Remaining opportunities to help the outfield this off-season

Will the Royals add to this bunch?

The Royals had a pretty good offense last year, finishing sixth in the American League in runs scored despite a September swoon. But that performance was largely carried on the strength of an MVP-season by Bobby Witt Jr. and solid hitting from catcher Salvador Perez and first baseman Vinnie Pasquantino.

Meanwhile, the outfield contributed little to the offense. As a whole, Royals outfielders were the third-worst in baseball offensively. Kyle Isbel proved to be a glove-only centerfielder, Hunter Renfroe continued his decline, and MJ Melendez failed to turn a corner in his development.

Yet with spring training set to begin in just a few weeks, the Royals have done little to change this outlook. There is little help coming from the minors, although perhaps Tyler Gentry or John Rave could become a surprise contributor. The team has talked about Michael Massey or newly acquired Jonathan India learning to play outfield in camp.

If the team still seeks external options to improve the outfield, the pickings are getting slim. Here are the outfield options remaining.

Trade possibilities

Adolis Garcia may be moved to allow the Rangers to dip below the luxury tax threshold this year. The Cuban slugger is coming off the worst season of his career, hitting just .224/.284/.400 with 25 home runs. He hit 39 the year before that though, earning his second All-Star nod and a Gold Glove. Garcia turns 32 in March, will make $9.25 million this year, and is not eligible for free agency until after 2026.

Starling Marte is a two-time Gold Glover, but his defense has cratered and he was one of the worst outfielders in baseball in Outs Above Average last year. He is still an average bat however, hitting .269/.327/.388 with seven home runs in 94 games with the Mets last year. He’s not the burner he once was, but he still stole 16 bases in 17 attempts. The 36-year-old will make $20.75 million this year, so the Mets will be expected to eat some of that cost to move him.

Jake McCarthy is not likely to be moved, but the Diamondbacks have a very left-handed heavy outfield. He bounced back to enjoy a 3 fWAR season, hitting .285/.349/.400 with eight home runs and 25 steals in 142 games. He puts the ball in play with a 15.8 percent strikeout rate and he’s a solid defender in right, finishing as a Gold Glove finalist. McCarthy is just 28 years old and would not be eligible for free agency until after 2028, but that means it will take more to acquire him.

Luis Robert Jr. is likely to get moved at some point this year, and was supposedly close to being traded to Cincinnati this off-season. The 27-year-old had a monster 2023 season, hitting .264/.315/.542 with 38 home runs, but regressed this year with injury problems. He has a flexible contract with a reasonable $15 million salary this year with two club options following. He has been benched in the past for not hustling, and his defense in center, while very good at times, can be erratic. The White Sox are said to have a very high asking price for him, with the Reds supposedly offering top 100 prospect Edwin Arroyo.

Taylor Ward has been linked to the Royals before, with the Angels also reportedly asking for a lot. He finished strong this year to hit .246/.323/.426 with a career-high 25 home runs in 156 games. His strikeout rate spiked up this year, but he has been a solid power contributor with average defense in a corner outfield spot. He’s already 31 years old, and is under club control the next two seasons.

Mike Yastrzemski is in his last season before hitting free agency, so the Giants may look to move him as they transition their leadership team. The 34-year-old left-handed bat hit .231/.302/.437 with 18 home runs in 140 games this year, but has had a rWAR of 2 or better in each of his six seasons, including the shortened COVID season. Yaz is a solid, but not spectacular defender in right.

Free agents

Harrison Bader is a right-handed version of Kyle Isbel with a bit more pop. He’s still a terrific defender, but he’s hitting just .239/.284/.360 over the last three seasons combined. He hit 12 home runs and stole 17 bases last year, so the 30-year-old can contribute a bit offensively, but he doesn’t seem to have much of a platoon split.

Mark Canha is a terrific on-base machine with a career 10.1 percent walk rate and .349 on-base percentage. The 35-year-old saw his power evaporate, but with a line of .242/.344/.346 he was still an average hitter. He can’t play the field much anymore, but he can still serve as a useful bat bench and depth piece.

Randal Grichuk bounced back to have a terrific 2024 season, hitting .291/.348/.528 with 12 home runs in 279 plate appearances for the Diamondbacks at age 32. He posted the best walk rate and lowest strikeout rates of his career, posting the best fWAR of his career since 2019. He mashed lefties, but was also much better in the thin, dry air of Arizona than he was on the road.

Kiké Hernández has been in the post-season in 9 of his 11 big leagues seasons. He’s a versatile, high-energy role player who seems to come up big in clutch moments. He hit just .229/.281/.373 with 12 homer runs in 126 games last year, and he’s only posted an OPS+ over 100 three times in a full season in his career. He primarily played third last year, but can play all over the field and has a lot of outfield experience.

Ramón Laureano has had trouble reaching the potential o fhis first full season when he was a 3.5 rWAR player, but he had a solid season last year hitting .259/.311/.437 with the Guardians and Braves. He did post the worst walk and strikeout rates of his career, and his defense has slipped a bit, but he’s just 30 years old so he may still have some good years left.

Manuel Margot is a right-handed role player coming off a poor season in which he was below replacement level. He has never been much of an offensive threat, but he hit just .238//.289/.337 with four home runs in 129 games with the Twins in 2024. He doesn’t strike out much, with a low strikeout rate, and although his defense slipped, he’s still solid with the glove.

Alex Verdugo has posted an OPS+ above 100 each season of his career until last year, when he was disappointing in his only season with the Yankees. He hit just .233/.291/.356 with 13 home runs in 149 games, earning boos from fans. He is just 28 years old and the left-handed hitter has generally been a solid offensive performer with a low strikeout rate. Verdugo can be a bit abrasive in the clubhouse, marching to his own tune at times.

Others: Adam Duvall, Robbie Grossman, Aaron Hicks, Tommy Pham, Kevin Pillar, Michael A. Taylor