Philip Ruo

Image courtesy of © Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images In 2025, Jonathan India entered the season as the Royals’ primary leadoff hitter to set the table for Bobby Witt Jr. at the top of the lineup. By the end of the season, India found himself near the bottom of the order after continued offensive struggles. When Kansas City traded for India last offseason, he was coming off his strongest season since winning NL Rookie of the Year in 2021. In 2024, he slashed .248/.357/.392 with a 105 OPS+. In 2025, however, his production sharply regressed, and India posted career lows across the board, finishing with a .233/.323/.346 slash line with an 89 OPS+. At the beginning of the offseason, there were rumors that India could be a non-tender candidate entering his last year of arbitration. The Royals and India did eventually agree on an $8 million deal for 2026, keeping India in Kansas City for one last season before he hits free agency. Statcast data can provide insight on what may have caused India’s decline. Despite continuing to have excellent plate-discipline, ranking in the top 3% in chase rate, his walk rate dropped from 12.6% in 2024 to 9.5% in 2025. That drop significantly reduced his on-base value. A more concerning decline was in India's batted ball quality. In 2025, we were in the launch-angle sweet spot, with barrel rates dropping from the 92nd to the 29th percentile and from the 49th to the 22nd percentile, respectively. These changes had a major impact on his power production and slugging percentage. Another notable shift is that India’s pull rate increased in 2025 compared to his previous two seasons in Cincinnati. In 2025, he pulled the ball on 48% of his batted balls compared to 41.5% and 41.2% of the time in 2023 and 2024, respectively. This could be the result of no longer playing in the hitter-friendly Great American Ball Park (GABP), one of the most hitter-friendly environments in baseball. The change in India’s pull rate can be seen in the hit spray charts from the last three seasons. Cincinnati’s ballpark features a shorter and lower right field wall than left field, giving right-handed hitters like India an incentive to drive the ball to the opposite field for power production. Kauffman Stadium, however, has a symmetrical outfield wall and one of the most spacious outfields in baseball, and suppresses home runs. Statcast data provides details on how the ballparks impact offensive production. GABP ranks 4th among the most hitter-friendly ballparks. It has the highest park factor for home runs, and it consistently ranks high in boosting offensive metrics like OBP and wOBA. Kauffman Stadium, by contrast, ranks close to average in overall park factor and is the 4th worst ballpark when it comes to home runs. Statcast’s expected home run by park metric, which accounts for wall distance, height, and environmental factors, provides additional context to the difference in these parks. By this metric, India would have 97 career home runs if all of his batted balls were hit at GABP, compared to just 48 home runs if they were all hit at Kauffman. Is there optimism for India going into 2026? Various projections on FanGraphs predict a rebound season for India, forecasting anywhere between 1.3 and 1.7 fWAR, placing him at slightly above league-average production. These projections could stem partly from the fact that India’s batting average, slugging percentage, and weighted on-base average were all lower than their expected counterparts. Despite the fact that the expected numbers are still below average, they do suggest that India ran into poor luck in 2025. BA SLG wOBA Actual .233 .346 .301 Expected .241 .373 .315 India’s other key metrics, such as hard hit rate, exit velocity, and bat speed, stayed relatively consistent in 2025 compared to previous years. Additionally, along with India’s still excellent plate discipline, his strikeout rate has declined in each season in MLB. With key additions in the outfield such as Lane Thomas and Isaac Collins, India will likely no longer be asked to play out of position in left field, which could provide stability in his day-to-day approach. The addition of Marcus Thames to the hitting staff could provide a change of approach for India. A refined approach that could help India recapture his production and on-base value that could help him return to the top of the order. Unless there is another significant addition to the Royals’ roster, all signs point to Jonathan India being the main baseman in Kansas City. If he does continue to struggle, Michael Massey or even Isaac Collins could spend time platooning with India at second base. However, a salary of $8 million is a lot of money to dedicate to a part-time player on the Royals’ payroll. View full article

Image courtesy of © Denny Medley-Imagn Images / © Denny Medley-Imagn Images Since it is the 50th anniversary of free agency in Major League Baseball, this series is profiling the top 10 free agents in the Royals' franchise history. In this installment, the focus shifts to position players. Be sure to check out part one, which profiled the top free agent pitchers. Top Free Agent Hitters Melky Cabrera Signed in 2011 | 4.4 WAR Cabrera was signed after an abysmal season in Atlanta, which led to his release by the Braves. The Royals were able to sign him to a very reasonable $1.25 million contract in 2011. Cabrera went on to have the best season for a Royals free agent hitter with 4.4 WAR in 2011. He also went on to set career-bests in home runs, batting average, and OPS, which provided stability to the Royals’ lineup. Before the 2012 season, the Royals traded Cabrera to the Giants for Jonathan Sanchez and Ryan Verdugo. Although Cabrera and Sanchez did not work out for the Royals (-1.5 WAR combined in Kansas City), the addition of Cabrera provided good production at minimal cost, yielding a valuable trade asset. Gary Gaetti Signed in 1993 | 8.4 WAR | 1x Top-10 MVP | 1x Silver Slugger Known more for his time in Minnesota, Gaetti had a productive stint in Kansas City. Signing three consecutive one-year deals, his time in Kansas City will be grouped. In 1993, Gaetti signed with the Royals after being released by the California Angels following a poor start to the season. After signing with the Royals, he became a consistent contributor, reminiscent of his time with the Twins. In three seasons with the Royals, he slashed .267/.323/.491, good for a 108 OPS+. All marks better than his averages with the Twins. His performance in 1995 earned him 10th in AL MVP voting and his only career Silver Slugger. His stats may have been more impressive if he had been able to play a full 162-game season as a Royal, since he joined midseason in 1993 and both the 1994 and 1995 seasons were shortened due to the players' strike. On a per-162-game basis, Gaetti averaged 4.4 WAR with the Royals, which may give a better perspective on his late-career resurgence in Kansas City. Mark Grudzielanek Signed in 2006 | 8.3 WAR | 1x Gold Glove Grudzielanek signed with the Royals after having one of the best years of his career in St. Louis at the age of 35. Signing a 36-year-old journeyman is always risky, but Grudzielanek was able to deliver as a rare bright spot on otherwise poor Royals teams. In his three years in Kansas City, Grudzielanek slashed .300/.339/.412, good for a 96 OPS+, which was better than his career averages. He was also impactful on defense, earning his only Gold Glove award in his first year in Kansas City. Kendrys Morales Signed in 2015 | 3.4 WAR | 2015 World Series | 1x Silver Slugger Morales was signed to replace the departing fan-favorite Billy Butler, and he provided an instant upgrade at the DH spot. In 2015, Morales slashed .290/.362/.485 with a 127 OPS+, provided power in the middle of the order, and led the Royals with 22 home runs 2015. He deservedly earned his only career Silver Slugger that season. Morales was a meaningful contributor during the Royals' postseason run, slashing .255/.304/.490 with four home runs. His biggest moment in the postseason came in Game 4 of the ALDS, when he hit the ground ball that induced a pivotal fielding eighth-inning error by Carlos Correa, tying the game and completing a dramatic comeback in the series. In 2016, Morales was not quite at the same level as the previous year, with only a 110 OPS+, but he was still a power contributor with 30 home runs. Rey Sánchez Signed in 1999 | 9.3 WAR Sánchez was a steady but moderate contributor in his career, accruing 8.7 WAR in his first eight MLB seasons. During his three seasons in Kansas City, he more than doubled that total, with 9.3 WAR, which is the highest cumulative mark by a free-agent hitter in franchise history. Sánchez was a consistent contributor, hitting for a decent average in the premium shortstop position, slashing .289/.321/.351. While not hitting for power, he provided elite defense, which provided the foundation for other emerging stars like Johnny Damon, Jermaine Dye, Carlos Beltran, and Mike Sweeney to lead the offense. While Sánchez’s offense didn’t provide much impact, his consistency on offense and elite defense warrant inclusion on this list and perhaps also speak to the quality, or lack thereof, in free agents that the Royals have been able to attract in their history. Honorable Mentions Alex Gordon Signed in 2016 | 4.1 WAR | 4x Gold Glove Alex Gordon’s four-year, $72 million contract that he signed after winning the World Series in 2015 is still the richest free-agent deal in Royals history. While Gordon could still provide elite defense in left field, his offensive production declined sharply after signing. Before 2016, Gordon slashed .269/.348/.435 with a 112 OPS+. After signing as a free agent, his production fell to .234/.318/.362, with an OPS+ of 82. Alex Gordon is an all-time Royal great, but his production after signing in 2016 was not good enough for the list. Wally Joyner Signed in 1992 | 7.7 WAR While known more for his time with the Angels, Joyner enjoyed a productive four years in Kansas City. He consistently got on base and hit for decent power. While in Kansas City, he slashed .293/.371/.434 with a 113 OPS+. Joyner also hit at least 20 doubles in all four of his seasons in Kansas City. While his time as a Royal was good, he was ultimately edged out by other hitters who either achieved higher peaks or a better body of work with the Royals. View full article

Image courtesy of © Denny Medley-Imagn Images / © Peter G. Aiken-Imagn Images In December 1975, the Seitz decision nullified Major League Baseball’s reserve clause, which ended an era where teams could effectively retain players in perpetuity and ushered in the era of free agency. Historically, the Royals are not known for making splashy signings in free agency, but that doesn’t mean there haven’t been impact players acquired. Since this month marks the 50th anniversary of free agency, this two-part series will look at 10 of the best free agents in Royals history. Part one focuses on pitchers, and part two will focus on hitters. The selections for this list will be very subjective, but the primary criteria considered were WAR accumulated, accolades earned, and playoff/overall impact after signing as a free agent. Many players signed as free agents after years of success with the club, such as Mike Moustakas, Zack Greinke, and Mark Gubicza. However, only their time after they reached free agency will be considered for this list. Top Free Agent Pitchers David Cone Signed in 1993 | 14.1 WAR | 1x Cy Young | 1x All-Star After being drafted by the Royals in 1981, Cone only spent one season in Kansas City before being dealt to the New York Mets. After a productive six seasons elsewhere, including a World Series win with Toronto, the Royals signed him before the 1993 season. In his first two seasons in Kansas City, Cone made an immediate impact, accruing 14.1 WAR and winning the American League Cy Young Award in the strike-shortened 1994 season. In that 1994 season, Cone was an All-Star and finished 9th in MVP voting. Cone led a very good Royals pitching staff to a 64-51 record before the player strike ended the season short that August. His impact on the Royals could have continued into the playoffs that season, as the Royals were only four games back in the AL Central. After the 1994 season, Cone was traded, with one year left on his contract, to the Blue Jays for a couple of players who never made the major league roster and Chris Stynes, whose best years in baseball were after his time in Kansas City. Larry Gura Signed in 1979 | 11.4 WAR | 1x All-Star | 2x Top-10 Cy Young | 1980 AL Pennant After three impressive seasons with the Royals in 1976-78, the Royals re-signed Gura as a free agent before the 1979 season. In his first five seasons after signing, he accumulated 12.6 WAR, earning him an All-Star nod in 1980 and two top-10 AL Cy Young finishes in 1980 and 1981. Gura played a key role in the Royals' 1980 World Series run, which ended with a loss to the Philadelphia Phillies. In three starts in the 1980 playoffs, he posted a 2.11 ERA over 21 1/3 innings, including one complete game against the Yankees in the ALCS. Although both of his starts resulted in Royals losses, he only gave up two runs in each of his starts and exited each game while the Royals had a lead. After the 1983 season, Gura’s productivity declined, and he was eventually released in 1985. With his achievements as a Royal before and after he signed as a free agent, Gura was inducted into the Royals Hall of Fame in 1992. Edinson Volquez Signed in 2015 | 2.2 WAR | 2015 World Series After the 2014 season, James Shields, a free agent, left a large hole in the rotation. If the Royals wanted to return to the World Series and redeem their loss to the Giants, that void needed to be filled. Volquez did just that with his consistent performance in 2015. Volquez’s two years in Kansas City didn’t include stats that jump off the page, but he was the leader of the rotation that won the World Series in 2015. In 2015, Volquez had a 2.8 WAR and a 3.55 ERA across 33 games started and 200.1 innings in the regular season. He also led the Royals in playoff innings pitched with 28.2 and had a 3.77 ERA that postseason. Although his 2016 season was rather poor with a WAR of -0.6, the impact Volquez had on the championship-winning team is worthy of inclusion on this list. Seth Lugo Signed in 2024 | 7.0 WAR | 1x All-Star | 1x Gold Glove | Cy Young Runner-Up Lugo made an immediate and dramatic impact in the Royals’ rotation after joining in 2024, when he finished runner-up in the AL Cy Young voting and also led the Royals to their first playoff appearance since 2015. Lugo posted a 3.00 ERA and 5.4 WAR across 206 2/3 innings pitched, all good for second-best in the American League. His excellent defense also earned him a Gold Glove in 2024. While his 2025 season was less impressive and cut short by a back injury, Lugo still has two more years in Kansas City after signing an extension earlier this year. He will have the opportunity to show his value and veteran leadership to this rotation, especially if he can eat up innings as he did in 2024. Tim Belcher Signed in 1996 | 9.2 WAR While Belcher does not have the accolades of the other players on this list, his three years in Kansas City were very good. For a team that did not traditionally spend on acquiring free agents, Belcher was brought in to pair with star pitcher Kevin Appier. His first season, in particular, was excellent, with 4.8 WAR and a 4.41 ERA over 238 2/3 innings. Belcher proved to be a durable pitcher who could go deep into games, pitching at least 210 innings in each of his three seasons. While the Royals were not particularly successful during his time in Kansas City, Belcher was able to provide an immediate impact by his performance on the field and as a veteran leader in the clubhouse. Honorable Mentions Gil Meche Signed in 2007 | 10.2 WAR | 1x All-Star Meche was a similar addition to Tim Belcher, just a decade later. Meche provided an immediate impact on the Royals’ rotation with over 4.0 WAR in each of his first two seasons in Kansas City. However, Meche faced a sharp decline in quality after those first two seasons. Belcher's greater consistency throughout his time in Kansas City gave him the edge over Meche. Aroldis Chapman Signed in 2023 | 1.0 WAR He spent only half of the 2023 season in Kansas City, but during that time, he was traded to the eventual World Series-winning Texas Rangers. That trade returned Cole Ragans, who has since emerged as the Royals’ ace. Without Chapman, the Royals would likely not have Ragans, and the Royals’ current rotation outlook would be drastically different. Stay tuned for part 2 of this series, which will look at the best free-agent hitters in Royals history! View full article

Image courtesy of Jay Biggerstaff, Kyle Ross, Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images In the next installment of the countdown of top Royals assets, we are highlighting the 16th-20th-most valuable player assets. If you missed the previous list of players, you can find the breakdown of players 21-25 here. 20. Carlos Estévez, RHP Age: 32 Controlled Through: 2026 (Club Option for 2027) In his first year in Kansas City, Estévez assumed the closer role. He is serving the last year of his 2-year, $22.2 million contract, which includes a club option for $13 million in 2027. Estévez had an excellent year in 2025, leading the American League with 42 saves. He has been a reliable anchor for this bullpen after James McArtur and Lucas Erceg shared closing duties in 2024. His success in 2025 may have been slightly fortunate compared to the Statcast expected metrics, where his ERA, batting average, slugging percentage, and weighted on-base average against were all lower than expected. ERA BA SLG wOBA Actual 2.46 .199 .315 .255 Expected 3.72 .231 .396 .299 His fastball velocity has also declined in each of the past three seasons. Still, Estévez has counteracted that by throwing his fastball at a career-low 53.5% of the time while increasing the frequency of his slider and changeup. He does not strike out a ton of batters, but he also prevents hitters from barreling the ball and is above average at keeping runners off the bases. It is valuable to know who is getting the ball in the 9th inning to close out a game. If Estévez can replicate his season from last year, the Royals will be in a good position to compete in 2026. 19. Kyle Isbel, CF Age: 28 Controlled Through: 2027 Isbel has been a steady presence in the Royals' outfield. He has accrued at least 1.6 bWAR in each of the last three seasons, and is one of the best defensive centerfielders in baseball. His defensive excellence did not go unnoticed the previous season when he was a finalist for the Gold Glove award in centerfield. He grades in the 93rd percentile in fielding run value and outs above average. He has one of the fastest reaction times, which allows him to cover a lot of ground in Kauffman Stadium’s large outfield. His offense is lacking, grading below the 10th percentile in xwOBA, xBA, and xSLG. Despite his deficiencies at the plate, his OPS+ of 83 was still higher than that of 11 players who logged time in the Royals’ outfield last season. If he can maintain his current offensive output, Isbel’s elite defense will remain a positive asset to the Royals. It will especially help if the Royals can add offensive production in the other outfield positions. 18. Isaac Collins, OF Age: 28 Controlled Through: 2030 Speaking of outfield help, the Royals are hopeful that Isaac Collins can make an immediate impact in the lineup. On December 14th, the Royals traded for Collins from the Milwaukee Brewers along with Nick Mears. Collins should be able to fill the void in left field that plagued the Royals last season. In his rookie campaign, Collins slashed .263/.368/.411, suitable for a 118 OPS+ and 2.1 WAR. His strong performance earned him a 4th place finish in the National League Rookie of the Year voting. Collins’ main offensive attribute is his plate discipline. He gets on base at a high rate, draws walks, and doesn’t chase pitches out of the zone. The walks will be a welcome addition to the lineup, considering the Royals ranked 29th in walks last season, and Collin’s OBP of .368 outpaced all qualified Royals hitters in the previous season. His hitting and power metrics graded last season at close to or just below average, but his ability to consistently get on base will be very valuable to the Royals. Collins also provides versatility on defense. With the acquisition of Lane Thomas, Collins could also shift to second base if needed. This will be valuable since the Royals’ second basemen also struggled at the plate last season. With five more years of team control remaining, the Royals' Collins can develop into a consistent contributor for years to come. 17. Seth Lugo, RHP Age: 36 Controlled Through: 2927 (Vesting Option for 2028) Lugo took a step back in 2025 following his Cy Young runner-up campaign in 2024. After signing an extension to keep him in Kansas City through at least 2027, Lugo struggled on the mound and eventually landed on the injured list for a lower back issue. Lugo will look to bounce back in 2026, hoping his regression is injury-related rather than age-related. If he can limit his walks and home runs allowed, he should be in a good place to be a reliable workhorse in the rotation and go deeper into games. In 2024, he averaged 6.26 innings per start, and in 2025, he only averaged 5.59 innings. 16. Salvador Perez Age: 35 Controlled Through: 2027 Perez assumed more innings behind the plate after Freddy Fermin was traded to the Padres last season. Entering his age-36 season, Perez has logged significant mileage at baseball’s most physically demanding positions, especially for someone of his age. With the emergence of Carter Jensen, the Royals should probably look to cede more time behind the plate to Jensen. Perez’s leadership is still unquestioned, and he continues to be a vocal leader in the clubhouse. He has the “C” in his jersey for a reason. Hopefully, he can turn to mentoring Jensen in his next two seasons in Kansas City. For now, he is still a valuable bat in the Royals lineup. He will continue to hit for power in the middle of the lineup, whether he is catching or serving as the designated hitter. View full article

Image courtesy of © Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images / © Denny Medley-Imagn Images Early in the season, Salvador Perez was effectively splitting time behind the plate with Freddy Fermin. Once Fermin was traded to the Padres at the trade deadline, Perez was forced into starting more often, catching 20 of the 28 games in August with Luke Maile offering some relief. After Carter Jensen joined the roster in September, Perez finally was able to get more time off, only catching 15 of the remaining 25 games of the season, which was still more often than the start of the season but a notable reduction compared to August. From June through the end of the season, there was a clear inverse relationship between how often Perez started as catcher and his offensive production. Entering his age-35 season, Perez can still be a positive contributor on offense, but his time at the catcher position will need to be limited. Entering the season, Carter Jensen is projected to be the only depth at catcher on the MLB roster. While Perez’s innings will need to be limited on defense, Jensen also might not be quite ready to assume a large workload as catcher. What is the ideal balance going to be in 2026? Historically, catchers will often begin to see reduced time behind the plate after age 32, and most catchers will even be retired by age 35. Comparing Perez to his contemporaries, dating back to his age-21 season, he usually outpaces other catchers in usage rate (ages 36+ averages are heavily skewed by Yadier Molina). Father time remains undefeated; the Royals need to be prepared rather than reacting if Perez’s abilities fall off a cliff. Despite his five Gold Glove awards, the Statcast metrics do not flatter Perez. He has been worth -37 catching runs total since 2018, primarily driven by well-below-average pitch framing. His catcher throwing metrics remain good, ranking 8th in caught stealing and above average, with 4 CS. He also ranked 16th out of 70 catchers (minimum 10 caught-stealing attempts) in average pop time. However, the biggest sign of aging in his abilities is his blocking. Last season, his blocking generated -15 blocks above average, 12 worse than his career low. For Carter Jensen’s catching ability, there isn't yet much data. In his 67 innings at the position, he logged zero catching runs and -1 catching runs for blocking. He also caught one baserunner stealing out of 3 attempts. His pop time was the 7th fastest for all catchers who faced at least one stolen base attempt. With a larger sample size, we will be able to determine more about how valuable he truly is on defense. With the addition of the automatic ball-strike challenge system, there will be a whole new metric by which to judge catchers. The catchers will likely be the main players on defense who are responsible for challenging calls, and experience behind the plate will likely matter with these calls. Offensively, Jensen looks to already belong at the MLB level. In his 69 plate appearances with the Royals last season, he slashed .300/.391/.550, good for a .941 OPS and a 159 wRC+. His statcast metrics also ranked highly above average in his small 2025 sample, particularly xwOBA, xBA, xSLG, average exit velocity, barrel %, hard-hit %, launch angle sweet-spot %, and walk rate. He will probably not be able to maintain those rates, but Fangraphs projects him to continue to bat above average, with a wRC+ of 104. The Royals would be more than satisfied if Jensen could meet that projection. With those bullish projections, when he is not starting a game as the catcher, he will be a natural candidate for designated hitter. Going into next season, Perez is still expected to start the majority of games at catcher. Still, the Royals should be mindful of his workload following the 2026 World Baseball Classic, where Perez is captaining the Venezuelan team. Perez's missing time with his national team will give Jensen the opportunity to spend more time directly with the pitching staff and get “first team” reps at catcher during spring training. If Jensen can maintain his quality on offense, manager Matt Quatraro will hopefully feel less hesitant about trusting him in the lineup. At the start of the season, while Perez is reacclimating to the team and resting after the WBC, Jensen could have a tremendous opportunity to claim more starting time. The absolute maximum Perez should catch is a model similar to what the Royals have done in past seasons: Perez catches games one and two, then rests game three of a three-game series. This should probably only be the case when Jensen is slumping. Ideally, at this stage in his career, Perez is starting less than half of the games behind the plate, and given his regression defensively, the Royals would probably benefit from giving him more time off. There will also be plenty of opportunities for Perez to remain in the lineup at designated hitter, as the Royals do not currently have a player as a primary DH. He can also spend time at first base when Vinnie Pasquantino needs rest. Perez is still likely to be a primary contributor in this Royals offense, with a projected wRC+ of 101, 8th-best on the Royals according to FanGraphs Steamer projections. Still, as his knees and body age, he should not spend the majority of his time behind the plate. The Royals will hope to retain his offensive value as long as possible. View full article

Boston wants to get rid of him because they have a surplus of outfielders with Anthony, Abreu, Raffaella, along with Yoshida and Campbell likely to spend some time in the OF. Their best outfield is probably Anthony, Raffaella, and Abreu meaning Duran would be the DH.

Image courtesy of © Eakin Howard-Imagn Images / © Joe Puetz-Imagn Images There have been many reports suggesting that the St. Louis Cardinals are open to trading Brendan Donovan. On December 7th, Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch discussed the latest information on Donovan. The Cardinals have made it clear they are willing to trade veterans Nolan Arenado and Willson Contreras, but other players could be available as well. With the Royals’ well-documented need for offensive production, particularly in the outfield, the Cardinals look to be a natural trade partner. Below is a look at the most realistic targets and how they might fit in Kansas City. Potential Royals Trade Targets Brendan Donovan - Free Agent in 2028 Donovan was the Cardinals’ best player in an otherwise disappointing season last year, posting a team-high fWAR of 2.7. While he logged most of his innings last year at second base, he has spent over a third of his career playing in the outfield. If the Royals end up trading for him, the fact that Royals second basemen Michael Massey and Jonathan India have also spent time in the outfield would give the Royals some flexibility to find the defensive combination that works best for them. Donovan has been a consistent offensive threat in the Cardinals' lineup, never posting an OPS+ below 114, and his OBP of .353 would have topped all Royals hitters last season, so despite his below-average sprint speed, he would be a good option to lead off for the Royals and pair well with Bobby Witt Jr. batting second. Alec Burleson - Free Agent in 2029 Burleson is an intriguing option for the outfield. Over the past two seasons, he has hit for a decent average and power, resulting in an OPS+ of 105 and 125 in 2024 and 2025, respectively, which earned him a Silver Slugger in 2025 at the utility position. FanGraphs projects him to maintain his 2025 form into 2026. The big issue with Burleson is that his defense is definitely lacking. Last season, he graded in the 14th percentile in fielding range with -4 outs above average, and his fielding run value has been -6 or -7 in each of his three full seasons at the big league level. If the Royals wish to pursue Burleson, his offensive upgrade will come at the cost of his poor defense. Lars Nootbaar - Free Agent in 2028 On the surface, Nootbaar would not be a huge upgrade in the outfield, batting closer to league-average than previous years with an OPS+ of 95. He also graded well below average in xwOBA, xBA, and xSLG last season, after several strong seasons prior. Despite his regression, his OBP stayed relatively high at .325, which was higher than every qualified Royal other than Witt Jr., Mike Yastrzemski, and Maikel Garcia. Nootbaar also shows good plate discipline, with above-average chase, whiff, and walk rates. The issues with Nootbaar are his declining defense and injury history. His defense has regressed over the last two seasons, posting negative run value and OAA in both 2024 and 2025. For his injury history, he has only managed to play in more than 120 games once; however, that season was last year, so hopefully he can maintain his relative health going into next season. JoJo Romero While Romero does not fit the Royals’ need in the outfield, Anne Rogers recently reported that the Royals are “looking at the reliever market, particularly a left-on-left arm that could fit in the back of their bullpen.” Romero had an excellent season last year, posting a 1.7 fWAR while assuming closer duties after Ryan Helsley was traded before last year’s trade deadline. While his strikeout and walk rates are less than ideal, both being below average according to Statcast, his ability to induce ground balls and prevent hard hits would be a valuable addition to the back of the bullpen. Cardinals Players Less Likely to be Involved Willson Contreras - Free Agent in 2028 Contreras has been a productive hitter in St Louis and has posted an OPS+ of at least 123 and a total fWAR of 8.7 in his three seasons as a Cardinal. There is no doubt that he would provide a massive upgrade to the Royals’ lineup. Even though he is willing to waive his no-trade clause, according to Katie Woo on the Athletic, the Cardinals are not as motivated to trade Contreras. Another issue is fit, since the Royals have enough depth at first base with Vinnie Pasquantino, Salvador Perez, and Jac Caglianone all expected to spend time there. Contreras has spent some time in left field when he was still in Chicago, but he is probably destined to be a designated hitter if there is any potential fit in Kansas City. This would leave the questions in the outfield in Kansas City unanswered. Nolan Arenado - Free Agent in 2028 It has been widely reported that Trading Arenado is one of Chaim Bloom’s main tasks in his first year as Cardinals’ general manager, and Arenado is reportedly more willing now to waive his no-trade clause than in past years. His defense is still above average, though not quite at the level it once was, and he also had his worst season at the plate since his rookie year, excluding the shortened 2020 season. His OPS+ dropped to 87, and his OBP was below .300 for the first time in his career. Entering his age-35 season, he can no longer be relied upon to be an impact in the lineup. Adding Arenado to the lineup would likely mean that Maikel Garcia would be displaced from third base following his Gold Glove-worthy season. Another issue is his contract. Arenado is owed $22 million by the Cardinals and $5 million by the Rockies next season, and $15 million in 2027. For the Royals to even consider a trade for Arenado, the Cardinals would have to retain a portion of his salary, something they were willing to do in their trade for Sonny Gray last month. Even so, there are too many issues for a trade involving Arenado to be likely. Nolan Gorman - Free Agent in 2029 Gorman has spent most of his career playing second and third base, but, as mentioned earlier, the Royals have some potential flexibility with Massey and India being able to play in the outfield. Gorman had a productive year in 2023 with a 2.4 fWAR and 116 OPS+, but he followed that up with disappointing seasons in both 2024 and 2025, with a total fWAR of 0.4 and an average OPS+ of 87.5 in those seasons. If the Royals trade for him, they will hope he can return to his 2023 form, but they should be able to find more impactful options on the market. Royals-Cardinals Possible Trade Scenarios Option 1: Major Trade Royals Receive: 2B Brendan Donovan OF Lars Nootbaar LHP JoJo Romero Cardinals Receive: LHP Noah Cameron 2B/OF Nick Loftin LHP Angel Zerpa RHP Ben Kudrna (No. 5 prospect) This is a trade that would involve a lot of moving parts. The Royals would receive an upgrade, with some risk, in their outfield with Nootbaar, in addition to a major upgrade in their lineup with Donovan. JoJo Romero would provide a boost to the back of the bullpen to group with Lucas Erceg and Carlos Estevez. The Royals would likely need to find a new home for either Massey or India to allow Donovan to take over at second base. The cost is likely worth it for the Royals here. They do give up Cameron, who just finished fourth in AL Rookie of the Year voting, but the Royals have enough pitching depth to allow him to leave. Loftin becomes surplus to needs with the addition of Donovan and Nootbaar, and he can hope to benefit from a change of scenery after having a less impressive 2025 season. Zerpa will give the Cardinals a left-handed bullpen arm with more years of control than Romero, and Kudrna will give the Cardinals a look at a future pitching option. The key with all of these additions for the Cardinals is controllable assets. With the Cardinals looking less likely to compete in 2026, targeting controllable talent aligns with Bloom’s long-term strategy. Zerpa will be a free agent in 2029, Loftin in 2031, and Cameron in 2032. Option 2: More Realistic Royals Receive: 2B Brendan Donovan Cardinals Receive: LHP Noah Cameron RHP Ben Kudrna (No. 5 prospect) This trade scenario is much more realistic than option 1, but it leaves the Royals still searching for another option in the lineup, particularly in the outfield. However, the same logic applies to each team. The Royals add an impactful bat to the lineup, and the Cardinals gain a starting pitcher with five years of control plus a promising prospect. Option 3: Realistic, but Less Ideal Royals Receive: OF Lars Nootbaar LHP JoJo Romero Cardinals Receive: RHP Stephen Kolek LHP Angel Zerpa This option is less ideal for the Royals because while it does improve the outfield with the addition of Nootbaar, his offensive ability will not be as impactful as Donovan’s. Trading Zerpa for Romero is a “win-now” bullpen upgrade, and adding Nootbaar brings upside with risk. Kolek was acquired last season from San Diego in exchange for Freddy Fermin. He impressed after joining the Royals with a 1.91 ERA and 2.71 FIP in five starts in Kansas City. He would be ready to slot into the Cardinals' rotation and doesn’t become a free agent until 2031. Conclusion Since the Royals and Cardinals are actively looking in the trade market for their own roster solutions, they could likely end up dealing across Missouri. Whether they can agree on a mutually beneficial deal remains to be seen, but the framework is certainly there. View full article

On December 4, Ken Rosenthal and Patrick Mooney reported in The Athletic that the Dodgers are listening to trade proposals for Teoscar Hernandez. Should the Royals consider a move for Hernandez? It isn’t a secret that the Royals need help in the outfield, ranking last in outfield fWAR, according to FanGraphs. Royals’ GM J.J. Picollo has also been open about being active in the trade market for outfield upgrades. Would Hernandez be the right player to pursue? The Argument for Hernandez Hernandez would represent an immediate upgrade to the Royals’ current outfield options. Even in a down year compared to his Silver Slugger-worthy performances of the past, Hernandez still had a decent season at the plate in 2024. Last year, he posted a 102 wRC+. By comparison, the Royals outfielders combined for a 70 wRC+. Hernandez offers consistent power. He has belted at least 25 home runs in his last five seasons and is consistently above average in Statcast metrics like barrel %, exit velocity, and hard hit %. His ability to generate hard contact stands in stark contrast to the current crop of Royals outfielders. Barrel % Exit Velocity Hard Hit % Hernandez 2025 11.5% 90.2 mph 46.1% MLB Average 7.2% 88.6 mph 37.0% In short, Hernandez’s underlying offensive data is strong enough to suggest that he would elevate the Royals’ outfield offensive production. However, the bar for improvement is quite low. The Argument Against Hernandez Hernandez will be entering his age-33 season next year, and after signing for the Dodgers before the 2024 season, he is still under contract for another two guaranteed years with a team option in 2028 and a vesting option in 2029. In that time, Hernandez is guaranteed $48.3 million. That would make his contract effectively around $24 million per year, assuming the Royals do not enact the team option. For a small-market team like the Royals, that contract is prohibitive and difficult to justify, especially for a player past or exiting his prime. Even if there is a trade that includes the Dodgers paying a portion of Hernandez’s salary, there are many indicators that he is not the best fit for the Royals. Hernandez is well below average in strikeout rate, walk rate, swing and misses, chase rate, and expected on-base percentage. Even the metrics he grades better on have shown major regression in his last season. Barrel rate, exit velocity, slugging percentage, and isolated power all dropped to below the 80th percentile after mainly being above the 90th percentile during his career. Other metrics, such as speed, arm strength, and bat speed, are on the decline and show clear signs of aging for Hernandez. There has also been some regression to the mean in his wRC+ and fWAR since 2020, and his 2024 season looks more like an outlier than the norm. This same trend is mirrored in his expected weighted on-base average (xwOBA). Another issue is Hernandez’s defense. According to Statcast, since 2018, he has only registered a positive run value in two years, with 2024 and 2025 being his worst seasons. His outs above have also never been positive during his career. According to FanGraphs, Kauffman Stadium has the largest outfield by area, which is a lot of ground to cover for someone whose sprint speed is also deteriorating. Considering all of his defensive struggles and aging, it is likely that Hernandez is destined to become a designated hitter sooner rather than later. At a salary of effectively $24 million per season, that is a lot of salary to allocate to a likely designated hitter who is also regressing to being a league-average hitter. In Parting It would be very surprising if the Royals seriously entertained a trade involving Teoscar Hernandez. For this to make sense for Kansas City, there would have to be the perfect mix of prospects, and the Dodgers would have to retain a significant portion of his salary. Even in that scenario, the Royals would need to be convinced that his offensive regression will not continue and that he would remain somewhat competent defensively. Both of these conditions seem unlikely. View full article

Image courtesy of © William Purnell-Imagn Images / © James A. Pittman-Imagn Images Despite recently trading for Sonny Gray, the Red Sox still have notable holes in their rotation. Both Kutter Crawford and Patrick Sandoval will be returning from long-term injuries, and Tanner Houck is still recovering from Tommy John surgery. There have been many reports that the Red Sox and Royals have explored trades that would include sending a starting pitcher to Boston and an outfielder to Kansas City. Most recently, Alex Speier of the Boston Globe reported the following after meeting with Royals GM J.J. Picollo. Let’s do a deep dive into who could potentially move to Kansas City, how they would fit, and what it might take to bring them to Kansas City. Top Potential Trade Targets Jarren Duran Duran has been the name most often mentioned in trade talks. He would slot perfectly into the top of the lineup, and having Duran and Witt batting one and two, respectively, would be among the most dynamic in baseball to watch. Duran has accumulated over 15 fWAR in his last three seasons, led the American League in triples the past 2 seasons, led the league in doubles in 2024, and was six behind the leader, Bobby Witt Jr., in 2025. His .332 OBP from last season would rank fourth in the Royals roster, better than Jonathan India’s OBP of .323, who the Royals acquired last offseason for his on-base abilities. Duran would also be a clear upgrade to the Royals’ outfield production. Based on Fangraph’s projections, Duran’s projected fWAR of 2.6 is just one shy of the Royals’ entire outfield projected fWAR of 3.6. Masataka Yoshida Yoshida has been primarily a designated hitter in his time in Boston, but has still played some outfield in recent years. In his first three seasons in Boston, his production dropped noticeably compared to his time playing in Japan. His defense will not provide an upgrade in Kansas City. When playing the field in 2023, his Fielding Run Value was -11. In 2023 and 2024, his offensive production was well above league-average with a wRC+ over 110 and a wOBA over .330. His production in 2025 dipped, but he missed the first 90 games of the season recovering from a shoulder injury. If the Royals trade for him, they will hope that he can return to his pre-injury form. There is also the issue of money. Yoshida is owed $18.6 million in each of his next two seasons before becoming a free agent. That salary would make him the third-highest earner next year behind only Bobby Witt Jr. and Seth Lugo. While the Royals are not necessarily opposed to committing that amount to one player, that salary could be prohibitive for adding other talent to the roster. Jhostynxon Garcia Garcia had a very brief cameo in the majors. He has had a lot of success in the minor leagues, posting an OPS of at least .810 in 2024 and 2025. He could be an intriguing option for the Royals, but he might not be the impact bat that could help the Royals in the immediate future. If included in a trade, Outfielders Less Likely To Be Involved Wilyer Abreu Abreu has been a valuable contributor to the Red Sox. One issue with Abreu is that he has been shielded from starting against left-handed pitchers. Since the Royals are also in search of a platoon partner for Jac Caglianone, Abreu is less likely to be a fit in Kansas City. Ceddanne Rafaela Rafaela is a defense-first center fielder. While his offense was decent in 2025, the Royals will be looking for more power in the outfield. His 95 OPS+ from last season would be an improvement over most of the Royals' outfielders, but ideally, they are adding an above-average bat to boost their lineup. Roman Anthony Anthony finished third in AL Rookie of the Year voting while appearing in only 71 games. The Red Sox already signed him to an extension, so if there were a player who was considered untouchable, it would be him. Kristian Campbell Campbell spent most of his season at second base before being optioned to Worcester in June. With his role on the Boston roster uncertain heading into next season, Kansas City would be assuming risk by acquiring him with the expectation of making an immediate impact. He also received an extension last season, so despite his struggles, that makes a move less likely. Trade Scenarios Below are three different trade scenarios involving Royals pitching and a Red Sox outfielder. 1. Blockbuster Trade Red Sox receive: SP Cole Ragans Royals receive: OF Jarren Duran OF Jhostynxon Garcia (No. 2 Boston prospect) SP John Holobetz (outside of the top 20) This trade would receive a lot of comparisons to last year’s trade for Garret Crochet from the White Sox. Crochet was traded in exchange for four prospects, two of whom were in MLB.com’s top 100 prospects at the time. Unlike Crochet, Ragans has three seasons left until free agency, which is enough to yield a bigger haul for Kansas City. Ragans and Corchet profile similarly in their first few seasons, both producing high strikeout rates and low walk rates. Below is a comparison between Ragans's career and Crochet's career before getting traded to Boston. This trade return is headlined by Duran and Garcia, both of whom help Kansas City solve issues in their lineup. Duran adds an impactful bat to the top of the lineup to pair with Bobby Witt Jr. Garcia, while maybe not quite ready to be playing every day, could be an option for a short-side platoon partner for Caglianone in right field. This could be a good way to ease Garcia into a major league lineup, but only against left-handed pitchers. The inclusion of Holobetz is mostly about adding more value to the trade and adding a pitching option for the future in Kansas City. According to MLB.com’s prospects list, his ETA for the major leagues is 2027. Assuming that there are no other trades that send away pitchers, the Royals will still have plenty of major league depth in their rotation. 2. Major Trade Red Sox receive: SP Noah Cameron C Blake Mitchell (#2 Royals prospect) SP Steven Zobac (#15 prospect) Royals receive: OF Jarren Duran This trade is headlined by Duran and Cameron. The Royals would be capitalizing on Caermon’s excellent rookie campaign and would be hoping to “trade high” on him. Cameron finished 4th in the AL Rookie of the Year voting and has five years of control left. He may not be the big arm in the rotation that the Red Sox would be looking for long-term, but he would be a solid arm in their rotation for years to come. The Royals would also be dealing from another position of strength, catcher depth. With the emergence of Carter Jensen on the MLB roster last season and Salvador Perez being ever-present in the Royals lineup (and signing a contract extension), Mitchell does not have an easy path to gametime at the MLB level. The Red Sox adding him would not require them to move on from either Connor Wong or Carlos Narvaez, but it would give them flexibility moving forward at the catcher position. Zobac is on the 40-man roster and could potentially see major league action despite his struggles last year. He could maybe contribute by bolstering the Red Sox in the bullpen. 3. Minor Trade Red Sox receive: SP Kris Bubic Royals receive: OF Masataka Yoshida OF Miguel Bleis (No. 14 Boston prospect) This trade would leave each team a little disappointed, given how much smoke there has been regarding trades this offseason, but this would leave each team slightly better off. Yoshida would provide a bat to the Royals' outfield, with some time as a designated hitter, and they could get a return for Bubic instead of letting him walk in free agency. The Red Sox would add an all-star caliber pitcher to their rotation and free up salary space to pursue one of the big bats in free agency. The inclusion of Bleis adds a high-upside outfielder who has also suffered many injury setbacks in his career. His speed and defense would profile well for Kauffman Stadium's large outfield eventually. Interested in reading this situation from the Red Sox perspective? We have a complementary piece on our Red Sox site! View full article

The 2025 Royals struggled to stay above .500, finishing the season with an 82-80 record. While there was plenty of blame to go around for failing to reach October after their successful run in 2024, little of that blame can be squared at the starting rotation. The Royals' starting five pitched to a 4.00 FIP in 2025, good for tenth in all of baseball, all while Cole Ragans pitched 61 innings before losing most of the season to injury. The Starting Rotation 1. Cole Ragans Season Innings K/9 BB/9 ERA FIP 2024 186.1 10.77 3.24 3.14 2.99 2025 61.2 14.30 2.92 4.67 2.50 Ragans had his breakout year in 2024, finishing 4th in the AL Cy Young voting. In 2025, he struggled to stay on the mound, missing roughly three months with a left rotator cuff strain. Once he returned to the rotation in September, he reminded Royals fans how valuable he is, pitching every fifth day. Ragans is definitely the ace of this rotation, and if he can remain healthy, he could once again find himself in the Cy Young conversation. 2. Seth Lugo Season Innings K/9 BB/9 ERA FIP 2024 206.2 7.88 2.09 3.00 3.83 2025 145.1 7.74 3.41 4.15 4.53 Lugo took a step back following his excellent 2024 season, when he finished runner-up in Cy Young voting. After signing his two-year extension at the trade deadline, Lugo struggled and eventually landed on the injured list for a lower back issue. Entering his age-36 season, it would be naïve to expect his 2024 performance to return. If he can stay healthy and eat up innings, he will continue to be a valued asset to the Royals’ rotation. 3. Michael Wacha Season Innings K/9 BB/9 ERA FIP 2024 166.2 7.83 2.43 3.35 3.65 2025 172.2 6.57 2.35 3.86 3.66 Wacha had another steady year pitching, having nearly an identical performance as the year prior. He was a steady presence in the rotation while other pitchers struggled with injuries. 4. Kris Bubic Season Innings K/9 BB/9 ERA FIP 2024 (bullpen) 30.1 11.57 1.48 2.67 1.95 2025 116.1 8.97 3.02 2.55 2.89 Bubic had a breakout first half of his 2025 season, earning him his first All-Star selection after Tommy John surgery caused him to miss most of the previous two seasons. After appearing out of the bullpen exclusively in 2024, he took advantage of his opportunity to return to the rotation in 2025. Unfortunately, a rotator cuff strain suffered in late July caused him to miss the rest of the 2025 season. He is expected to be ready for Opening Day, but enters his final year of arbitration and has been mentioned in trade rumors as the Royals explore adding an outfielder. Whether he's on the Royals or another team, hopefully, he can recreate his All-Star caliber performance post-recovery. 5. Noah Cameron Season Innings K/9 BB/9 ERA FIP 2024 (minors) 128.2 10.42 2.52 3.08 3.28 2025 138.1 7.42 2.80 2.99 4.18 Cameron was called up in late April when injuries started impacting the rotation, and he quickly proved he belonged. He finished the season leading the pitching staff in rWAR with 3.8 and finished fourth on the AL Rookie of the Year voting. If he can take the next step in his development and continue to limit base runners, he will be a strong asset to this rotation, especially for a fifth starter. Like Bubic, Cameron has also been mentioned in trade rumors. Major League Depth 1. Stephen Kolek Season Innings K/9 BB/9 ERA FIP 2024 (bullpen) 46.2 7.5 2.3 5.21 3.57 2025 112.2 6.2 2.5 3.51 3.82 Kolek was acquired by the Royals last year at the trade deadline. He was packaged with Ryan Bergert in exchange for Freddy Fermin. Kolek did a good job in stabilizing the rotation when other starters started heading to the injured list. In his five starts in Kansas City, he posted a 1.91 ERA in 33 innings. While his performance in Kansas City is likely to regress, Kolek showed what he can bring to this rotation once called upon. 2. Ryan Bergert Season Innings K/9 BB/9 ERA FIP 2024 186.1 10.77 3.24 3.14 2.99 2025 61.2 14.30 2.92 4.67 2.50 Bergert was also acquired in the Fermin trade. Bergert had a decent first season in the major leagues, starting the season in the bullpen before earning a spot in the Padres’ rotation in June. Although Bergert struggled to go deep into games, only making it to six innings pitched once, after being dealt to the Royals, he got off to a good start, allowing two runs or fewer in his first six starts. He finished the year on the injured list with a right elbow strain. Barring a setback, he is set to enter spring training without limitations and challenge for a spot in the rotation. Prospects 1. Luinder Avila Season Innings K/9 BB/9 ERA FIP 2024 (minors) 87.0 8.8 4.9 4.14 - 2025 (bullpen) 14.0 10.3 3.9 1.29 2.14 Avila is the Royals’ #13 prospect. Read a detailed write-up of him in our breakdown of prospects ranked #11-15. 2. Ben Kudrna Season Innings K/9 BB/9 ERA FIP 2024 (minors) 115.1 9.3 4.1 4.68 - 2025 (minors) 105.1 9.1 4.3 5.81 - Ben Kudrna is the Royals' #5 prospect. Read a detailed write-up of him in our breakdown of prospects ranked #1-5. 3. Mason Black Season Innings K/9 BB/9 ERA FIP 2024 (SF) 186.1 10.77 3.24 3.14 2.99 2025 (SF) 61.2 14.30 2.92 4.67 2.50 Black was traded from the Giants on November 11 after being designated for assignment. Black has failed to impress at the major-league level with an ERA of 6.47 in 10 appearances across 2024 and 2025. His only win was, coincidentally, against the Royals in 2024. Black was once a top-10 prospect in the Giants' system, and is currently ranked 21 on MLB.com’s prospect rankings. Hopefully, a change of scenery will be good for Black. Probably In The Bullpen, But Could Start 1. Bailey Falter Season Innings K/9 BB/9 ERA FIP 2024 (PIT) 142.1 6.1 2.8 4.43 4.30 2025 125.1 5.8 3.3 4.45 4.94 Falter had little success after being acquired from Pittsburgh at last year’s trade deadline. In four appearances (two starts) with the Royals, he had an ERA of 11.25. He had much more success in his time with Pittsburgh with a 4.32 ERA in 60 appearances (57 starts). The Royals will hope that Falter’s end-of-the-season struggles were an outlier and that he will return to the standard he set in Pittsburgh. Falter does not have any minor league options remaining, so he will likely spend time in the bullpen as a long reliever option. View full article

It was tough to find right handed outfielders as platoon options that thread the needle on the Royals salary restrictions. Conforto throws right handed and had favorable lefty splits last year, so I missed that he bats lefty. That's my bad.

Image courtesy of © Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images / © Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images Recent reporting from Mark Feinsand indicates that the Royals are seeking a "right-handed bat who can complement the left-handed hitting Jac Caglianone in right field." The Royals (rightfully) see Caglianone as a long-term answer in their lineup. While Vinnie Pasquantino occupies first base, the outfield is the logical home for Caglianone. It can be argued that he was rushed to the majors too soon due to the lack of outfield production, so a platoon can be a good way to ease into his first full big-league season without having the pressure of playing every day. Because this role is specifically for a platoon bat, the Royals are unlikely to spend aggressively. Below are realistic candidates who fit the likely salary range and role requirements. Free Agents Rob Refsnyder 2025: .269/.354/.484 | rWAR: 1.2 | OPS+: 131 Playing in Boston, Refsnyder has spent the last four years as a right-handed platoon option against left-handed pitching. Two-thirds of his plate appearances last season were against a left-handed pitcher, where he slashed .302/.399/.560 with a 171 OPS+. He made $2.1 million last season, so his contract could be in a range that fits the Royals' budget. Given his experience in this role and affordability, he is the ideal fit for the Royals' needs. Tommy Pham 2025: .245/.330/.370 | rWAR: 1.0 | OPS+: 95 Tommy Pham joined the Royals late in 2024 for the playoff push that ultimately ended early in the ALDS after losing to the pennant-winning Yankees. At 37, he was still able to contribute to a struggling Pirates team. Pham’s 2025 splits didn't favor hitting against left-handed pitching last season, but he has hit better against lefties over the course of his career. He would likely fit into the Royals' salary structure, so there's an opportunity to reunite. Michael Conforto 2025: .199/.303/.333 | rWAR: -0.7 | OPS+: 79 Conforto really struggled last season with the Dodgers, posting a sub-replacement-level season and the lowest OPS+ of his career. His splits against left-handed pitching were much better than his season numbers, slashing .246/.372/.385. Entering his age-33 season, Conforto might be looking for his last long-term deal and might not want to transition to a platoon player quite yet. Teams might be hesitant to trust him as an everyday starter rather than hope his regression was an outlier, so maybe a one-year “prove it” contract could be a viable option for Conforto. He would also need to take a decent payout for Kansas City to be a realistic destination. He made $17 million last year, which is probably a more realistic mark for an everyday player on the Royals rather than a platoon player. Austin Hays 2025: .266/.315/.453 | rWAR: 0.8 | OPS+: 105 Hays is the 50th-ranked free agent on the DiamondCentric free agent board. With his injury history, he is not going to command a large contract. Maybe an opportunity to play in a part-time role with limited exposure can keep him healthy for a full season. Austin Slater 2025: .216/.270/.372 | rWAR: -0.1 | OPS+: 78 Last year, two-thirds of Austin Slater’s starts were against left-handed pitching. He was acquired by the Yankees from the White Sox last year to help fill the gap when Aaron Judge was injured. However, it did not go particularly well. With the White Sox, he was just about league-average with a 100 OPS+, plenty good enough for the Royals' platoon spot. Once he joined the Yankees, he slashed .120/.120/.120 with a -32 OPS+ in 14 games. Even with 78 being the lowest OPS+ for a player in this piece, that is still a higher OPS+ than eleven of the players who the Royals played in the outfield last season. Over his career, he has had enough success as a platoon bat to think that his short Yankees tenure was an outlier. Given his experience as a platoon bat and likely salary demands, he earned $1.75 million last season. Kansas City could be a likely destination for Slater. Recently Non-Tendered Players Adolis Garcia 2025: .227/.271/.394 | rWAR: 2.7 | OPS+: 93 Garcia may not be the ideal player for this role, considering he is likely to command more than the Royals are willing to allocate to a part-time outfielder. That said, given their outfield struggles last, he should be an option that the Royals should consider in their outfield, but other teams will be interested in courting Garcia as well. Christopher Morel 2025: .219/.289/.396 | rWAR: -0.3 | OPS+: 90 Christopher Morel is likely a greater risk, since he posted negative WAR in the last two seasons. We are not that far removed from 2023, when he had a 122 OPS+. Last season, he was only marginally better against left-handed pitching. He likely wouldn't require a large contract, which would at least be attractive to the Royals. Trade Candidates Jo Adell 2025: .236/.293/.485 | rWAR: 1.2 | OPS+: 111 After the Angels traded Taylor Ward, Jo Adell is probably less likely to get traded. While he fits the salary profile, Adell is probably more likely to be an everyday player rather than a platoon option. The Royals could likely be interested in adding him to the outfield, but probably not as just a platoon option. While searching for trade candidates, I found that most outfielders I considered either had salaries too high for this profile or were left-handed, making them poor fits to platoon with Caglianone. Given that the Royals have a surplus in starting pitching, there are a variety of teams that could be potential trade partners. Teams like the Braves, Mets, Nationals, Cardinals, Padres, Orioles, Red Sox, Rays, Astros, and Angels all could use more starting pitching. One More Noteworthy Player Mike Yastrzemski 2025: .233/.333/.403 | rWAR: 2.8 | OPS+: 109 It has been speculated on multiple sites that Yastrzemski re-signing with the Royals would be a good fit. The Royals are looking to add a right-handed bat to platoon with Caglianone and an everyday left-fielder, and Yaz does not fit either of those roles. Despite his consistent production (2+ rWAR in every season), he has been shielded from facing left-handed pitching in recent seasons. If the Royals sign Yastrzemski, then they would also need a right-handed bat to complement him in the lineup. View full article