4 arbitration candidates Royals must strongly consider extending this winter

It may be still be October and all eyes are firmly fixated on the MLB playoffs, but for a majority of teams, the focus is on the offseason.

Many Kansas City Royals fans may be focused on external additions when it comes to bolstering the future of this roster, but there are plenty of internal moves they must consider – specifically extensions.

There are plenty of arbitration eligible players that the Royals will have to determine what their 2026 salaries will be. Many will have their financial fate decided by arbitration hearings, but there’s several names the Royals should extend to avoid arbitration hearings this year.

1B Vinnie Pasquantino

If anybody deserves an extension from the Royals, it’s Vinnie Pasquantino coming off a magnificent 2025 season.

Not only did he post career highs in homers and RBIs with his first 30/100 season – he hit 32 HR and 113 RBI – but he’s been so much more than a run producing machine on the field.

He’s really taken the onus on himself to be the vocal leader in the clubhouse, saying what needs to be said at multiple dire points this season.

What an optimal extension may look like for someone like Pasquantino remains to be seen. However, whether it be just a short-term extension to buy out his remaining arbitration years or going big for a long-term extension, ensuring a cornerstone of this franchise and major clubhouse leader is secured for the foreseeable future seems like a no-brainer for J.J. Picollo and the front office.

3B Maikel Garcia

Then there’s Garcia, who after the All-Star season he had in 2025, is just as deserving of an extension as anyone.

Garcia had the bounce backs of all bounce backs, going from a barely-functional 71 wRC+ hitter in 2024 to 121 wRC+ just a year later, slashing .286/.351/.449 with a career high 16 HR and 71 RBI.

On top of his offense, he offers the Royals even more security for an extension with his other tools, his speed and his defense.

After 23 steals in 2023, 37 swipes in 2024, Garcia continued to be a source of immense speed, making it three straight seasons with 20+ steals after posting 23 this campaign.

Then, there’s the defense, which very well could have put him in the drivers seat for a Gold Glove. He leads all AL third baseman in OAA with 18 and DRS with 13.

Garcia finished among the Top 15 hitters in all of baseball in fWAR this season – he ranked 14th at 5.6. It may just be the first season of production like this but even it’s not a long-term extension, he certainly seems worthy of some sort of faith to be put into him.

RP Lucas Erceg

Then there’s Erceg, who may’ve been out shadowed in KC’s bullpen this season by the year All-Star closer Carlos Estévez had in his first season in a Royals uniform – capturing the major league saves title.

However, while he may not have been the anchoring force he was when he first arrived in Kansas City at last summer’s trade deadline, Erceg was still one of their most reliable high-leverage arms.

In 61.1 innings across 61 appearances, the 30-year-old tossed to a 2.64 ERA along with a very serviceable 1.17 WHIP and .238 BAA.

And there’s less risk to Erceg than other names, as this wasn’t a breakout year for him, rather it was an extension of the success he built when he arrived last July. Since his July 31 debut last season, he’s posted a 2.71 ERA, 1.08 WHIP and .225 BAA.

Given he’s a reliever, and one in his 30s at that, there’s much to be said about establishing a back-end of the bullpen for the future, especially for a team with contending aspirations like the Royals will likely have next season.

Even if it’s just the style of contract they gave their ace Cole Ragans last year, to buy out some arbitration years, it seems like money well spent to secure the Robin to Estévez’s Batman.

CF Kyle Isbel

Then there’s the most unconventional name on this list in Isbel, who if you’d asked Royals fans this time last year whether he’d be worthy of an extension, they’d all but likely dismiss it as nothing more than foolish gab.

To be honest, they wouldn’t be wrong. Isbel didn’t look like anything to write home about in particular in 2024, slashing just .229/.287/.367 with an 82 wRC+.

And on the surface a 79 wRC+ in 2025 isn’t exactly a gem of a season, but there was plenty of aspects that made him valubale to this Royals lineup.

He was somewhat a dream none-hole hitter for them, providing solid bat-to-ball skills as made evident by a respectable .255 AVG and sub-20.0% K-rate. Then there’s the defense, which saw him rank second in the American League in OAA and DRS at the premium position of center field.

As it stands at the moment, the crop free agent center field talent isn’t empty but isn’t particularly robust either. And that being said, the Royals outfield needs lie more in the corners than they do in center.

He’s proven to fill a role adequately for Kansas City and provide them with some above average tools in the process.

Why not reward that and hold onto him for the meantime?