2 players from last year's KC Royals team who will be missed, 3 who won't

The KC Royals will not miss Will Smith

Will Smith made his MLB debut with the Royals in 2012 before being traded to the Milwaukee Brewers at the end of 2013, and eleven years and five teams later, the reliever returned to KC for 2024. Unfortunately, his time in Kansas City didn't exactly end on a high note.

Coming off three consecutive World Series wins with the Atlanta Braves (2021), Houston Astros (2022), and Texas Rangers (2023), Smith signed with the Royals out of free agency on a one-year, $5 million deal for the 2024 season. Locked in to be the team's closer, it didn't take long for cracks to show, and after being rocked on the mound one too many times, the Royals quickly transitioned Smith to a low-leverage role in the bullpen.

A back injury in August ended Smith's season — and his time in Kansas City. After finishing 2024 with an underwhelming 6.53 ERA in 41.1 innings of work, Smith entered free agency, and now four months later, that's exactly where he remains. The 35-year-old may still get picked up by a team looking for relief depth before Opening Day, but he certainly won't be returning for a third stint with the Royals.

The KC Royals will miss Paul DeJong

After hitting an impressive 18 home runs to start the 2024 season with the Chicago White Sox, Paul DeJong was traded to the Royals in exchange for pitcher Jarold Rosado at the trade deadline. The 31-year-old went on to appear in 37 games for Kansas City before the end of the regular season, slashing .222/.277/.417 with a further 6 home runs in 119 plate appearances.

DeJong has flown relatively under the radar throughout his MLB career, but his first month with the Royals proved what he's capable of. In August, he posted 18 hits, 3 doubles, and 6 homers in 68 at-bats for a .265 batting average and .574 total slugging. Unfortunately, he fell apart in September, but looking at his brief period in Kansas City overall, his acquisition was a net positive, and he played an important role in pushing the team to the playoffs.

Having become a free agent at the end of the 2024 season, DeJong signed a one-year, $1 million deal with the Washington Nationals for 2025. His contract includes performance incentives that could be worth an additional $600,000.