Bold Free Agent Idea Lands 3-Time Cy Young With Royals
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The Kansas City Royals have had a mostly quiet offseason. They've only signed one free agent, that being outfielder Lane Thomas, and the two trades to land Isaac Collins, Nick Mears and Matt Strahm were far from blockbuster deals.
Still, that doesn't mean they haven't been productive. Their offense looks much better entering 2026 than it did at the end of 2025, and their starting rotation looks to be in good shape as well.
However, even the rotation faces question marks. Cole Ragans, Kris Bubic and Seth Lugo all dealt with injuries last year. Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer proposed the idea of Max Scherzer coming to Kansas City as an insurance policy in case one of those three starters gets hurt.
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Could Royals land Mad Max?
"The Royals stand out because, while they're likely to contend on the strength of their starting pitching, their rotation also resembles a house of cards. Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha are in their mid-30s, and Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic both ran into major injury trouble last year," Rymer wrote.
"Plus, Scherzer is a Missouri native. He's more so associated with St. Louis, but he played college ball at the University of Missouri, about a two-hour drive from Kansas City."
If Scherzer is going to return to his native Missouri, the Royals are the better option with the St. Louis Cardinals rebuilding. It's possible that Scherzer could wait until after Opening Day to sign, per Ken Rosenthal and Will Sammon of The Athletic.
That would allow him to take time and decide which team is ultimately the best fit for him, and it gives him leverage as he tries to choose between several contenders.
He helped guide the Toronto Blue Jays to the World Series last October and even turned in a solid start in Game 7. He could bring valuable postseason experience to the Royals if they do sign him.
They missed the playoffs last year, but the possible addition of Scherzer could give them some solid veteran leadership and a better chance to avoid sitting out October for two straight years.
If he can stay healthy, he could be a good fit for the Royals and somebody that can give them innings in case of other injuries.
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Curt Bishop is a freelance sports writer who graduated from Maryville University of St. Louis with a Bachelor of Arts degree in the field of Communication and currently writes as a contributor for various platforms covering Major League Baseball. Curt’s work includes covering trade and free agency predictions, as well as rumors and news.
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