2 Royals' arbitration-eligible players who'll definitely be back, 2 that might not get paid

The 2026 season was clearly not the best for the Kansas City Royals. After getting off to a rotten start filled with injuries and slumps, the team was never able to climb out of the hole that they dug themselves in the spring. As we look ahead to the 2027 season, there are a number of question marks up and down the roster. This includes a handful of Royals players up for arbitration.

As you might expect, the club won't be featuring the same roster next season. With a second consecutive down year, it's time for a fresh retooling of the lineup and some much-needed additions to the pitching staff. That means that the players entering arbitration this offseason aren't guaranteed a spot on the roster in 2027.

With the AL Central up for grabs next season, the Royals can easily slide right back into contention and surprise a few teams. But how will that new-look Royals' roster look following arbitration?

2 Royals players that will return to the club in 2027

Shaking things up and making bold moves means that there will be a decent amount of new faces on the Royals next season. But that doesn't mean there won't be some familiar fan-favorites back as well. These two players still have a lot to offer the team.

Daniel Lynch IV, Royals pitcher

After avoiding arbitration ahead of the 2026 season, Daniel Lynch IV showed the Royals that he is more than capable of being a consistently good pitcher in this league. Through the majority of the season, Lynch was the Royals’ best reliever, sporting a 0.935 WHIP in 46 innings. But due to the aforementioned injuries on the roster, the team had plenty of holes to patch in the rotation.

Lynch made the transition back to becoming starting pitcher in mid-August, his first time as a dedicated starter since June of 2024. However, that move did not fair too well for Lynch and the Royals. With a 6.53 ERA and 1.400 WHIP through 10 starts, he struggled to find the same level of effectiveness he enjoyed out of the bullpen. But that was to be expected since he made that switch on the fly in the middle of a season. Heading into 2027, he could bounce back in a big way, which would be well worth the investment.

Michael Massey, Royals second baseman

With a 2.2 fWAR season in 2026, Michael Massey wasn’t exactly a game changer for the Royals. That doesn’t mean he was an effective player though. With a .272/.303/.428 slash line, he enjoyed his best overall season as a pro. His 99 wRC+ was even the 15th highest among MLB second baseman with at least 400 at-bats, putting him ahead of players like Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Jose Altuve.

Entering his second year of arbitration, Massey would be an affordable and valuable player for the Royals to bring back in 2027. With an excellent glove and solid offensive game, he fits quite well on the team’s roster as the Royals look to shake off their two-year slump and become serious contenders once again.

2 Royals players who have likely played their way out of Kansas City

Cutting off the dead weight on the team is long overdue following a 93-loss season. The club featured a few players that struggled to make their impact on the field. If the Royals truly do intend to take the AL Central by storm in 2027, these two players can't be back on the roster.

Kyle Isbel, Royals centerfielder

Entering his third year of arbitration, Kyle Isbel is not likely to return to the team in 2027. After avoiding arbitration this season and earning a $2.7 million salary, Isbel saw a substantial regression in his offensive game in 2026. With an anemic 66 OPS + in just under 300 at-bats, Isbel’s strong defensive ability is not enough to make up for his light work at the plate.

With strong minor league players like Carson Roccaforte ready for their shot in the majors, Isbel has become an unfortunate redundancy for the Royals. Roccaforte earned his third straight Defensive Player of the Year honors inside the Kansas City Royals organization this season. He has also greatly improved his approach at the plate throughout his development. There's no guarantee that Roccaforte will be able to excel in the big leagues, but it makes more sense to roll with him in 2027 rather than Isbel.

Alex Lange, Royals pitcher

Alex Lange was never expected to be one of the Royals' best pitchers in 2026, but the team figured he would be a valuable arm out of the pen. Unfortunately, Lange endured one of the toughest years of any reliever in baseball. With a -1.5 bWAR season, Lange struggled to keep runners off the base paths and runs off the scoreboard. While he notched 10 saves for the Royals in 2026, Lange was far from reliable late in games.

With Lange entering into his second year of arbitration, there would be no real reason for the Royals to bring him back in 2027. Although injuries depleted the pitching staff this season, it was tough to see the team continue to use Lange in ball games they needed to win. There will be a number of available arms in free agency this offseason that could prove to be more consistent options for Kansas City in 2027.

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