The Kansas City Royals missed the postseason in 2025 after going 82-80 and finishing in third place in the American League Central. They were ultimately let down by their offense this year.
Trading for Jonathan India wasn’t nearly enough to improve the lineup after the 2024 season, so the Royals will have to get creative as they search for ways to strengthen it for 2026.
They typically don’t spend big in free agency, but there are some affordable options that could make sense for them. Here are two cost-efficient bats the Royals could target in order to beef up their offense for next season.
Bader signed with the Minnesota Twins last offseason, but was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies at the deadline and helped them make their push towards another National League East title. He hit .277/.347/.449 with 17 home runs, 54 RBI, a 4.2 WAR and a .796 OPS during the regular season.
Bader does have a mutual option for 2026 that could ultimately be picked up at the end of the postseason, so he may end up staying with the Phillies. But if it is not picked up, he shouldn’t be too expensive for even a small-market team such as the Royals as they try to boost their offense.
He won a Gold Glove in 2021 with the St. Louis Cardinals. He also has power and speed and could boost the Royals offense in more ways than one.
Mullins is a player that is looking to bounce back after a disappointing 2025 season with the Baltimore Orioles and New York Mets. The former All-Star and Silver Slugger hit just .216/.299/.391 with a .690 OPS during the regular season.
However, he still has power in his bat, having hit 17 home runs. He also stole 22 bases during the regular season. He should be right in the Royals preferred price range, and he could potentially benefit from a change of scenery. Baltimore finished at the bottom of the AL East, and the Mets collapse in the National League Wild Card race.
The Royals have their sights set on making it back to the postseason in 2026, and he could give them the power boost they need in order to score more runs and be more of a threat offensively.
We’ll see if these two options are on the Royals’ radar.
More MLB: Royals Could Cut Ties With 28-Year-Old All-Star With High Trade Value: Insider
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