The Kansas City Royals know that they’re going to need to add a power bat or two if they want to avoid repeating the mistakes of the 2025 season. Their offense let them down and caused them to miss the postseason.
The outfield is an area where they especially struggled to produce offensively. Fortunately, there are options available in both trades and free agency, and they can dive into the market without having to break the bank.
Andy McCollough of The Athletic listed one player each team can sign before Black Friday and had outfielder Harrison Bader going to the Royals.
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Harrison Bader Could Make Sense For Royals
Bader will likely receive a multi-year deal when he signs after he put together a remarkable 2025 campaign. Between the Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies, he hit .277/.347/.449 with 17 home runs, 54 RBI, a 3.9 WAR and a .796 OPS.
The timing of his breakout season was certainly great, but even so, he won’t be an overly expensive free agent. The Royals won’t be in on players like Cody Bellinger, Kyle Schwarber, Kyle Tucker or Alex Bregman.
But Bader comes at roughly half the price and can still produce similar results. Not only that, but he also provides elite defense in the outfield and can play all three positions. He was one of five members of the St. Louis Cardinals to win a Gold Glove in 2021.
With the outfield market somewhat thin, Bader will be a popular name on the market, but won’t be somebody the Royals are going to be forced to overpay for.
He could provide a veteran presence in the clubhouse, a little extra protection for Bobby Witt Jr., elite defense and also speed. He could be exactly what the Royals are looking for as they try to bounce back from a disappointing 2025 season and return to the postseason in 2026.
The Royals have work to do to be better next year, but Bader might be the perfect affordable addition that gives them what they need without being forced to break the bank.
Bader’s market should be interesting to follow once it materializes.
We’ll see what the Royals are planning as they look to make improvements for 2026.
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