What to know about the Royals and the MLB offseason: Free agents, Rule 5 draft, non-tenders, arbitration deadlines

Now that the World Series is complete, the offseason can begin in earnest! The Royals are in that weird “hey, we had a winning season but didn’t make the playoffs” zone. Will they be able to make the moves to get them back to postseason baseball?

Rev up the hot stove, add Jeff Passan push notifications, and set MLB Trade Rumors on “refresh”. Here is what you need to know about the Royals’ off-season.

Which players become free agents?

Four Royals players automatically become free agents today – Adam Frazier, Hunter Harvey, Luke Maile, and Mike Yastrzemski. The Royals will have an exclusive five-day negotiating window with them, but after that, they are free to sign with any team. Last year, they used that window to re-sign Michael Wacha. J.J. Picollo indicated that Yastrzemski is a “player of interest” that they would be interested in retaining.

What does the 40-man roster currently look like?

The Royals currently have 36 players on the 40-man roster.

Catchers (2): Carter Jensen, Salvador Perez

Infielders (6): Maikel Garcia, Jonathan India, Michael Massey, Vinnie Pasquantino, Tyler Tolbert, Bobby Witt Jr.

Outfielders (8): Dairon Blanco, Jac Caglianone, Randal Grichuk, Kyle Isbel, Nick Loftin, MJ Melendez, John Rave, Drew Waters

Pitchers (20): Luinder Avila, Ryan Bergert, Jonathan Bowlan, Noah Cameron, Eric Cerantola, Taylor Clarke, Steven Cruz, Lucas Erceg, Carlos Estévez, Bailey Falter, Stephen Kolek, Sam Long, Michael Lorenzen, Seth Lugo, Daniel Lynch IV, Cole Ragans, John Schreiber, Michael Wacha, Kyle Wright, Angel Zerpa

Teams will need to activate players from the 60-day Injured List within five days and add them to the 40-man roster. For the Royals, that includes Kris Bubic, Alec Marsh, and James McArthur.

What players have contract options?

The Royals have four players with contract options that will have to be acted on by the end of the five-day “quiet period” for free agency.

Salvador Perez has a $13.5 million club option with a $2 million buyout. J.J. Picollo has already said that Salvy will return to the Royals in 2026.

Michael Lorenzen has a $12 million mutual option with a $1.5 million buyout.

Randall Grichuk has a $5 million mutual option that has a $3 million buyout the Royals are responsible for.

Which players must be added to the 40-man roster?

Players drafted at age 19 or later with four seasons in the minors, or players drafted under age 19 with five seasons in the minors are eligible to be selected by other organizations in the Rule 5 draft if not added to the 40-man roster. For the Royals, Ben Kudrna is the only real lock to be added, although pitcher Felix Arronde and outfielder Gavin Cross are a good bet, and the Royals will have to make a decision on former first-round pick Frank Mozzicato. The Rule 5 draft will take place on the final day of the Winter Meetings in Dallas on December 11.

Who could be non-tendered by the Royals?

Players with at least three years of service time (and sometimes those with two years) but not yet eligible for free agency are eligible for salary arbitration. If the player and team can not agree on a salary, each side submits a number to go to a hearing with an arbiter siding with one party.

Teams have until November 22 to decide whether to “tender” a contract to a player, making them eligible for the arbitration process, or “non-tender” a player, effectively releasing him and making him a free agent. The Royals have a whopping 15 arbitration-eligible players – Kris Bubic, Taylor Clarke, Bailey Falter, Maikel Garcia, Jonathan India, Kyle Isbel, Sam Long, Daniel Lynch IV, Michael Massey, James McArthur, MJ Melendez, Vinnie Pasquantino, John Schreiber, Kyle Wright, and Angel Zerpa (Lucas Erceg was previously reported to be eligible, but it looks like he will fall just short).

How much will the Royals spend?

J.J. Picollo told the media that he has not been given a hard number, but expects to have a payroll in the same vicinity as his 2025 payroll, around $140 million. The Royals currently have just five players signed under contract next year at the following salaries:

Seth Lugo, $21,500,000
Michael Wacha, $18,000,000
Bobby Witt Jr., $14,111,111
Carlos Estévez, $10,000,000
Cole Ragans, $4,583,000

Salvador Perez will return, although the Royals have left open the possibility it may be on a new deal rather than his $13.5 million club option. If his option is picked up, those six players will make a combined $81.7 million. The arbitration-eligible players are projected to make a combined $48 million, although the Royals could save some money by non-tendering players like Jonathan India.

What will the Royals do this offseason?

The Royals will certainly look to improve an offense that finished fifth-worst in runs scored, although it may be through tweaks rather than major changes. The free agent market for hitters is a bit weak, and MLB.com reporter Anne Rogers wrote that the “trade market seems more likely.” The Royals have a surplus of pitching as well as depth at catcher, and could use that to acquire a young bat for the lineup.

Who are the top free agents?

This is a down free agent class with no superstars, but it is heavy-hitter at the top. Shortstop Bo Bichette, third baseman Eugenio Suárez, outfielder Kyle Tucker, and slugger Kyle Schwarber will be some of the bigger names. First baseman Pete Alonso, third baseman Alex Bregman, and outfielder Cody Bellinger are also expected to opt out of their deals and join the market. The top pitchers available include Dylan Cease, Michael King, Ranger Suárez, and Framber Valdez. Some top Japanese players are expected to test the market as well, such as infielders Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto, and pitcher Tatsuya Imai. You can see a complete list of free agents here.