Royals Rumblings - News for January 6, 2025

Be safe out there!

MLB.com lists one question each team must answer before spring training.

Royals: Have they done enough to upgrade the lineup?The Royals were aggressive early on this offseason with their top priority of finding a leadoff hitter to help deepen the lineup and get someone on base for Bobby Witt Jr. Their answer is Jonathan India, whom the Royals acquired via a trade with the Reds before Thanksgiving. But is that enough? The Royals got a ton of production from the heart of their order in 2024, with Witt, Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez. But when the season ended, general manager J.J. Picollo spoke at length about helping those three out by prioritizing on-base in the lineup. India fits that mold. Now, do the Royals rely only on internal improvements with Maikel Garcia, MJ Melendez and others to help lengthen the lineup? Or do they bring in another proven hitter?

Kevin O’Brien at Royals Reporter lists some affordable free agent bats that could help the Royals, like Dylan Carlson.

The 26-year-old post-hype outfield prospect shows good plate discipline. That is evident from his strong decision value trends and 24.7% O-Swing%. Unfortunately, there’s nothing else positive about what Carlson has done over the past two seasons.

Even though the recent data isn’t significant, there’s no question that the Royals like post-hype prospects. That’s why they acquired Drew Waters and Nelson Velazquez in the past two trade deadlines and still have them on their 40-man roster.

Thus, he could be a nice project for the Royals, who could quickly be benched if things don’t work out. It’s not out of the question to think Carlson could platoon with Renfroe in right field and perhaps platoon with MJ (since Carlson is a switch hitter) in left if the bat turns around.

Preston Farr at Farm to Fountains evaluates where the Royals stand compared to the rest of the division.

In all, the Royals aren’t much better or worse than a year ago. They’re simply different. The roster losses outside of Brady Singer are more-or-less washes. The value that Hampson and Frazier offered was more in filling out innings rather than adding offensive value. Depth utility players can still be added from the free-agent market between now and February. Still, the roster isn’t much better. At this point, the Royals are banking on young players continuing to take serious steps forward. MJ Melendez and Maikel Garcia are as important as ever entering 2025. If the two don’t add more offensive value, the team could see a step backward next season with a rotation unlikely to repeat its dominance from a season ago.

ESPN Insider ranks the top rotations in baseball, with the Royals outside the top ten. [$]

• Kansas City Royals (Rotation index: 101.7): The trade of Brady Singer drops the Royals out of the top 10, as does a projected regression for Seth Lugo. If Lugo can stave off that regression, Kris Bubic embraces his return to the rotation and Kyle Wright can recover his pre-injury form, Kansas City can win the AL Central.

CBS writers discuss who will be the best player in baseball over the next five years.

Dayn Perry: The usual suspects are tempting, of course, and it’s entirely possible that the best player over the back half of the decade will turn out to be someone who isn’t presently in the majors. All that said, I’ll go with Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. He’s just 24 years of age, he’s a former No. 2 overall pick, and he’s coming off a 2024 season in which he put up an outstanding WAR of 9.4. Witt Jr. has every tool a ballplayer can have, and his skillset is such that he figures to age very well. I think he’s the guy over the next five years.

A Yankees blog makes the case for New York trading for Michael Massey.

The Blue Jays have reportedly made an offer to free agent Anthony Santander.

Where could the Mariners find help at third base?

Brian Murphy at MLB.com writes about the biggest “what if” seasons for players.

The Orioles are still looking for pitching upgrades.

What’s left for the Dodgers to do?

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