The Kansas City Royals are busy looking for ways to improve their offense for 2026. They fell short of expectations in 2025 as a result of their offensive struggles.
They hope to add at least two outfield bats to their mix, per Ken Rosenthal. There are plenty of options available in free agency and on the trade market.
Rosenthal gave an update on the Royals’ outfield search and what they are hoping to accomplish, and he listed an interesting name that is being dangled in trade talks by the Houston Astros: somebody that could give the Royals a bit of a boost.
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Royals Interest In Outfielder Opens Up Several Trade Avenues
“The Astros are another club operating on multiple fronts, exploring a trade for Tampa Bay Rays righty Shane Baz and offering center fielder Jake Meyers for other starters,” Rosenthal reported.
“The Kansas City Royals, dangling lefty Kris Bubic, are another possibility for Meyers, but they are exploring numerous other outfield possibilities as well.”
Meyers didn’t show much power this year, but he is a solid center fielder and produced well at the plate. He only hit three home runs, but slashed .292/.354/.373 with a .727 OPS. Last year, he hit 13 home runs and had a .219 batting average.
He has two years of club control left, so he would make sense for the Royals, and the Astros could be a good trade partner as they search for ways to add starting pitching. The Royals have several starters under club control.
Bubic is an obvious trade candidate since his contract expires after 2026, but the Astros may show interest in more controllable arms like Ryan Bergert or Noah Cameron. The Royals have no shortage of arms to spare as they look for offense in trades
Meyers was part of Houston’s 2022 World Series championship team. If he can stay healthy, he could be a solid addition for any teams showing interest, including the Royals.
Their outfield did not produce well offensively in 2025, and finding any way to boost that production should be at the top of their list.
There are two days left at the Winter Meetings. Not much has happened yet, but the Royals should be an interesting team to watch as they look for ways to strengthen their offense for 2026 and bounce back into contention after a disappointing 2025 season.
We’ll see what general manager J.J. Picollo has up his sleeve as the end of the meetings draws near. The Royals need offense badly, and they can find a solid solution in Meyers if they make a deal with the Astros.
They have an obvious hole in their outfield, and trading a pitcher for Myers could be a good way to address that. There are a number of arms Houston could show interest in as well.
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