Ranking the importance of bringing back these Royals free agents for the 2026 season

Until they announced Salvador Perez's new contract earlier this week, the Kansas City Royals had been relatively quiet on the trade and free agent fronts.

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Until they announced Salvador Perez’s new contract earlier this week, the Kansas City Royals had been relatively quiet on the trade and free agent fronts.

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Declining Michael Lorenzen's mutual option for next season and placing both Kyle Wright and Sam Long on outright waivers have been all the moves so far, although Randal Grichuk rejected his mutual option to join Lorenzen, Mike Yastrzemski, Adam Frazier, Hunter Harvey, and Luke Maile as the club's six (as of this writing) free agents.

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Declining Michael Lorenzen’s mutual option for next season and placing both Kyle Wright and Sam Long on outright waivers have been all the moves so far, although Randal Grichuk rejected his mutual option to join Lorenzen, Mike Yastrzemski, Adam Frazier, Hunter Harvey, and Luke Maile as the club’s six (as of this writing) free agents.

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The quiet is understandable — big deals are rare this early in the Hot Stove season. At this point, KC fans can only wonder what moves the club will make, including whether it will pursue any of its own free agents. Here's how those players should rank if the team is interested in reunions.

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The quiet is understandable — big deals are rare this early in the Hot Stove season. At this point, KC fans can only wonder what moves the club will make, including whether it will pursue any of its own free agents. Here’s how those players should rank if the team is interested in reunions.

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Mike Yastrzemski tops the Royals' potential returnee list

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Mike Yastrzemski tops the Royals’ potential returnee list

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Kansas City's need for an offensively productive corner outfielder is painfully obvious. Whether Yastrzemski, who hit nine homers and slashed .237/.339/.500 in 50 games after joining KC via a 2025 trade deadline deal, can fit the bill is a big question.

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Kansas City’s need for an offensively productive corner outfielder is painfully obvious. Whether Yastrzemski, who hit nine homers and slashed .237/.339/.500 in 50 games after joining KC via a 2025 trade deadline deal, can fit the bill is a big question.

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But the 35-year-old could provide valuable insurance if the club can't land a younger star with more punch and power.

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But the 35-year-old could provide valuable insurance if the club can’t land a younger star with more punch and power.

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That could happen — despite general manager J.J. Picollo's long offseason search, the Royals opened 2025 without a new big bat, and rookie Jac Caglianone's failure to hit helped force Picollo to trade for Yastrzemski.

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That could happen — despite general manager J.J. Picollo’s long offseason search, the Royals opened 2025 without a new big bat, and rookie Jac Caglianone’s failure to hit helped force Picollo to trade for Yastrzemski.

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The offense, though, needs a bit more than Yastrzemski. He averages less than 20 homers and 52 RBIs per season — Picollo should seek more power and production than Yastrzemski typically provides.

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The offense, though, needs a bit more than Yastrzemski. He averages less than 20 homers and 52 RBIs per season — Picollo should seek more power and production than Yastrzemski typically provides.

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But signing him soon to a financially palatable short-term deal could be a reasonable hedge against today's soft outfield free agent market. That makes Yastrzemski the best bet of the Royals' six free agents.

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But signing him soon to a financially palatable short-term deal could be a reasonable hedge against today’s soft outfield free agent market. That makes Yastrzemski the best bet of the Royals’ six free agents.

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Put two-time Royals utility man Adam Frazier second on the list

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Put two-time Royals utility man Adam Frazier second on the list

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Defensive versatility is a top Kansas City priority. Frazier has that versatility — he played five defensive positions for the Royals in 2024 before hitting free agency after the season, and four in 2025 after rejoining the club via a surprising trade deadline swap with the Pirates.

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Defensive versatility is a top Kansas City priority. Frazier has that versatility — he played five defensive positions for the Royals in 2024 before hitting free agency after the season, and four in 2025 after rejoining the club via a surprising trade deadline swap with the Pirates.

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Unlike his first year with Kansas City, when he batted .202 and hit only four homers, Frazier added some spark to the Royals by hitting .283 in 56 post-trade games. He also matched those four homers, and drove in one more run (23), in 48 fewer appearances.

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Unlike his first year with Kansas City, when he batted .202 and hit only four homers, Frazier added some spark to the Royals by hitting .283 in 56 post-trade games. He also matched those four homers, and drove in one more run (23), in 48 fewer appearances.

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Unless Picollo can sign someone like the supremely versatile Kiké Hernández, and considering how well he moves around the field, Picollo could do much worse on the versatility front than Frazier.

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Unless Picollo can sign someone like the supremely versatile Kiké Hernández, and considering how well he moves around the field, Picollo could do much worse on the versatility front than Frazier.

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Hunter Harvey is Kansas City's third-best choice

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Hunter Harvey is Kansas City’s third-best choice

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Harvey made a name for himself with some fine seasons in Washington's bullpen before the Royals picked him up at the 2024 trade deadline, but injuries ruined his time with the club that season, and robbed him of what was looking like a great 2025 campaign when, after 12 scoreless appearances, he went on the Injured List in April and never returned.

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Harvey made a name for himself with some fine seasons in Washington’s bullpen before the Royals picked him up at the 2024 trade deadline, but injuries ruined his time with the club that season, and robbed him of what was looking like a great 2025 campaign when, after 12 scoreless appearances, he went on the Injured List in April and never returned.

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But as good as KC's bullpen was this year, there's room for improvement.

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But as good as KC’s bullpen was this year, there’s room for improvement.

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Harvey has demonstrated he can relieve effectively, and there isn't much risk in bringing him back, especially given his $3.7 million 2025 salary, which hints at a pretty affordable 2026 contract.

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Harvey has demonstrated he can relieve effectively, and there isn’t much risk in bringing him back, especially given his $3.7 million 2025 salary, which hints at a pretty affordable 2026 contract.

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Starter Michael Lorenzen comes in fourth on this Royals list

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Starter Michael Lorenzen comes in fourth on this Royals list

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That Kansas City brought Lorenzen back for 2025 made sense. Acquired from Texas at the 2024 trade deadline, and despite missing almost a month with a hamstring injury, Lorenzen went 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA in seven stretch-run appearances to help KC to the playoffs.

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That Kansas City brought Lorenzen back for 2025 made sense. Acquired from Texas at the 2024 trade deadline, and despite missing almost a month with a hamstring injury, Lorenzen went 2-0 with a 1.57 ERA in seven stretch-run appearances to help KC to the playoffs.

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But this season wasn't all KC hoped for. Lorenzen again lost a month to injury and finished 7-11 with a 4.64 ERA. His nine quality starts ranked last among regular Royals starters, and his 12 wild pitches tied for the major league lead.

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But this season wasn’t all KC hoped for. Lorenzen again lost a month to injury and finished 7-11 with a 4.64 ERA. His nine quality starts ranked last among regular Royals starters, and his 12 wild pitches tied for the major league lead.

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And rotation depth doesn't bode well for Lorenzen. Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Cole Ragans, and rookie sensation Noah Cameron will all be back, as will Kris Bubic if he isn't traded for a big bat. Impressive trade deadline acquisitions Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek should also be in the mix.

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And rotation depth doesn’t bode well for Lorenzen. Seth Lugo, Michael Wacha, Cole Ragans, and rookie sensation Noah Cameron will all be back, as will Kris Bubic if he isn’t traded for a big bat. Impressive trade deadline acquisitions Ryan Bergert and Stephen Kolek should also be in the mix.

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Key, too, is that the Royals declined Lorenzen's 2026 mutual option. That means he's expendable.

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Key, too, is that the Royals declined Lorenzen’s 2026 mutual option. That means he’s expendable.

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Catcher Luke Maile deserves the fifth spot

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Catcher Luke Maile deserves the fifth spot

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Carter Jensen's 2026 role seems clear — KC's top prospect per MLB Pipeline should, after an excellent September big league debut and barring a horrific performance dip, spend 2026 backing up Perez and taking plenty of turns at DH.

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Carter Jensen’s 2026 role seems clear — KC’s top prospect per MLB Pipeline should, after an excellent September big league debut and barring a horrific performance dip, spend 2026 backing up Perez and taking plenty of turns at DH.

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But that doesn't mean the Royals can't use Maile, a capable backstop who stepped into the prime backup role after the club traded Freddy Fermin to San Diego at the trade deadline.

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But that doesn’t mean the Royals can’t use Maile, a capable backstop who stepped into the prime backup role after the club traded Freddy Fermin to San Diego at the trade deadline.

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Maile, who caught briefly for KC in May, actually rejoined the club a few weeks before the Fermin trade. He'd been catching for Triple-A Omaha, where he hit .280 with a .416 OBP in 24 games, and ended his 10th major league season with a .346 OBP and .244 average in 25 games.

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Maile, who caught briefly for KC in May, actually rejoined the club a few weeks before the Fermin trade. He’d been catching for Triple-A Omaha, where he hit .280 with a .416 OBP in 24 games, and ended his 10th major league season with a .346 OBP and .244 average in 25 games.

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So, why should Picollo consider Maile if he didn't play much in 2025? As we've opined before in this space, Maile offers the Royals experience, capable defense, organizational depth, and affordability.

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So, why should Picollo consider Maile if he didn’t play much in 2025? As we’ve opined before in this space, Maile offers the Royals experience, capable defense, organizational depth, and affordability.

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And those are valuable commodities for a franchise that, after Jensen, doesn't have a catcher ready to step up to the big leagues for any significant time should injury strike Perez or Jensen. A minor league deal makes sense for Maile.

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And those are valuable commodities for a franchise that, after Jensen, doesn’t have a catcher ready to step up to the big leagues for any significant time should injury strike Perez or Jensen. A minor league deal makes sense for Maile.

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Outfielder Randal Grichuk brings up the rear

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Outfielder Randal Grichuk brings up the rear

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It may seem illogical to rank Maile ahead of Grichuk when the Royals are so palpably short on corner outfielders, especially considering Grichuk would certainly play more than Maile, who might not make it to the majors at all.

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It may seem illogical to rank Maile ahead of Grichuk when the Royals are so palpably short on corner outfielders, especially considering Grichuk would certainly play more than Maile, who might not make it to the majors at all.

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But Grichuk underperformed for the 2025 Royals after a trade deadline swap with Arizona brought him to Kansas City.

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But Grichuk underperformed for the 2025 Royals after a trade deadline swap with Arizona brought him to Kansas City.

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He homered just twice, drove in only five runs, and slashed a mediocre .206/.267/.299 down the stretch. And considering the 19 homers, 68 RBI, and .270/.319/.499 line he gave the Diamondbacks in 176 games across 2024 and part of 2025, a return to Arizona seems more likely and logical than another chance with the Royals, who should look elsewhere for an outfielder.

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He homered just twice, drove in only five runs, and slashed a mediocre .206/.267/.299 down the stretch. And considering the 19 homers, 68 RBI, and .270/.319/.499 line he gave the Diamondbacks in 176 games across 2024 and part of 2025, a return to Arizona seems more likely and logical than another chance with the Royals, who should look elsewhere for an outfielder.