The Kansas City Royals are actively searching for proven bats to bolster their lineup for 2026. They didn’t do much offensively in 2025, and it caused them to miss the postseason after earning a Wild Card berth in 2024.
The Royals have been engaged in trade talks and are willing to trade from their depth of starting pitching in order to land a proven hitter. However, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic notes that they want more than one bat.
This means free agency is a possibility. Rosenthal listed several potential candidates, and one of them was a former division rival from the Cleveland Guardians.
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Royals Could Look Into Ex-Guardians Slugger
“Among free agents, a reunion with Mike Yastrzemski is one avenue the Royals are exploring. Adolis García, Max Kepler and Mike Tauchman are among the other free agents they could pursue, along with bounceback candidates Lane Thomas and JJ Bleday,” Rosenthal wrote.
Thomas would be an interesting fit for the Royals. His career took off after being traded from the St. Louis Cardinals to the Washington Nationals, and he helped Cleveland reach the ALCS last year.
Unfortunately, he struggled a bit in 2025, hitting just .160/.246/.272 with four home runs, 11 RBI and a .518 OPS. He did struggle a bit with injuries, so that could have been a factor.
But if he can stay healthy, he can be a solid addition for a team like the Royals. Kansas City is a small market, and a change of scenery could allow him to get his career back on track after a down year.
The 30-year-old can play all three outfield positions and brings power from the right side of the plate. His best season was 2023 with the Nationals when he hit .268/.315/.468 with 28 home runs, 86 RBI, a 3.3 WAR and a .783 OPS.
If he can stay off the injured list and rediscover that form, the Royals could be in business in 2026 as they try to get better offensive production from their group of outfielders.
Pairing Thomas with a trade addition could be the key to getting the Royals back on track and in contention again in 2026. We’ll see what Thomas’ market looks like this winter and if the Royals will show interest.
More MLB: Latest Royals Outfield Report Hints At Urgent Blockbuster Trade
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