Royals GM Drops Hints About Remaining Free Agency, Trade Goals
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The Kansas City Royals certainly haven't gotten worse since their season ended, but it's fair to question just how much better they've become.
Kansas City's major moves to this point have been signing outfielder Lane Thomas, trading reliever Angel Zerpa for outfielder Isaac Collins and reliever Nick Mears, and extending third baseman Maikel Garcia. All of those moves addressed needs, but it would be hard to say there was a "wow" factor to any of the additions.
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Time is already running somewhat short for the Royals to make more moves this winter. With spring training only five weeks away, what else could general manager J.J. Picollo have up his sleeves?
Royals don't consider themselves done
Earlier this week, Picollo addressed that very question, and while he played it somewhat coy, he emphasized that the Royals didn't consider themselves done adding. He also hinted that free agency and trades could both still be avenues to improve.
“We’re in a position (where) we’ll continue to make our team better," Picollo said, per Anne Rogers of MLB.com.
"I don’t know what shape or size or form that will come in, or what position that will be, but there’s going to be activity through the month of January and into February. We’re just going to stay on top of it. If there’s a way we can make our team better, we’re going to try to capitalize.”
If Picollo seems to be vague about who the Royals could realistically add, it's because he might not be able to figure it out himself.
In the same report, Rogers shared that talks between the Royals and Boston Red Sox had stalled on outfielder Jarren Duran, because Boston wanted ace Cole Ragans from Kansas City. St. Louis Cardinals second baseman Brendan Donovan is another option, but far from a guarantee.
As much as the Royals might want to add more offensive impact, their path to getting it isn't all that clear at this stage of the offseason.
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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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