plate appearances in his final season in Cincinnati. 
    Photo Credit: © Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images
    Kevin O'Brien
    One of the Royals' 13 arbitration-eligible cases this offseason became clearer on Thursday. The Royals announced on social media that they had reached an agreement with reliever James McArthur, and Anne Rogers followed up by confirming that the deal would be for $810,000, about $10,000 higher than his projected amount on MLB Trade Rumors. 
    As Rogers mentioned, McArthur didn't pitch all of last season due to elbow surgery and subsequent recovery, which turned out to be longer than expected. However, the fact that he began a throwing program by the end of last season suggests he will likely be ready for Spring Training this season, barring any setbacks. 
    After a brutal MLB debut in 2023 (he gave up seven runs on six hits and a walk in an inning of work against the Guardians on June 28th), he ended up posting a respectable 4.63 ERA and 0.94 WHIP in 18 appearances and 23.1 IP. He came alive at the end of the season and took on the Royals' closer role in 2023, saving four games. He also posted a 25.6% K rate, a 23.3% K-BB%, and a 2.78 FIP in 2023, indicating he was better than his ERA suggested.
    McArthur was the Royals' closer for a period of time in 2024 after Will Smith struggled out of the gate in the role. He ended up saving 18 games in 57 appearances. However, his K rate dropped to 19.8%, his K-BB% fell to 14.2%, and his HR/9 rose to 1.27 (it was 0.77 in 2023). As a result, his ERA was 4.92, and he eventually ceded the closer role to Lucas Erceg after the Trade Deadline.
    Like in 2023, the 28-year-old former Phillies draft pick posted a better FIP (4.17) than ERA. While strikeouts were inconsistent, he has a career CSW of 31.9% and his TJ Stats metrics were solid in 2024, despite the rough patches and high ERA.

    McArthur posted a 104 overall TJ Stuff+ with his sinker (65) and curveball (70) rating as elite pitches. He also had a slightly above-average zone rate (50.2%), and solid chase (30.1%) and whiff (28.3%) rates. 
    Thus, there's reason to believe that if fully healthy and in a lower-leverage role, McArthur could thrive in 2026 as a middle-innings reliever for the Royals. 
    Photo Credit: © David Richard-Imagn Images
    Kevin O'Brien
    The Royals were active on Thursday evening, the night before the non-tender deadline. Their significant move was signing free-agent reliever Alex Lange to a one-year deal, first reported by Royals beat writer Anne Rogers of MLB.com. The Royals made the signing official later in the evening.
     
    Lange only made one appearance for the Tigers in 2025, as he spent most of the year on the IL recovering from lat surgery in June of 2024. Due to that injury, he only pitched one inning in 2025 and 18.2 innings in 2024 with Detroit. However, in 2023, he not only appeared in 67 games and pitched 66 innings, but also posted a 3.68 ERA and 1.33 WHIP, and recorded 26 saves as the Tigers' closer. 
    Control has long been an issue for Lange at the Major League level. He has a career walk rate of 13.5%. Even during his 2023 season, he posted a walk rate of 15.6% and a K-BB% of 11.8%. In his injury-plagued 2024 campaign, he allowed a walk rate of 18.9% and a K-BB% of 4.4%.
    Despite those issues, the Lee's Summit West High School alum remains an intriguing project for the Royals and pitching coach Brian Sweeney. He sports a career K rate of 27.2% and a career CSW% of 31.7%, according to Fangraphs. Furthermore, while he pitched primarily in Triple-A in 2025, he posted some intriguing metrics, according to his TJ Stats summary.

    Lange posted an overall TJ Stuff+ of 102, and all four of his offerings sported grades of 50 or over, with his sinker and knuckle curve sporting 60 and 56 grades, respectively. While his ability to find the zone was inconsistent (42.3% zone rate), he still generated a 42.2% whiff rate and a .266 xwOBACON in 23.1 IP with the Triple-A Toledo Mud Hens.
    Lange's addition fills out the Royals' 40-man roster, which was at 39, after the additions of pitchers Ben Kudrna and Steven Zobac. However, some roster spots could be cleared by tomorrow's 3 p.m. non-tender deadline. 
     
    Photo Credit: © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK
    Kevin O'Brien
    Tuesday night was the deadline for teams to add Rule 5 Draft-eligible players to the 40-man roster. According to MLB.com Royals beat writer, the Royals added two pitchers to the 40-man roster by the deadline: Ben Kudrna and Steven Zobac. 
    Kudrna is ranked No. 5 on our Top-20 Prospects list at Royals Keep. The former 2021 second-round pick from Blue Valley Southwest High School in Overland Park, Kansas, primarily pitched in Double-A with the Northwest Arkansas Naturals last season. In 20 outings (19 starts) and 94 IP, he posted a 4.21 ERA and 1.29 WHIP. While those weren't elite, his 24% K rate, 15.7% K-BB%, and 3.53 FIP were much more encouraging marks.
    The 22-year-old righty struggled in the transition to Triple-A at the end of the season. In four outings (three starts) and 11.1 IP, he posted a 14.29 ERA and 2.74 WHIP. He also saw his K rate plummet to 15.7% and walk rate balloon to 27% (nearly 20% higher than his walk rate in Northwest Arkansas). Unfortunately, his stuff didn't profile well with the Storm Chasers either, which makes one wonder whether he was dealing with fatigue at the end of the season.

    In addition to a meager 35.5% zone rate and 20.6% chase rate, his overall TJ Stuff+ was below average at 94. On a positive note, he still posted a 29.5% whiff rate, showing his ability to make batters swing and miss was still there in Omaha, despite the poor peripherals. A full offseason and time with the big league coaching staff could help him rebound with the Storm Chasers in 2026, making him a viable option for the rotation at the end of next season or in 2027.
    As for Zobac, our 15th-ranked prospect, he struggled with injuries last year, which led to a down season despite the preseason hype (as we discussed in his scouting report).
    The 25-year-old only made 14 starts overall between Northwest Arkansas and the Complex League, with the latter being rehab outings. In that 44.2 IP sample, he posted a 7.25 ERA, 1.79 WHIP, and 13.7% K-BB%. The control and ability to throw strikes remain a plus aspect of Zobac's profile, and he still struck out 21.3% of batters in the Minor Leagues last season.
    The hope is that Zobac is fully healthy and can recapture the buzz he once had at the conclusion of the 2024 season. He could be a candidate to make the Royals roster at some point in 2026 as a long reliever or spot starter, as long as he can accumulate innings next season and solve his longball issues (2.01 HR/9 allowed in the Minors last season).
    The Royals roster is currently at 39, and some notable players were left off the 40-man roster, exposing them to the December Rule 5 Draft, which takes place at the conclusion of the MLB Winter Meetings. Here's a list of the most intriguing Rule 5-eligible players who could get drafted in less than a month. 
    Felix Arronde, RHP: 12th-ranked prospect who posted a 2.80 ERA in High-A Quad Cities.  Daniel Vazquez, SS: 14th-ranked prospect and had a Solid AFL campaign. Frank Mozzicato, LHP: 2021 First-Round Pick and 20th-ranked prospect. Gavin Cross, OF: 2022 First-Round Pick. Luca Tresh, C: Posted a .794 OPS in Omaha in 2025. Javi Vaz, UT: Athletic utility player who posted a 1.25 BB/K ratio and stole 25 bases in Double-A in 2025.  Henry Williams, RHP: Former Padres prospect acquired in the Scott Barlow trade in 2023 Shane Panzini, RHP: 2021 Fourth-Round Pick who posted a 3.39 ERA, 109 IP across High-A, Double-A, and Triple-A levels last season.  Photo Credit: © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
    Kevin O'Brien
    On Thursday, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported that the Royals were one of the interested teams in utility player Brendan Donovan.
    Donovan has proven to be a solid player for the Cardinals in his four seasons in the Majors. In 492 games, he has a career slash of .282/.361/.411 with a .772 OPS. In 2025, he slashed .283/.353/.422 with a .775 OPS. Donovan also hit 10 home runs, scored 64 runs, and collected 50 RBI. 
    Even though he produced a -1 OAA and -1 FRV last year in terms of defensive metrics, according to Savant, the 28-year-old primarily played left field and second base, two positions that need improvement in 2026. Donovan doesn't flash big-time home run power, but he squares up the ball well and demonstrates strong plate discipline, according to Statcast data via TJ Stats.

     
     
    The Cardinals likely would be interested in acquiring starting pitching from Kansas City in exchange for Donovan. Last year, St. Louis ranked 25th in starting pitcher ERA, 22nd in SP WHIP, and 29th in SP K/9. They also don't have much proven pitching in the rotation beyond Sonny Gray, though Matthew Liberatore showed some improvement in 2025 (4.21 ERA in 151.2 IP). 
    It's been reported that multiple teams are interested in Kris Bubic, who missed most of the second half due to a rotator cuff injury but should be ready for Opening Day in 2026. The Cardinals could be one of those teams, and they may be interested in signing Bubic long-term if acquired.
    It's unlikely Bubic alone would net Donovan. However, the Royals could also throw in prospects from positions of depth, which include pitching and catching.
    Ben Kudrna pitched in Triple-A and has a better chance to break into the Cardinals' rotation this spring than the Royals'. Blake Mitchell is coming off a strong finish in the Arizona Fall League and could be expendable after a breakout season by Carter Jensen, who was called up when rosters expanded in September. If the Royals aren't willing to move Mitchell, they could offer Ramon Ramirez, a slugging catching prospect who primarily played in Low-A Columbia in 2025. 
    Photo Credit: © Eakin Howard-Imagn Images
    Brock Beauchamp
    We're looking for contributors to write Royals content over the offseason!
    First, feel free to reach out via email at brock.beauchamp@royalskeep.com or reply to this article.
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    Kevin O'Brien
    On Thursday afternoon, Will Sammon, a senior MLB writer at The Athletic, reported that Kris Bubic is generating trade interest from multiple teams, according to sources. He broke the report on social media.
    Bubic made his MLB debut in the COVID-shortened 2020 season, despite not pitching above High-A ball. After posting a 4.32 ERA in 50 IP in 2020 and a 4.43 ERA in 130 IP in 2021, he struggled in 2022. In manager Mike Matheny's final season in Kansas City, he went 3-13 and posted a 5.58 ERA and 1.70 WHIP in 129 IP, all career-worsts.
    The former Stanford product only pitched three games in 2023 due to an elbow injury that required Tommy John surgery. However, he returned to the mound in 2024 as a reliever and absolutely thrived as a late-inning reliever for a Royals team that went 86-76 and made it to the ALDS. In 30.1 IP, he posted a 2.67 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and a K rate of 32.2%. 
    The Royals moved Bubic back to the rotation in 2025, and he looked phenomenal at first. In 18 games before the All-Star Break, he posted a 2.48 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and struck out 113 batters and only walked 34 in 108.2 IP. That performance helped him earn his first All-Star appearance. 
    However, Bubic didn't look the same after the All-Star Break, as he posted a 3.52 ERA and 1.43 WHIP in two starts and 7.2 IP. He actually had more walks (five) than strikeouts (three). The Royals had him checked out, and it was revealed that he had a left rotator cuff strain. As a result, Kansas City shut him down for the remainder of the season. 
    According to MLB Trade Rumors, Bubic has been cleared to resume throwing, a good sign that he will be ready for Spring Training. Thus, it makes sense why many teams would be interested in Bubic, as he seemed to be an AL Cy Young candidate last year before being shut down for the remainder of the season due to injury.
    The Royals have Bubic under team control for one more year, but his projected arbitration salary will be high at $6 million, and he will be a free agent after next season. In an interview with John Bonnes of Diamondcentric yesterday at the MLB GM meetings, JJ Picollo mentioned Bubic as an extension candidate. Still, he didn't share any details on that progress (or if it was on the horizon). Kansas City may be able to trade Bubic to a team that is more willing to sign him to an extension after acquiring him, despite his injury history.
    Jon Morosi of MLB Network recently reported that the Royals are interested in acquiring an outfielder via trade this offseason. Thus, trading Bubic could help them achieve that goal.
    Jarren Duran has been floated as a trade target for the Royals, but it's hard to tell what kind of return he would require. If the Royals pursue that path, it likely will include Bubic as a starting point, at a minimum. 
    Photo Credit: © Denny Medley-Imagn Images
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