Kansas City Royals To Sign Adolis García

*PREDICTION*

The 2025 MLB Winter Meetings are officially here. Some notable moves have already been made around the league, but this is when things start to get crazy.

Will Kyle Schwarber re-sign with the Philadelphia Phillies, or will he take a chance with his hometown Cincinnati Reds? Where will Kyle Tucker land? Will the Detroit Tigers actually trade the reigning back-to-back American League Cy Young Award winner, Tarik Skubal? These are all questions that could be answered in the coming days.

The 2026 MLB season is still months away, but it’s never too early to start thinking about which teams will be competing for the World Series. The Kansas City Royals missed the playoffs in 2025 with an 82-80 record, but they could be a few moves away from getting back into the dance.

Royals Look to Compete in 2026

The Winter Meetings are a perfect time for a team like the Royals to show the rest of the league that they mean business. They may have missed the playoffs in 2025, but the Royals made it in 2024 with an 86-76 record as a wild card team before losing to the New York Yankees in the ALDS in four games.

The Royals Should Sign Adolis García in Free Agency

The Royals’ biggest need this offseason, without a doubt, is outfield production. In fact, the outfield has been an issue for quite some time now.

More recently, the Royals’ outfield has ranked in the bottom half of the majors when it comes to fWAR. The team’s outfielders have ranked 19th or worse in each of the last five years since 2021, including the worst-ranked outfield in terms of fWAR (-1.1) in 2025. For perspective, Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge had a 10.1 fWAR in 2025 by himself.

If the Royals want to get back to the playoffs and make a World Series run as they did in back-to-back seasons in 2014 and 2015, they must address the outfield in a big way this offseason. Tucker and Cody Bellinger are the big-ticket free agent outfielders, and players like Boston Red Sox outfielder Jarren Duran could be available for trade.

The Royals may not win the Tucker or Bellinger sweepstakes and would then have to pivot in another direction. A much cheaper option, who could be an effective addition, is Adolis García.

García was non-tendered by the Texas Rangers in November, making him a free agent. The veteran outfielder may not be the player he was a few years ago, but he’d be an excellent addition for any team in need of outfield help.

García made a name for himself in 2021 with the Rangers when he hit 31 home runs with 90 RBI, earning his first career All-Star selection and finishing fourth in American League Rookie of the Year voting. He then hit a career-high .250 with 34 doubles, 27 home runs, 101 RBIs, and 25 stolen bases in 2022.

After a successful first two full seasons in the majors, García broke out in 2023. The right-handed slugger hit a career-high 39 home runs and 107 RBI and was a key piece on the Rangers’ World Series team. He hit .323 with eight home runs and 22 RBI in 15 playoff games and was named the 2023 ALCS MVP.

Not only has García proven to be a threat at the plate across his seven-year career, but he’s also an above-average defender. He was awarded a Gold Glove in 2023 and owns a career .985 fielding percentage, including an AL-leading .993 fielding percentage among qualified right fielders in 2025. García is primarily a right fielder, but he has experience at all three outfield positions.

The Royals’ outfield should get a boost with former top prospect and 2024 sixth overall pick Jac Caglianone in the mix in 2026. The 22-year-old appeared in 62 games with the Royals in 2025, hitting seven home runs with 18 RBI. A veteran presence, like García, would not only complement Caglianone but also have the potential to be a top outfield unit in the majors.