The Kansas City Royals were busy last week, boosting their offense with the additions of Lane Thomas and Isaac Collins. The offense let them down in 2025, but with a few improvements already being made, they could be back in the playoff picture in 2026.
However, they may not be done just yet. Ken Rosenthal notes that they have shown interest in Jarren Duran and Brendan Donovan, though those options are unlikely due to the asking price.
But there are still ways the Royals can boost their offense for 2026. Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report listed outfielder Harrison Bader as a possible solution.
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Examining Bader As A Fit For Royals
“Though Harrison Bader has also dabbled in the .600s with his OPS, he’s coming off a career-high .796 OPS that also came with career bests for home runs and doubles. He normally crushes lefties, but this year, righties felt his sting to the tune of a .845 OPS,” Rymer wrote.
Bader, a former Gold Glove winner, is obviously best known for his defense, but his offense came around in 2025.
In 146 games with the Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies, Bader hit .277/.347/.449 with 17 home runs and 11 stolen bases. He could be exactly what the Royals are looking for on both sides of the ball.
He brings elite defense and a solid bat that finally seems to have come around after a few years of struggles. He could give the Royals a boost at the plate and bring the offense to where it needs to be for them to bounce back into contention in 2026.
It might take a multi-year deal, and the Royals may have to pay a little more than they usually would for a free agent, but the asking prices for both Donovan and Duran are high. The Red Sox are asking for Cole Ragans, per Rosenthal.
If they sign Bader, they don’t have to give up anything and can still boost their offense for next season. They can then keep their pitching staff intact for at least one more year and also bounce back into the race for an AL Central title or at least a Wild Card.
It should be interesting to see what the Royals do next.
More MLB: Royals Facing Major Challenge In Pursuit Of Brendan Donovan, Per Insider
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