The Royals Took a Step Back — And Still Feel One Piece Short

Kansas City took a noticeable step back in 2025.

After winning 86 games and clinching a Wild Card spot in 2024, the Royals regressed to 82-80 last season and sat at home in October. On paper, everything seemed okay, with strong seasons from Bobby Witt Jr & Vinnie Pasquantino. Even then, the team ranked in the bottom half of the league in most offensive categories – notably ranking 26 out of 30 teams in runs and 22nd in on base percentage. They were also 26th in homers and drew the 2nd-fewest walks in the majors.

Pitching, however, faired better. The Royals ranked 6th in team ERA, 8th in quality starts and 7th in bullpen ERA. Cole Ragans‘ season was cut short due to injury, but Noah Cameron burst onto the scene in 2025, putting up 9 wins and a 2.99 ERA in 24 starts in his rookie season.

The offseason brought bullpen reinforcements, particularly Matt Strahm and Nick Mears, but the Royals could use an arm at the back end of that rotation.

Biggest Need Entering 2026:
Rotation consistency and offensive reliability. The Royals missed the playoffs by 5 games, and I do believe they have the roster that can hold up to scrutiny when healthy, but they don’t have much in the way of reinforcements should guys start going down.

Have They Addressed It?
Partially — bullpen upgrades, rotation still thin.

They’ve already lost Mike Yastrzemski in the outfield, and MJ Melendez is currently a free agent, but they did add Lane Thomas and Isaac Collins, who I believe are upgrades to both.

Given how close the Royals were, I think their clearest path forward is to address the low walks and OBP from a season ago. Baserunners create stressful innings for opposing pitchers, and stressful innings lead to cracks and cracks lead to runs. There are two big moves the Royals could potentially make and one smaller one, but the bigger ones would cost them.

Smaller move: Sign Marcell Ozuna. At 35 years old, he’s coming off some of his best statistical years in Atlanta and is still good for 25+ homers and drew the 8th-most walks in MLB in 2025. He becomes your DH, or can platoon with Salvador Perez, and would be relatively inexpensive.

Bigger moves: Here’s where it may hurt, but could be worth it as it could blow the doors off a pretty division in the AL Central…

Trade for either Ketel Marte or Ian Happ. The D-Backs are looking to move off of Marte and Happ is in the last year of his contract with the Cubs. Happ averages 20+ homers and 80+ RBIs. He would bring a high WAR and a lot of walks. He’s a 4-time Gold Glove winner in the outfield, but began his career playing second base, a position where KC could use an upgrade. His defensive versatility could bring the Royals the added depth they need.

Marte is a high average and OPS guy that is capable of 30 homer-90 RBI production. He is still one of, if not the best offensive second basemen in baseball and would be an improvement over the incumbent Jonathan India, who is trending downward, but even at his peak, could not equal Marte’s or Happ’s production.

HOWEVER, the cost to acquire either of these guys would be very high – one that Kansas City ownership might not be willing to pay. I think either deal would take some combination of India, Jac Caglianone, and one of KC’s Top 100 prospects. Carter Jensen (#18) and Blake Mitchell (#75) are both catchers with nearly identical measurables. All accounts seem to point to Jensen as their catcher of the future after Salvy hangs it up, as he already had a cup of coffee with the Royals in 2025, hitting .300 in 60 at-bats with 3 homers and 13 RBIs. He currently projects to be KC’s DH in 2026.

Ideally, it would be Blake Mitchell they could include in any deal for Happ or Marte, so that they could keep Kansas City-native Jensen in the organization, but given that Jensen is projected higher across the board with the exception of defense (and the difference isn’t significant – Jensen 50 (MLB average), Mitchell 55 (above average)), the Royals may have to part with Jensen to pick up one of these MLB All-Stars.

Not to be overlooked, Jac Cagliaone’s highly anticipated arrival came in 2025, but didn’t go as fans had hoped. A natural first baseman, Cags was moved to the outfield in the minors, since Pasquantino stands in his way at first. With potential that goes through the roof, he averaged just .157 and 7 homers in 210 at-bats. Cags may just need more time, but when you have Witt and Vinnie playing at such a high level, Kansas City should be in win-now mode. It may hurt Royals fans to send Cagliaone packing, but winning takes sacrifice, and I think most baseball fans would agree that getting Happ or Marte would be a worthy sacrifice.

Our Take:
As I said, when your division is as wide open as the AL Central has been in recent years, you have to be agile and willing to do whatever it takes to win. A healthy Cole Ragans and an equally strong sophomore campaign from Noah Cameron could set the Royals up for a run. I think that are one or two moves away from making some noise in October.