The Kansas City Royals came into the offseason with a lot of important work to do. They needed to pick up some bats to boost their offense after it let them down in 2025 and caused them to miss the playoffs.
The outfield in particular needs work. However, they finally added a piece to the mix who should help boost their offense.
According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, the Royals have signed veteran outfielder Lane Thomas. Thomas has spent parts of the past two seasons with the Cleveland Guardians, and now he’ll head West to help the Royals boost their offense.
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Royals Take First Step Towards Improving Offense
Thomas struggled with injuries in 2025 and was limited to just 39 games during the regular season. He hit just .160/.246/.272 with four home runs, 11 RBI and a .518 OPS.
However, if he can stay healthy, he could add some much needed depth to the Royals lineup. He can play all three outfield positions and could easily slot into left field as the Royals finally find a way to fill that hole.
The Royals still need to add one more bat, but this is a good first step. With Thomas in the lineup, they have a proven power bat that can add a little extra thump to the lineup and some protection for Bobby Witt Jr.
Thomas will need to stay healthy and bounce back from a rough 2025 season, but if he can do that, the Royals are in good shape and can at least contend for a Wild Card spot.
The 30-year-old outfielder hit 28 home runs in 2023 with the Washington Nationals and 15 between Washington and Cleveland in 2024.
The Royals desperately needed more depth in their lineup. Now, with this addition, they have put themselves right back in the playoff conversation for 2026.
General manager J.J. Picollo is going to be busy in the next few weeks, but he found a solid solution for the Royals, and it’s a good start towards improving the team for next season.
It will be interesting to see what else happens with the Royals soon, but Thomas gives them a little extra firepower in the middle of their lineup as long as he can stay off the injured list.
More MLB: Royals Have ‘Discussed’ Former Rangers ALCS MVP As Offensive Upgrade
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