Philip Ruo

Image courtesy of © Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images On Tuesday, the Royals announced that 25 players not currently on the 40-man roster will be attending major league spring training in Surprise, Arizona. This group of players will typically include free agents who recently signed minor league contracts with the club, along with top prospects in the minor leagues. Last year, free agents Cavan Biggio and Taylor Clarke were in this group, who would eventually spend time on the active roster. Here is an overview of the players invited and who might break into the team. Royals Pitchers RHP Héctor Neris Neris was signed to a minor league deal on Monday. Neris spent time in 2025 with the Braves, Angels, and Astros. For those three teams, he pitched 26 2/3 innings with a 6.75 ERA, good for a -0.8 bWAR. Earlier in his career, Neris was trusted in high-leverage positions, being either the closer or main setup man for the Phillies, Cubs, and Astros. Entering his age-37 season, he is now more often used as a middle reliever. FanGraphs projects him to have around 0.1 WAR. One concern is his declining groundball rate, which dropped to a career-low of 26.1%. With the fences moving in at Kauffman Stadium next year, that could make him more susceptible to giving up home runs. His FIP being lower than his ERA last season could indicate that he was unlucky last season, and his experience in high-leverage positions could help him earn one of the last spots in the bullpen going into 2026. RHP Jose Cuas Cuas was signed to a Minor League deal in December. Cuas pitched in Kansas City in 2022 and 2023 and has since spent time with the Cubs, Blue Jays, Phillies, and Braves. Last season, Cuas struggled at the Phillies’ Triple-A affiliate with a 13.5 ERA in 7 appearances. He also appeared in 18 games for the Braves' Double-A affiliate, posting a 3.63 ERA across 22.1 innings. This winter, Cuas also pitched in the Dominican Winter League, allowing only one earned run in 12.1 innings pitched. While he may face an uphill battle to make the Royals’ roster, his winter performance could earn him a longer look to make the team. RHP Aaron Sanchez Sanchez was signed to a minor league deal this Tuesday. In 2017 with the Toronto Blue Jays, he finished 7th in NL Cy Young voting and won the ERA title. Sanchez has battled injuries and has not made an MLB appearance since 2022. He did make 8 starts in the Dominican Summer League with only a 1.55 ERA across 46 1/3 innings, which caught the Royals’ attention. He will face tough competition for a spot in the Royals’ deep rotation. While it is unlikely that Sanchez will make the Opening Day roster, he could potentially attract trade interest from other teams or provide depth if the Royals end up trading one of their starters (assuming he is willing to accept spending time in Triple-A). LHP Helcris Olivarez Olivarez has recently spent time in the Giants organization, and the Royals signed him to a minor-league deal this offseason. Last season, he threw for 37 innings with a 3.65 ERA across the Giants' Double-A and Triple-A affiliates. He is more likely to start the season with the Omaha Stormchasers, but with the Royals still looking to add a left-handed reliever, Olivarez could eventually get a chance to make an impact in the major league bullpen. Former Draft Picks Right-handers A.J. Causey, Dennis Colleran, Shane Panzin, i and left-hander Chazz Martinez, Frank Mozzicato (No. 20 Prospect), and Hunter Patteson will also have the chance to make an impression at the big league camp this spring. Royals Catchers Jorge Alfaro The Royals signed Alfaro to a minor-league deal earlier this month. Last season, he played in 14 games for the Washington Nationals, slashing .256/.256/.308 with a 60 OPS+ and -0.3 bWAR. With Salvador Perez and Carter Jensen as locks to make the roster, it is very unlikely that Alfaro will be on the opening day roster. However, he could be in a good position to bring a veteran presence to Omaha and be called up in case either Perez or Jensen gets injured this season, much like Luke Maile last season. Elih Marrero Marrero has spent time in the Rangers and Red Sox systems and has yet to break through to the major league level. Entering his age-29 season, he will likely be battling with Jorge Alfaro to earn a spot in Triple-A next season. Blake Mitchell Currently the Royals’ No. 2 prospect, Mitchell has only progressed as far as High-A in the minor league system. While there is a lot of excitement around him, it is unlikely that he will make an impact at the major-league level in 2026. This camp invitation will provide Mitchell with experience to help his career progression. Other Catchers Other prospects and former draft picks Canyon Brown, Omar Hernandez, Ramon Ramirez (No. 8 prospect), and Luca Tresh have also been invited to the major-league camp. Royals Infielders All four infielders with non-roster invites are middle infielders. After Jonathan India, Michael Massey, and Nick Loftin all struggled in 2025, the Royals have brought these players in to challenge for the infield depth roster spot. Each of these players had their own struggles in 2025, so it will be interesting to see if any of them can make a meaningful impression in spring training. Kevin Newman Last month, Newman was signed to a Minor League deal. Newman struggled last season with the Angels, slashing .202/.209/.272 with a 33 OPS+. He is only one year removed from a 2.2 bWAR season where he batted .278/.311/.375 with an 80 OPS+. Despite last year's struggles, Newman was a plus defender, grading in the 83rd percentile in fielding run value. He is also able to hit for good contact, grading above average in whiff rate and strikeout rates. If he could return to that 2024 form, he could prove to be an option at second base in 2026. Josh Rojas Earlier this month, Rojas was signed to a Minor League Deal. Similar to Newman, Rojas struggled greatly in 2025 with the White Sox after having a good year in 2024 with the Mariners. Even in his struggles, Rojas has maintained a good chase rate of 19.6% and a walk rate near-average at 9%. If he can pair his plate discipline with better batted ball production, he could be an asset for the Royals in 2026. However, entering his age-32 season, he is at an age where it is rare for a player to develop those skills. Abraham Toro Toro was signed to a Minor League deal in December. Last year, Toro was acquired by the Red Sox to play first base, despite mostly playing second and third base in his career, when Triston Casas was lost to a season-ending knee injury. Toro went on to have little success in Boston, slashing .239/.289/.371 with an 83 OPS+. Toro is a contact hitter, grading in at least the 74th percentile in whiff rate, zone contact rate, and strikeout rate. However, his contact is rarely for power, and he rarely walks. Connor Kaiser In November, the Royals signed the Blue Valley West graduate to a Minor League deal. Kaiser has yet to make a meaningful impact at the major-league level with either the Rockies or the Diamondbacks, with a career slash line of .091/.130/.136 in 23 career plate appearances. He is unlikely to make the major league roster, and this will likely be one of his last opportunities to make an impression. Daniel Vazquez The Royals’ No. 14 prospect, Vazquez has also been invited to the big league camp. Despite having a good run of games in the Arizona Fall League, slashing .329/.459/.468, he is unlikely to break into the major league roster this spring. Peyton Wilson Rounding out the infielders is Peyton Wilson. He was the Royals’ second-round pick in the 2021 draft and spent time in Double-A and Triple-A last season. Wilson had great success in Double-A with an OPS of 1.195 in 19 games. However, he was unable to extend that success in Trip-le-A, slashing .223/.309/.309 in 84 games. His inclusion in camp should provide valuable experience as he continues his development. Royals Outfielders Last year, the Royals’ outfielders struggled on offense. To address those issues, the Royals added Isaac Collins, Lane Thomas, and Kameron Misner in the offseason. With nine outfielders currently on the 40-man roster, it is unlikely that either of these players will break into the big-league roster in spring training, but both could be called upon if the outfield struggles continue into 2025. Gavin Cross Cross is a former Royals top prospect and 1st round draft pick from 2022. Injuries have impacted his career, and his stock has dropped so far that he went unselected in the Rule 5 Draft this offseason. Cross is a bounce-back candidate after seeing moderate success the past two seasons in Double-A, slashing .250/.314/.420 and stealing 53 bases. Carson Roccaforte Roccaforte is the Royals’ No.16 prospect. Last season, he broke into the Double-A team and showed signs of power, slashing .290/.387/.475. He continued to show power in his 18 games in the Arizona Fall League, slashing .279/.393/.485. He will be someone to watch for the future. View full article

Image courtesy of © Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images On December 14, the Royals traded for outfielder Isaac Collins, along with relief pitcher Nick Mears, from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for relief pitcher Angel Zerpa. His acquisition was aimed at improving the Royals’ lackluster outfield production. Unless the Royals add another bat to the mix, which is seeming less likely according to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Collins is slated to be the starting left fielder in Kansas City. What can the Royals expect from Collins offensively? Below is a percentile summary of Isaac Collins, courtesy of TJStats. Last season, Collins graded close to league average in expected weighted on-base average (xwOBA) and expected batting average (xBA) while being below average in key slugging metrics such as expected slugging percentage (xSLG) and barrel percentage. None of these metrics looks particularly eye-catching, but if the Royals were able to have a league-average hitter in the outfield, they would have had an easier time generating runs on offense. Despite his league-average expected metrics, Collins overachieved in 2025 with all of those key offensive metrics finishing above expectation. This is reflected in Collins’s wRC+ of 122 last season. But this may also explain his bearish 2026 projections on FanGraphs, which all predict a regression in wRC+ toward league average. As discussed in an article earlier this week, Collins is not particularly skilled against left-handed pitchers with a near-league-average wRC+ of 106. If he can keep this up, he will still improve the Royals’ outfield offensive production. A deeper look into Collins’s pitch-tracking data shows that he does his most damage against breaking balls, with 6 of his 9 home runs last year coming off them. Despite his increase in power against breaking balls, he is particularly more likely to swing and miss against breaking balls from left-handed pitchers, with his whiff rate at 38% compared to his season average (and better than league average) whiff rate of 22.5%. If Collins can increase his batted ball rates against breaking balls from lefties, that could go a long way in improving his overall production. While Collins is not an exceptional power hitter, he makes up for it with plate discipline. His chase rate was in the 98th percentile in 2025, along with being in the 90th percentile in walks. As mentioned earlier, his whiff rate is better than average at the 63rd percentile, and his strikeout rate is right at league average. His on-base ability and plate discipline will be much valued for getting through the lineup more quickly, forcing longer at-bats versus pitchers, and getting to the bullpen earlier in games. Another aspect of Collins that stands out in his Statcast data is that last season He was noticeably above league average in pulling fly balls into the air. With Kauffman Stadium announcing that it will be shortening the fences to left and right fields by 10 feet, this could have a positive impact on Collins' power output in Kauffman. Below are his spray charts against left-handed pitching (left) and right-handed pitching (right). And his fly ball success rate is much better (particularly against lefties) when pulling the ball. With closer walls, Collins could see a slight uptick in his home run production at Kauffman. Overall, it will be interesting to see how Collins’s second season in the major leagues will pan out. While there are signs that his production may have been lucky last season, there are signs that he can still provide positive value for this Royals offense moving into 2026. View full article

Image courtesy of © Brett Davis-Imagn Images / © Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images The Royals had well-documented struggles on offense last season, particularly against left-handed pitching. The Royals posted a wRC+ of 80 against lefties in 2025, which ranked 25th in MLB and the worst in the American League. The Royals finished the season with only four players above average in wRC+ against left-handed pitchers. The Royals will need to greatly improve in this area if they want to improve to the next level and compete in October. The Royals have not been quiet this offseason and have been targeting offensive reinforcements, especially in the outfield. Will any of the additions so far be able to move the needle in improving the lineup’s ability against left-handed pitching? Lane Thomas As a right-handed hitter, on the surface, Thomas would appear to be a good addition to boost hitting against lefties. However, Lane Thomas was snakebitten by injuries last season and appeared in only 39 games, posting a .160/.246/.272 slash line with a 48 wRC+ and -0.5 fWAR. His wRC+ was only 58 against left-handed pitchers last season. That said, in his previous 3 seasons (each with at least 130 games played), he posted wRC+ marks of 107, 154, and 145 against lefties. If he can return to his pre-2025 form, Thomas could be a boon for this Royals lineup. FanGraphs projections have him performing closer to his previous form, but it remains uncertain whether he can truly be relied upon. Isaac Collins In his rookie season, Collins had a breakout year that earned him 4th place in NL Rookie of the Year voting. Despite being a switch-hitter, his splits against left-handed pitching were not as good as against right-handed pitching. Against lefties, he still produced a respectable 106 wRC+. If he can repeat that performance, the Royals will be content with his addition, especially if his metrics against right-handed pitchers are even better. With only one full year of experience, it is yet to be seen how reliable Collins can be long-term. It is also worth noting that Collins slumped in the last month of the 2025 season and was only used as a pinch-hitter in the postseason. The Royals will need Collins to be much more consistent going into his sophomore season. Kameron Misner While not expected to make the final roster, Misner occupies a spot on the 40-man roster after being traded from the Tampa Bay Rays. He has only 232 career plate appearances in Major League Baseball, and as a left-handed hitter, he is naturally less proficient against left-handed pitching. In his 42 plate appearances against left-handed pitchers, he only posted a 30 wRC+. While this doesn’t mean that Misner will not provide an impact for the Royals, it is less likely that he will provide a direct improvement against left-handed pitching in the immediate future. Kevin Newman Newman signed a minor league deal with an invitation to spring training for the Royals. Over his career, Newman’s production against left-handed pitching has been inconsistent. He has not posted a wRC+ over 100 against left-handed pitching since 2023, and his mark against righties hasn’t been above 85 since 2019. Unless he provides enough evidence in spring training that he can rekindle his old form, it will be unlikely that Newman will be able to improve the Royals' lineup. Josh Rojas Rojas also has an invite to spring training after signing a minor league contract with the Royals. While his overall track record was good before an abysmal season with the White Sox in 2025, as a left-handed hitter, he is unlikely to provide a boost against lefties if he makes the major league roster. Future Additions? While the Royals' current additions do not necessarily instill confidence against left-handed pitching, are there any other players whom the Royals could look to add to improve their outlook? Luis Rengifo Rengifo is a versatile right-handed hitter who can play multiple positions, including third base, second base, and corner outfield. While his 2025 season was underwhelming with a zero fWAR, he posted a wRC+ of at least 153 against left-handed pitching from 2022 through 2024. Rengifo also underperformed his expected metrics in batting average, slugging percentage, and weighted on-base average, which could indicate that he was unlucky last season. The addition of Rengifo could provide some cover for Jonathan India if he is unable to bounce back. Austin Hays Mentioned in a previous post, Hays would make sense as a platoon partner for Jac Caglianone, and he could still be a valuable addition to the Royals. Hays suffered four different injuries last season, so his addition would be a risky one for the Royals. However, when healthy, Hays has found great success against left-handed pitching, with a wRC+ of at least 104 in his last five seasons and at least 155 in his last two. Ramon Laureano Laureano was recently mentioned in an article by Kevin O’Brien as a possible trade candidate. To reinforce the idea of the Royals adding him to the roster, his performance against left-handed pitching has been excellent with a wRC+ of 139 in each of his last two seasons. He would be a good fit for the Royals if they could find a trade that works for both teams. View full article

Image courtesy of © Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images The Royals have been active this offseason, addressing needs in the trade and free agent markets. The Royals have also secured their manager for the long term by signing Matt Quatraro to a three-year contract extension. The Royals have boosted their bullpen by adding Alex Lange as a free agent and acquiring Matt Strahm and Nick Mears in trades. The outfield has also gotten needed help with the signing of free agent Lane Thomas and the trade for Isaac Collins. After these additions, the Royals are still in the market for a left-handed reliever and an impact bat for the lineup. The Royals have also had notable departures. Angel Zerpa and Jonathan Bowlan left via trade. Key players departed in free agency, including Hunter Harvey, Adam Frazier, Mike Yastrzemski, Luke Maile, Michael Lorenzen, Randal Grichuk, Sam Long, Kyle Wright, MJ Melendez, and Taylor Clarke. Other teams in the Royals’ division have also been active this offseason. Let’s take a look at the rest of the AL Central to see where their rosters stand at this point in the offseason. Chicago White Sox The White Sox have been very active, and their offseason is headlined by the surprising signing of Munetaka Murakami from Japan. Murakami initially had many teams interested in signing him, but interest cooled when they looked at his swing-and-miss rates in Japan. Additions Purchased 3B/1B Munetaka Murakami to a two-year deal. 2025: Played in Japan (Yakult Swallows) Signed LHP Sean Newcomb to a one-year contract. 2025 WAR: 1.6 Signed LHP Anthony Kay to a two-year contract. 2025: Played in Japan (Yokohama Bay Stars) Traded for LHP Chris Murphy (Boston). 2025 WAR: 0.5 Traded for OF Everson Pereira (Tampa). 2025 WAR: -0.3 Traded for OF Tristan Peters (Tampa). 2025 WAR: -0.4 Traded for IF/OF Tanner Murray. 2025: Minors Selected RHP Alexander Alberto in the Rule 5 Draft (Tampa Bay). 2025: Minors Selected RHP Jedixson Paez in the Rule 5 Draft (Boston). 2025: Minors Subtractions RHP Steven Wilson (traded to Tampa Bay). 2025 WAR: 1.2 LHP Fraser Ellard (retired). 2025 WAR: 0.0 RHP Yoendrys Gomez (traded to Tampa Bay). 2025 WAR: 0.0 LHP Tyler Alexander (free agent to Texas). 2025 WAR: -0.5 Still Out There OF Mike Tauchman. 2025 WAR: 1.9 LHP Martin Perez. 2025 WAR: 1.2 OF Michael A. Taylor. 2025 WAR: 0.1 RHP Miguel Castro. 2025 WAR: -0.1 LHP Cam Booser. 2025 WAR: -0.5 While the White Sox are still in a rebuild, they may look to trade Luis Robert Jr. and maybe even Murakami if he has a strong start in Chicago. Cleveland Guardians The Guardians have had a pretty quiet offseason, with the only notable movements being in their bullpen. They will also look to fill the void in the pitching staff following the indictments of Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz for charges linked to illegal sports betting. Additions Signed RHP Shawn Armstrong to a one-year contract. 2025 WAR: 1.5 Signed RHP Connor Brogdon to a one-year contract. 2025 WAR: -0.2 Signed C Austin Hedges to a one-year contract. 2025 WAR: -0.5 Signed RHP Colin Holderman to a one-year contract. 2025 WAR: -0.8 Selected RHP Peyton Pallette in the Rule 5 Draft (White Sox). 2025: Minors Subtractions RHP Zak Kent (free agent to St. Louis). 2025 WAR: 0.1 LHP Matt Krook (free agent to the Athletics). 2025 WAR: 0.0 OF/1B Jhonkensy Noel (signed off waivers to Baltimore). 2025 WAR: -1.4 LHP Sam Hentges (free agent to San Francisco). 2025: Injured RHP Emmanuel Clase (indicted on sports betting charges). 2025 WAR: 0.7 RHP Luis Ortiz (indicted on sports betting charges). 2025 WAR: 0.6 Still Out There LHP Kolby Allard. 2025 WAR: 1.3 RHP Nic Enright. 2025 WAR: 1.0 RHP Ben Lively. 2025 WAR: 0.9 OF Will Brennan. 2025 WAR: -0.2 IF Will Wilson. 2025 WAR: -0.6 While the Guardians have had recent success making the playoffs, they might need additions to become true postseason contenders. Detroit Tigers Most notably, the Tigers retained Gleyber Torres with their qualifying offer and signed Kenley Jansen to boost the back of the bullpen. Right now, the Tigers look to be running it back with most of last year’s team returning. Additions Re-signed 2B Gleyber Torres to a one-year qualifying offer. 2025 WAR: 2.9 Signed P Kenley Jansen to a one-year contract. 2025 WAR: 2.4 Re-signed RHP Kyle Finnegan to a two-year contract. 2025 WAR: 1.0 Claimed RHP Dugan Darnell off waivers (Pittsburgh). 2025 WAR: 0.3 Claimed RHP Jack Little off waivers (Pittsburgh). 2025 WAR: 0.0 Signed RHP Drew Anderson to a one-year contract. 2025: Played in Korea (SSG Landers) Traded for LHP Johan Simon (Toronto). 2025: Minors Subtractions RHP Chase Lee (free agent to Toronto). 2025 WAR: 0.2 RHP Randy Dobnak (free agent to Seattle). 2025 WAR: 0.1 RHP Alex Lange (free agent to Kansas City). 2025 WAR: 0.0 OF Justyn-Henry Malloy (traded to Tampa Bay). 2025 WAR: -0.2 Still Out There IF Andy Ibáñez. 2025 WAR: 0.6 RHP Chris Paddack. 2025 WAR: 0.3 RHP Jose Urquidy. 2025 WAR: -0.1 RHP Paul Sewald. 2025 WAR: -0.1 RHP Rafael Montero. 2025 WAR: -0.2 RHP Tommy Kahnle. 2025 WAR: -0.2 The big question remaining is what to do about two-time reigning Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal. Reports indicate that the Tigers and Skubal have the largest arbitration gap in MLB history. If Skubal wins his arbitration hearing, are the Tigers more likely to trade him, and if they win, are they more likely to be aggressive and try to win in what is likely to be Skubal’s last year in Detroit? Minnesota Twins The Twins have been rather quiet this offseason, with small additions and no major departures. Additions Traded for RHP Eric Orze (Tampa Bay). 2025 WAR: 0.6 Traded for C Alex Jackson (Baltimore). 2025 WAR: 0.6 Signed 1B/DH Josh Bell to a one-year contract. 2025 WAR: 0.4 Traded for UT Eric Wagaman (Miami). 2025 WAR: -0.4 Subtractions RHP Cody Laweryson (waivers to the Angels). 2025 WAR: 0.3 OF DaShawn Keirsey Jr. (free agent to Atlanta). 2025 WAR: -1.2 Still Out There C Christian Vazquez. 2025 WAR: 0.6 RHP Michael Tonkin. 2025 WAR: 0.2 LHP Anthony Misiewicz. 2025 WAR: -0.1 RHP Thomas Hatch. 2025 WAR: -0.2 OF Carson McCusker. 2025 WAR: -0.6 LHP Genesis Cabrera. 2025 WAR: -0.8 While there were a lot of departures at the trade deadline last year, the Twins have been reluctant to let go of key players Joe Ryan, Pablo Lopez, and Byron Buxton. Maybe there are other additions on the horizon if they do intend to keep their stars and compete in 2026? While the perennial division-contending Guardians and Tigers don't have the same glaring weaknesses as the Royals do, Kansas City may have been the most aggressive team in the AL Central in actively upgrading its roster in 2026. The Royals still probably need one more impact bat to improve their offense. The front office has signaled a willingness to use their rotation depth to make a move to strengthen the offense, but until they do, they will not be considered true contenders in the division or even for an AL Wild Card spot. View full article

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