The Kansas City Royals had a lackluster year offensively in 2025 and missed the playoffs as a result, finishing 82-80 and in third place in the American League Central. But they have added Isaac Collins and Lane Thomas this offseason, which should help.
One of their trade additions last year was outfielder Randal Grichuk. That ultimately didn’t pan out, and he is currently a free agent. There also hasn’t been traction in his market, and Derrick Goold of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch notes that the Cardinals, his former team, don’t have much interest in a reunion.
With that in mind, it might make sense for the Royals to pursue a reunion with him, even after his 2025 struggles.
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Does Grichuk reunion make sense?
Grichuk hit just .228 with nine home runs and a .674 OPS last year with Kansas City and the Arizona Diamondbacks. However, it might not hurt to have him back just for a little extra depth on the roster. He’s a right-handed platoon bat that can play all three outfield positions, and that would give the Royals a solid option off the bench.
He has hit over 20 home runs in a season several times, so he does still have some power, and it would only take a one-year deal to land him at this point. The Royals could then put most of their faith in what they already have, plus their other two offseason additions, those being Collins and Thomas.
The offense is what sunk the Royals last season, and while Grichuk didn’t help much, it can’t hurt to have an extra veteran bat around for the 2026 season. The Royals wouldn’t have to break the bank, and that’s not something they typically do anyway.
With a lack of interest from other teams in Grichuk, perhaps a reunion with him makes sense for the Royals as they try and add depth and more options to boost their offense for the 2026 season.
It will be interesting to see what the Royals decide to do, but this wouldn’t really hurt them in any way. They might end up being finished this winter, but if not, Grichuk is a viable option that could make sense for them as they look for more offense.
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