As free agency approaches, we’ll undoubtedly examine many potential fits for the Kansas City Royals to improve their offense.
Because they’re historically not the type of franchise to go around throwing hundreds of millions of dollars at Kyle Tucker, we should be realistic about the caliber of bats the Royals can likely attain. There’s likely to be some risk involved with whoever they wind up signing in free agency, though trades are always an option as well.
There’s one veteran, though, who makes a lot of sense to fill a specific role with the Royals, even if his overall skillset isn’t what it used to be.
New York Mets two-time All-Star outfielder Starling Marte is set to hit free agency ahead of his age-37 season. No longer a dynamic speedster, Marte might be relegated to designated hitter duties on most days. But his bat still offers enough value for the Royals to potentially be intrigued.
Marte only hit nine home runs this season while playing a part-time role in New York, having been displaced in right field by the arrival of Juan Soto. But a .270/.335/.410 slash line might be just what the Royals are looking for from a supplemental bat that could bat in the fifth or sixth slot in the order.
Marte wouldn’t necessarily be a platoon player for the Royals, either. His career and 2025 season OPS figures against lefties are both slightly lower than the figures against righties, so he’s somewhat matchup proof, even without much power left in his arsenal.
According to Spotrac, Marte’s current market value is one year, $7.8 million. Anything more than that might be a little tricky to justify, given the Royals’ numerous arbitration raises and lack of money coming off the books,
Then again, the Royals could trade or non-tender second baseman Jonathan India and free up some money, so maybe there’s even a chance they’d spend a little more on someone like Marte if they thought he was a fit.
By all accounts, Marte was also a well-liked figure in the Mets’ clubhouse and something of a mentor to the young Spanish speakers on the team. That could serve the Royals well, though Salvador Perez is no slouch when it comes to mentorship, either.
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