Yankees 2024 Playoff Starter Could Help 'Flimsy' Royals As Last-Minute Addition
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Though it's been an active offseason for the Kansas City Royals, the team's biggest need arguably went unaddressed.
It was the Royals' outfield that plagued them the most of any roster issue in 2024, and so far, their only solution has been to trade for a lifelong infielder in Jonathan India and attempt to convert him to left field.
Though there are only four weeks until the regular season opens, the Royals could still theoretically add an outfielder in free agency if the price is right. And one MLB writer has an ex-New York Yankees playoff starter in mind as a potential fit.
On Monday, MLB Trade Rumors' Steve Adams discussed the possibility of the Royals signing Alex Verdugo (subscription required). The 28-year-old is one of the few unsigned free agents remaining who qualified for the batting title in 2024.
"If it’s not abundantly clear by now, the Royals need outfield help. Relying on Melendez/Isbel/Renfroe just feels far too flimsy for a club with postseason aspirations," Adams wrote.
"It worked out last year, but Kansas City can’t count on another 10-WAR season for Bobby Witt Jr. or impeccable health from the top four starters. Verdugo is coming off a down year himself, but he was a durable and reasonably productive regular from 2020-23. His plus bat-to-ball skills fit the Royals’ offensive approach, too."
Once a key piece of the Mookie Betts trade between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Boston Red Sox, Verdugo is just fighting to earn a roster spot at this point in the offseason. His 2024 season fell off a cliff in June and he finished with a career-low .654 OPS, but he's been at least a league-average bat every other season.
Whether or not Verdugo comes to Kansas City could depend on how the Royals feel about India's transition to the outfield and how willing ownership is to go a few more million bucks above their payroll from last season.
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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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