Royals Should Target Yankees Former MVP To Boost Outfield Production For 2026

This Yankees slugger might be a good fit for the Royals.

Aug 15, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) catches a line drive hit by St. Louis Cardinals pinch hitter Yohel Pozo (not pictured) during the ninth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The Kansas City Royals are hanging around in the American League Wild Card race. They have a few teams in front of them, but at 61-61, they are just four games back with a lot of time still left in the season. Instead of selling at the trade deadline, they chose to add pieces and augment their roster. They traded for veterans Mike Yastrzemski, Randal Grichuk and Adam Frazier to boost their offense.

Unfortunately, all three veterans acquired at the deadline will be free agents at the end of the 2025 season and in all likelihood will not be back in 2026. So, the Royals will need to get creative in how they construct their roster next season.

Among Jim Bowden of The Athletic's top 25 free agents to be is New York Yankees outfielder and former National League MVP Cody Bellinger, who can opt out of the final year of his contract. Perhaps the Royals could step out of their comfort zone and make a move to try and sign him this winter.

Could Royals Pursue Ex-MVP To Boost Offense?

New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) rounds the bases after hitting a home run in a game against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium, Aug 13, 2025, Bronx, New York, USA. Yannick Peterhans/NorthJersey.com | Yannick Peterhans / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

"Bellinger has been a perfect fit playing half his games at Yankee Stadium, with the short porch in right helping him hit 22 home runs," Bowden wrote. His above-average defense at all three outfield positions and first base helps his value. He is expected to opt out of his 2026 option so he can land a more lucrative, longer-term deal."

Bellinger is hitting .267/.322/.485 to go along with his 22 home runs. He also has stolen 10 bases, has a 3.4 WAR, an .807 OPS and a 121 OPS+.

Bellinger is a two-time All-Star, former Rookie of the Year, two-time Silver Slugger and a Gold Glove winner. He'll cost a significant amount this offseason, and the Royals don't always spend big.

However, they stepped out of their comfort zone to give Bobby Witt Jr. his contract extension, and that's what it might take for them to bolster their offense for next year. The offense has been their achilles heel all year long, as they did not do enough to enhance it last offseason.

They'll have to be a little more aggressive this year, and adding somebody like Bellinger would make sense, even if the idea is a little bit far fetched.

It will certainly be interesting to see how the Royals approach the offseason.

More MLB: Royals Could Pursue NPB Star To Bolster Offense For 2026