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The Kansas City Royals haven\u2019t had an above-average team payroll in decades, but the 2026 financial commitments are starting to stack up. <\/p>\n
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Arbitration is starting to hit for many of Kansas City\u2019s regulars, and with that come raises from their pre-arbitration salaries. Add in veteran acquisitions like outfielder Lane Thomas and reliever Matt Strahm, and Kansas City is not pinching pennies this winter. <\/p>\n
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While these seven-figure deals are not massive on their own, they add up over time, and Kansas City is hardly a bastion of large-payroll thinking. Unfortunately, that reality is starting to take hold and affect the remainder of this offseason.<\/p>\n
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Following Kansas City trading for Strahm and his $7.5 million salary<\/a>, The Athletic\u2019s Ken Rosenthal reported that<\/a> \u201cshedding payroll still might be necessary for the Royals to acquire one more hitter.\u201d <\/p>\n <\/p>\n That is hardly ideal news for Royals fans, who are holding out hope for another impactful corner outfielder, especially as Rosenthal again named the oft-mentioned outfielder Jarren Duran.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n “The Royals had been telling clubs and agents they were operating with limited financial flexibility. But ownership allowed the front office to extend for Strahm, who became a more pressing addition after the Royals traded lefty reliever Angel Zerpa to the Milwaukee Brewers for outfielder Isaac Collins and righty reliever Nick Mears.”<\/p>\n Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic<\/cite><\/p><\/blockquote>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Cot\u2019s Contracts projects Kansas City\u2019s 40-man year-end competitive balance tax payroll<\/a> at more than $182.8 million, marginally higher than the $180.9 million mark the Royals ended 2025 with<\/a>. Cot\u2019s also projects the Royals\u2019 Opening Day 26-man payroll at $138.8 million, up from their $126 million mark on Opening Day 2025.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Kansas City could certainly pack the offseason in, call their acquisitions good enough, and hope for the best. But fans are still waiting for that splash, the move to capitalize on what trade capital they do have and push this team from a hopeful winning record to being a divisional favorite. The Royals have invested the most among the AL Central clubs, but there is still more work to do ahead of Opening Day.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Rosenthal listed some trade candidates if Kansas City wishes to shed payroll, especially on the pitching side. Starter Kris Bubic is projected to make $6 million in arbitration, while reliever John Schreiber and tweener Bailey Falter are both projected to earn more than $3 million each. <\/p>\n <\/p>\n\n
If the Royals want more offseason moves, they may need to clear out some standing obligations first.<\/h2>\n