Royals Projected To Reunite With 3-Time All-Star In Surprise Low-Cost Signing
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The Kansas City Royals may or may not be done shopping for major league free agents this winter.
With their payroll already virtually the same as last season's, the Royals wouldn't seem to have much wiggle room left in the budget for another star. But the roster is still fairly thin, especially at third base and corner outfield.
Would a low-cost free agent help or hurt the situation? It's always a tough call to make for a big-league front office, but perhaps it would give the Royals more confidence to make the move if the player they were acquiring had a track record of success in their organization.
On Wednesday, Christopher Hennessy of ClutchPoints projected former Royals leadoff hitter and three-time American League All-Star Whit Merrifield as a top "bargain bin" option for Kansas City in the remaining free-agent window.
"Bringing back a fan favorite can work when it is in a limited role. What Royals fans do not want to see is Merrifield come back and get too many at-bats and struggle. But in a bench role where he plays once per week, he could thrive," Hennessy wrote.
"It did not 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 a 62 in 53 games in Philly."
Merrifield, who turns 36 next week, got an $8 million contract from the Philadelphia Phillies last season, coming off his All-Star season with the Toronto Blue Jays. But after batting .199 in 53 games with the Phillies, he was released, finishing the season with a slightly better stint on the Atlanta Braves.
In seven seasons as a Royal, Merrifield slashed .282/.332/.425, leading the majors in hits in both 2018 and 2019. He began his career as a second baseman but has played 390 games in the outfield throughout his career, as well as 19 at third base.
As a utility player, Merrifield would at least represent a possible upgrade over players like Adam Frazier and Garrett Hampson from the 2025 roster. If he would sign for a similarly low salary (say, $2-4 million), there's solid rationale behind the Royals pursuing a reunion.
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Jackson Roberts is a former Division III All-Region DH who now writes and talks about sports for a living. A Bay Area native and a graduate of Swarthmore College and the Newhouse School at Syracuse University, Jackson makes his home in North Jersey. He grew up rooting for the Red Sox, Patriots, and Warriors, and he recently added the Devils to his sports fandom mosaic. For all business/marketing inquiries regarding "Kansas City Royals On SI," please reach out to Scott Neville: scott@wtfsports.org
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