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Anything seems possible in the offseason, even if many of the fans\u2019 preferred outcomes are so improbable that a team may never seriously consider them. <\/p>\n
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The Kansas City Royals could, in theory, add a superstar outfielder like Kyle Tucker or take a chance on a former MVP like Cody Bellinger<\/a>, but are those moves probable? Kansas City\u2019s recent history suggests otherwise. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n However, former general manager Jim Bowden has the Royals listed as a realistic landing spot<\/a> for a free-agent outfielder who feels far more within reach – Cedric Mullins.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Mullins, once one of the game\u2019s most valuable center fielders, earned his first All-Star selection and Silver Slugger Award in 2021 with the Baltimore Orioles. That same season, he also received MVP votes, validating his breakout year as more than a fluke. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n But since then, Mullins has taken step after step backward. In 2025, he was worth just 0.4 bWAR across 133 games split between Baltimore and the New York Mets. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Bowden argues that Mullins hurt his free-agent value more than he helped it this past season, but that very decline could place him directly in Kansas City\u2019s price range.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n “Mullins has played himself off being an everyday center fielder despite still being an above-average defender thanks to his plus range. He\u2019s still at 15-homer, 15-stolen base type talent, but he\u2019s not hit .235 or above in the last three years. I don\u2019t see him getting an everyday job anymore, but he would be a quality fourth-type outfielder on a contending team.”<\/p>\n Jim Bowden, The Athletic<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n Bowden also predicts Mullins will command a one-year, $8 million contract this offseason and lists the Royals, Phillies, Yankees, and Guardians as his \u201cbest team fits.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n From a roster needs perspective, Kansas City clearly needs to address its outfield. But is Mullins the kind of addition that fans or the front office should be excited about?<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Mullins, now 31, feels somewhat redundant on Kansas City\u2019s roster. The team already employs Kyle Isbel, a glove-first, left-handed-hitting center fielder<\/a>. Mullins offers more on the basepaths<\/a>, as he\u2019s stolen at least 19 bases in each of his full MLB seasons, but that skillset alone doesn\u2019t separate him meaningfully from Isbel.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Kyle Isbel’s batting data vs Cedric Mullins’ batting data from Baseball Savant this past season.<\/p>\n Can you tell the two apart? pic.twitter.com\/Ysoblrx8Tu<\/a><\/p>\nThe Athletic lists a Cedric Mullins\u2014Royals pairing as reasonable.<\/h2>\n
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