The Royals Have Decisions To Make On These 15 Arbitration-Eligible Players

With the World Series done and dusted, the offseason can finally begin. The first order of business for many teams is to make decisions on their arbitration-eligible players. For those who don’t know, arbitration is a salary negotiation for players with at least three years of playing time (but fewer than six) who are not yet free agents. If they and the team can’t reach an agreement, an impartial arbitrator hears both cases and decides which number is fairer.  

The Royals have a whopping 15 players eligible for arbitration; only the Houston Astros and Tampa Bay Rays have more. The Royal originally had 16, although Lucas Erceg barely missed the cut due to Super Two arbitration rules. There’s a case to be made for keeping every player; some have better cases than others. Let’s go over them, shall we? 

Keep: 

• Vinnie Pasquantino ($5.4M)
• Maikel Garcia ($4.8M)
• Kyle Isbel ($2.7M)
• Kris Bubic ($6M)

Three of these players are no-brainers to keep around. The Pasquatch is coming off a career year, putting up his best numbers in terms of hits (164), home runs (32), RBIs (113), and slugging percentage (.475). Garcia also had a breakout campaign, finishing second on the team in WAR (5.8) and earning an All-Star nod. Both players are under consideration for extensions. 

Bubic was an All-Star and could've been in consideration for the AL Cy Young if it weren’t for a shoulder injury that sidelined him for the rest of the season. I expect him to be back in the rotation for 2026, unless the Royals use him as trade bait. 

Isbel, on the other hand, should stick around, but I don’t plan on him being the starter in center field for much longer. His fielding value is one of the best in the league, as he was nominated for a Gold Glove, but his triple slash of .255/.301/.353 doesn’t raise too many eyebrows. If the Royals are serious about contending, President of Baseball Operations JJ Picollo might want to look for a better-hitting outfielder to fill that gap.

On The Fence: 

• Taylor Clarke ($1.9M)
• John Schreiber ($3.8M)
• Jonathan India ($7.4M)
• Kyle Wright ($1.8M)
• Daniel Lynch IV ($1.3M)
• Michael Massey ($2M)
• Angel Zerpa ($1.2M)

Many of these players have valid reasons to stay with the team. However, most will likely end up either non-tendered or signed to one-year deals. Pitchers like Lynch IV and Clarke had good but uninspired seasons, with ERAs under 3.30. However, Clarke had a low walk rate (1.5), while Lynch IV had the best year of his career. 

The same goes for Schreiber and Zerpa, both of whom are really solid but didn’t set the world on fire. Both players should be back for 2026. Kyle Wright (who just got non-tendered as I'm writing this) could be a good bounce-back candidate if he manages to stay healthy; however, he hasn't pitched a single game for the Royals, so I wouldn’t be surprised if they let him go. 

Now to the tougher calls: Michael Massey and Jonathan India. Both are second basemen coming off underwhelming seasons. Massey had a strong 2024 and hoped to carry that momentum forward, but injuries and inconsistency derailed him.

India, brought in via trade to help “set the table” for Bobby Witt Jr., Salvador Perez, and Pasquantino, failed to meet expectations. He put up one of the worst lines of his career (.233/.323/.346) and lost playing time to Adam Frazier down the stretch. That’s not great for a player making the most money of all arbitration-eligible Royals.

I don’t expect the Royals to sign either to an extension, but whether they pick one, both, or neither is up to the front office. 

No Thanks: 

• Bailey Falter ($3.3M)
• MJ Melendez ($2.65M)
• Sam Long ($950)
• James McArthur ($800K)

It’s safe to say these players have overstayed their welcome. Falter and Long were among the worst pitchers on the staff, each recording a -0.7 WAR. Falter allowed 15 runs in just 12 innings (an 11.25 ERA), while Long had a disastrous start but recovered to post a 2.89 ERA after the All-Star break.

McArthur was solid in 2023, but his 2024 season was a train wreck, and his 2025 campaign ended before it began due to an elbow injury. With better arms available both on the roster and in the minors, the Royals will likely move on from those three.

There was a time I believed in Melendez. Sure, he was one of the most inconsistent players the Royals had, but he showed flashes of the player he could be. Unfortunately, that’s all they were, flashes. Melendez made the Opening Day roster but was promptly optioned to Omaha in April after a rough showing in the majors. He did rebound there, even hitting for the cycle, but the sun has likely set on his time in Kansas City. With Jac Caglianone being the starter for the near future, he will almost certainly be non-tendered.