How would you grade the Royals’ off-season?

Did the Royals do enough?

With the Royals playing their first spring training game today, you could argue that the off-season is officially over. The Royals looked to capitalize off their 30-game improvement and post-season berth by keeping the band together and adding a few pieces to put them on top in the division.

But did they do enough?

What the Royals did this off-season

The Royals had one of the best starting pitching staffs in baseball, and they sought to preserve what they had. They immediately re-signed Michael Wacha to a three-year, $15 million deal before he even had a chance to test free agency. They also brought back versatile pitcher Michael Lorenzen to a one-year, $7 million deal.

With that kind of depth, that made Brady Singer expendable. J.J. Picollo said his main objective in the off-season was to acquire a leadoff hitter. He did that by acquiring Jonathan India and his career .352 on-base percentage from the Reds in a swap for Singer that also netted them toosly outfielder Joey Wiemer.

Late in the off-season, Picollo found an opportunity to bolster the bullpen, which began last year as a weakness. He signed former All-Star closer Carlos Estévez to a two-year, $22 million contract to split save opportunities with Lucas Erceg.

What the Royals did not do

The Royals reportedly sought a middle-of-the-order bat to lengthen the lineup. Ideally the bat would play at third base or in the outfield, where the Royals had their weakest hitters. Royals outfielders last year combined to hit .222/.281/.367, the fourth-worst OPS in baseball. But rumored trades for Alec Bohm, Brett Baty, or Taylor Ward did not happen. The Royals reportedly pursued free agent slugger Anthony Santander, making him a three-year offer, but were ultimately outbid by the Blue Jays and their five-year offer. They also refused to go three years on free agent Jurickson Profar, and he went to Atlanta on a three-year, $42 million contract.

The Royals did not acquire a single player who primarily played outfield last season other than Wiemer. Instead, they will try to paper over their deficiencies by teaching India and fellow infielders Maikel Garcia and Michael Massey how to play outfield to give them positional versatility.

Here’s how others graded the Royals’ off-season.

The Athletic: C

Last offseason’s flurry of moves paid off with a 30-win improvement and a playoff appearance for the first time since the 2015 World Series run, but the Royals dialed things back considerably this winter. Their big splash came in November with the Brady Singer-for-Jonathan India challenge trade, and they later brought back Michael Lorenzen to fill the rotation hole created by sending Singer to Cincinnati.

Carlos Estevéz should pair nicely with 2024 trade deadline pickup Lucas Erceg as the new late-inning bullpen duo and Joey Wiemer could emerge as a second valuable piece of the Singer return from the Reds, but it feels like the Royals missed a prime opportunity to add another capable veteran bat (or two) to an outfield that ranked 28th out of 30 teams in collective OPS last season.

CBS Sports (before the Estevéz signing): C

It’s fair to write the Royals haven’t matched last offseason’s activity level; I suppose that was always going to be the case following a successful run to the playoffs. The retention of starter Michael Wacha marks their only guaranteed big-league deal handed out this offseason. Otherwise, their biggest swing was trading starter Brady Singer for infielder Jonathan India and outfielder Joey Wiemer. I think India can provide Kansas City with some much-needed on-base ability, but I’d really like to see them add one more bat before Opening Day.

ESPN: B-

The Kansas City Royals jump-started the free agent market way back in early November when they reupped with starter Michael Wacha on a three-year deal. They did not resurface with another free agent on a multiyear contract until they agreed to terms with Carlos Estevez, nearly three months later. Just as the Royals read last year’s market just right, getting aggressive early and often, perhaps they have been rewarded for patience this time around.

There’s still work to do, especially in terms of adding some kind of impact outfield bat to the middle of the order, but Kansas City has deepened a bullpen that was a sore spot for most of last season, at least before it coalesced late.

Yahoo Sports: B-

And so, with India as the only notable alteration to last year’s roster, does this winter feel like a meaningful step forward for the Royals? It was clear by the end of last season that even with a spectacular headliner in Bobby Witt Jr., the offense badly needed another established bat. India definitely brings that, though his defensive fit remains curious at best. The lineup looks concerningly thin beyond the top four, and unless last year’s first-round pick, Jac Caglianone, rockets through the minors, there doesn’t appear to be much help coming from the Royals’ shallow farm system.

It’s also a lot to ask the rotation to repeat the sensationally high level of effectiveness it demonstrated in its collective breakout last year, which could leave less margin for error for the offense. While adding India and retaining Wacha — before he entered an open market that proved to be quite lucrative for starting pitchers — were a strong start to the winter, the Royals’ lack of additions after that resulted in something of an incomplete effort, particularly if K.C. wants to feel confident about returning to October in 2025.

My take: B

Maybe I’m grading on a curve where eight teams spend less than $20 million this off-season and the Cardinals failed to sign a single MLB free agent. But the Royals had a main objective - adding someone who could set the table for Bobby Witt Jr. - and they achieved that objective. The move could be huge. Royals leadoff hitters had a collective .270 on-base percentage, worst in baseball. It is a testament to the amazing talent of Bobby Witt Jr. that he was able to drive in 109 runs with so few opportunities. India should give him and other Royals sluggers many more RBI opportunities.

On the pitching side, the Royals were able to keep Wacha, who finished as one of the top 10 pitchers in the American League with a strong second half. I’m not thrilled about going three years on a 33-year-old who isn’t exactly a workhorse, but he has been very solid the last few years and with any free agent you have to pretty much expect performance at the end of the contract to drop off.

The Royals did fail to upgrade the outfield, but I don’t think it was due to a lack of trying. The free agent market for hitters was overpriced, likely due to a glacial trade market. With few good options, the Royals wisely held pat rather than make a panic move. They pivoted to add Estévez, figuring that if they can’t upgrade their run-scoring, they can improve their run prevention.

How would you grade the Royals’ off-season?