Top 4 Royals Player Targets

The Kansas City Royals improved to 30 wins in 2024 and made the playoffs after an eight-year drought. Their core of young stars is led by Bobby Witt Jr finished second in American League MVP voting. They need to surround him with talent to make the most of his long-term commitment to the team. But this offseason has been quiet so far. Who should the Royals add in free agency this offseason? Jose Quintana and Joan Moncada should be among the options

The biggest move is The Royals made this offseason a trade for Jonathan India. They gave up starting pitcher Brady Singer to grab an infielder from the Cincinnati Reds. Other than that, the list is relatively the same with the big Seta Lugo extension and no other trades. Because of that, they have to use the available free agents late in the offseason.

The Royals have an opportunity in a wide open American League to deal with some great free agent moves. Here are four they should consider making.

Joan Moncada runs the hot corner

The Royals had Mikael Garcia play most games at third base last year, but he is primarily a second baseman. But with India in the fold playing at number two, they should get a proper third man to bolster their infield defence. Joan Moncada would be a great option after his streak with the White Sox ends.

Having Garcia as a utility player on the bench would be a much better way to build the lineup for the season. Moncada didn’t live up to his biggest billing after being traded for Chris Sale, but he’s a professional third baseman. As of now, the Royals do not have a professional third baseman. A one-year deal would be a great way to solve that problem and get a veteran third baseman.

Jose Quintana rounds out the Royals rotation

The Royals made the playoffs last year in part because of their young pitching rotation. They have five starting pitchers on the roster who started last year. Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Michael Lorenzen, Chris Bubic and Cole Ragans make very good rotation. But there are injuries to consider and Jose Quintana would be great for the sixth starter role.

Quintana had a great year with the New York Mets last season and should land a solid deal in free agency. The Royals also have a staff known for getting the most out of pitchers with checkered pasts. Seth Lugo was a solid reliever who couldn’t crack the rotation with the Mets a few years ago. Now he’s a bona fide starter. It wouldn’t be crazy to expect similar numbers with the Royals that he put up in 2024. He had a 3.75 ERA in 31 starts.

Whit Merrifield makes a triumphant return

Whit Merrifield was a key player for the Royals from 2016 to 2021. In those seven years, he posted a 17.1 bVAR, made two All-Star teams and played multiple positions. After bouncing between Toronto, Philadelphia and Atlanta for several years, he is a free agent this year. The Royals could push Garcia to third for good and make Merrifield their utility man off the bench.

Bringing back a fan favorite can work when he’s in a limited role. What Royals fans don’t want to see is Merrifield come back and take too many hits and fights. But in a bench role where he plays once a week, he could improve. That it didn’t work for him with the Phillies last year, but his numbers with the Braves were slightly better. In 42 games, he had a 92 OPS+ in Atlanta compared to 62 in 53 games in Philly.

The Royals are bolstering the lineup with David Robertson

Over the past 16 years, David Robertson has been a solid to great pitcher. Even at 40, he should be considered a top option for the Royals. They have a solid bullpen, but could also add a veteran arm to stabilize the back end. This would be another one-year deal to help the Royals in 2025.

There are plenty of teams in the American League that will be non-competitive in 2025. Plus, the Orioles and Astros have gotten worse on paper. The race is wide open and the Royals still have the White Sox to inflate their record. Robertson is one of many moves they should make to stay competitive and potentially make a surprise run in the postseason.