Royals predicted as dark-horse landing spot for .814 OPS free agent from Yankees

The Kansas City Royals aren’t known for big free agent splashes.

But free agency is currently dragging on for the big-four hitters: Kyle Tucker, Bo Bichette, Alex Bregman and Cody Bellinger.

The longer it goes, the more chance of something weird happening.

A team not thought to be in the running may swoop in and take advantage of the slow-developing market.

That’s what Bleacher Report’s Joel Reuter thinks could happen with the Royals and Bellinger. In a new article on Friday, Reuter broke down a potential dark-horse landing spot for each of the prominent hitters still available, and he picked the Royals for Bellinger.

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Bellinger is coming off his best season in half a decade, having slugged 29 home runs and put up an .814 OPS while enjoying his time in Yankee Stadium.

The lefty would play outfield in Kansas City, where he’s actually an above-average fielder in a way you wouldn’t expect from a guy that also plays first base.

“(The Royals) don’t often make splashy free-agency moves, but Bellinger could be a transformative addition to their lineup, joining Bobby Witt Jr., Maikel García, Salvador Perez and Vinnie Pasquantino,” Reuter writes. “With Isaac Collins, Kyle Isbel and Jac Caglianone as the current projected outfield, there might be no team that would benefit more from upgrading in the grass.”

Man, that outfield looks even worse once it’s spelled out like that. Even if the Royals don’t get Bellinger, they should be trying to add someone else to that group.

Bellinger would be the headline-grabber, though, and with the Royals trying to compete in a so-so AL Central Division, it’s the kind of signing that could push them toward a division title.