Royals Linked to 3-Time All-Star as Potential Offensive Upgrade

The Royals still need one more bat.

Apr 1, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; A general view of the Kansas City Royals logo on seats with complimentary flags for fans before the Opening Day game against the Texas Rangers Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Denny Medley-Imagn Images | Denny Medley-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Royals have been quiet since making their last move this offseason. They acquired Matt Strahm, Nick Mears and Isaac Collins in trades and also signed outfielder Lane Thomas to a one-year contract.

They look a lot better offensively than they did at the end of 2025, but there is still a clear need for some help in the middle of their lineup. They need a little more power to go with Bobby Witt Jr. and Vinnie Pasquantino.

When listing some of the top remaining free agents and where they could sign, Manny Randhawa and Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru of MLB.com had the Royals as a fit for designated hitter Marcell Ozuna, who has spent the past five seasons with the Atlanta Braves.

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What Marcell Ozuna could bring to Royals

Sep 24, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves designated hitter Marcell Ozuna (20) reacts after hitting a home run against the Washington Nationals during the eighth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

"A potential contender otherwise expected to small-ball its way through 2026 -- Cleveland or Kansas City, for example -- would make sense."

Ozuna isn't quite the same hitter he once was. Despite hitting 21 home runs in 2025 with the Braves, he hit for a .232 average. However, there is still a lot of power in his bat, and if the 35-year-old can stay healthy, he could be a perfect fit for the Royals.

While mainly a designated hitter at this point in his career, he can also play the outfield, and that is an area where the Royals really struggled offensively in 2025. Ozuna could bring a veteran presence to a relatively young team and give them the offensive boost that they need to get back into the postseason picture in 2026.

They already look a lot better than they did last year, but one more addition could go a long way for this team as they try to bounce back from their disappointing 82-80 finish in 2025. If they can add one more big bat, the offense could be in even better shape, and the Royals could potentially challenge the Detroit Tigers and Cleveland Guardians for the top spot in the American League Central this season.

It will be interesting to see where Ozuna goes, but at this point, he shouldn't be too expensive, even for a small-market team such as the Royals who don't spend a lot of money in free agency.

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