Matthew Lenz

The Kansas City Royals traded starting pitcher Kris Bubic for right-handed reliever Carlos Duran. What grade would you give the trade? View full video

The Kansas City Royals enter the deadline buried in the standings after a season derailed by injuries across the roster, most notably a rotation and bullpen gutted by elbow and shoulder issues. With little realistic path back into the playoff race, their focus shifts to selling off veterans rather than addressing any roster need for 2026. Whatever they do move is unlikely to be a full teardown, since it may not be an especially active deadline for a club still built around a young core. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com is reporting that he expects the primary areas the team is expected to address via trade are “pitching depth and more hitting…” He adds that he “gets the feeling they aren't planning on moving any controllable players such as Seth Lugo or Michael Wacha.” Lastly, Feinsand shares that the Royals “want to contend next year”, so any move would likely be for a piece that is close or ready to compete at the big league level. Do you think the Royals should be open to moving their veteran starters? Join the conversation in the comments! View full rumor

Carlos Beltran is headed to Cooperstown! After receiving 358 votes (84.2%), the switch-hitting outfielder joins Andruw Jones as a member of the 2026 Baseball Hall of Fame class. Beltran, drafted in the 2nd round of the 1995 MLB Amateur Draft, played his first seven of 20 seasons with the Kansas City Royals. The 18-year-old from Puerto Rico needed just a little over three seasons in the minor leagues to debut on September 14th, 1998. He made the 1999 Opening Day roster and never looked back, slashing .293/.337/.454 with 22 home runs and 27 stolen bases on his way to winning American League Rookie of the Year. He'd make his first All-Star Game in 2004, weeks after being traded to the Houston Astros. Across 795 games with the Royals, Beltran slashed .280/.369/.500 with 149 home runs and 100 stolen bases accuring 24.8 bWAR. Despite establishing himself as one of the premier center fielders in baseball, donning the Royals' royal blue, it wouldn't be until he joined the New York Mets that his production and talents were truly recognized. In all, he'd go on to finish his career with three Gold Gloves, two Silver Sluggers, nine All-Star appearances, and a 2017 World Series champion. What hat will be featured on Beltran's bust? Let us know what you think in the comments. View full rumor

The Kansas City Royals have been involved in a fair number of rumors this offseason. Specifically, they were looking to flip some pitching for an outfield bat. On Friday, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic provided an update on two of the names that have been tied to the most. According to Rosenthal, the Royals are "unlikely to land" Jarren Duran or Brendan Donovan. He goes on to say, "Barring further moves, the Royals expect to rely heavily on offseason acquisitions Isaac Collins and Lane Thomas in their outfield, as well as rookie Jac Caglianone and holdover Kyle Isbel.” Of that group, only Collins was an above-average hitter last year, posting a .779 OPS with nine home runs and 16 stolen bases. This resulted in a 122 wRC+, whereas the next-highest from that last group was Isbel, who posted a 79 wRC+. Additionally, Collins was in the 86th percentile of Out Above Average (OAA), accruing four (six in left field and -2 in right). Isbel is also a plus defender, accruing +12 OAA, whereas Thomas and Caglianone are more known for their arms. Do you think the Royals should do what it takes to land Duran or Donovan? Let us know in the comments! View full rumor

The Kansas City Royals have been involved in their fair share of rumors this offseason, though the temperature on the hot stove has remained low to medium. Now, for the third time this offseason, they have come to a minor league agreement with a utility backup. Having previously signed Jorge Alfaro and Abraham Toro, they have agreed to terms with Josh Rojas. Mark Feinsand of MLB.com is reporting that Rojas also received a non-roster invite to spring training. Rojas, 32, played 69 games for the Chicago White Sox last season. Across 211 plate appearances, he had a .511 OPS with two home runs and four stolen bases. He appeared at second base, third base, and left field. In seven seasons, Rojas has been a below-average hitter (88 wRC+) and has spent time at every position except center field and catcher. He'll look to compete with Alfaro and Toro for one of the last spots off the bench. Do you think the Royals have done enough this offseason to improve the roster? Let us know what you're thinking in the comments! View full rumor

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! View full rumor

The Kansas City Royals are shifting titles and responsibilities in their front office. Brooks Sherman, formerly the president of business operations, is now president of real estate and development. His primary responsibility will be looking for a new ballpark location. In his place, Anne Rogers of MLB.com is reporting that the Kansas City Royals have named Cullen Maxey the President of Business Operations. In a statement, Royals chairman/CEO John Sherman said, "...this is a day that helps change our organization and prepares us for the future." Maxey was previously the Executive Vice President, Business Operations and Chief Revenue Officer with the Arizona Diamondbacks for 16 seasons. In Arizona, Maxey was part of the leadership team responsible for the planning and construction of the $200 million Salt River Fields Complex. He also led the team that transitioned the Diamondbacks' broadcast from the regional sports network model to a team-managed multi-platform distribution. Most notably for fans, he was one of the key figures behind "value item pricing" at the concession stand. His efforts led the D-backs to have the lowest Fan Cost Index in MLB for many consecutive years. While the impact of front office roles can be hard to measure, how do you think Maxey and Sherman's new roles will impact the Royals organization? Let us know in the comments! View full rumor

The Kansas City Royals have revamped their hitting staff, hiring Connor Dawson and Marcus Thames in recent days. Now, they're setting their sights on the lineup itself, specifically on the outfield. Jon Morosi of MLB Network is reporting that sources have indicated that the Royals are seeking outfield reinforcements. Morosi (and many others) add that the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Angels are potential trade partners. The Red Sox have been rumored to be looking for an upgrade over outfielder Jarren Duran, while MLBTR also identifies Wilyer Abreu as a trade candidate. Duran, who has an $8 million club option, carried an OPS of .774 with 16 home runs and 24 stolen bases across 696 plate appearances in 2025. Abreu, controllable through 2029, played in only 115 games, yet the 26-year-old still mashed 22 home runs to go along with six stolen bases. The Red Sox are looking to upgrade their pitching rotation, which makes a deal between the two even more sense. For the Angels, Taylor Ward and Jo Adell are two names that teams asked about at the trade deadline. Though there haven't been any rumors suggesting they're on the block, they could also be in the market for starting pitching help. Do you think the Royals should trade for Duran, Abreu, Ward, or Adell? Let us know in the comments! View full rumor