Kansas City Royals Rumors: What’s next on the market?

CINCINNATI, OH – JULY 21: Ichiro Suzuki #51 of the Miami Marlins looks on from the dugout in the first inning of a game against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park on July 21, 2017 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)

Ichiro, OF, Miami

There are a number of reasons why the Kansas City Royals could stand to take a long, hard look at the Rising Sun’s Favorite Son:

Ichiro continues to possess above-average defensive abilities in the outfield—in his limited outings in 2017, he’s got the second-best arm rating and second-best UZR on the Marlins behind Marcell Ozuna.
He’s a veteran presence that fits into any clubhouse—you can’t go a season without teammates raving about his leadership.
Never underestimate the karmic factor of bringing aboard the Veteran Chasing His Elusive Championship Ring element into the equation.
Despite the fact that he’s nearly 44 years old, Ichiro still commands a huge following in Japan—by all accounts, he’s some combination of Michael Jordan and the Beatles in his home country. I’m not a big brand enhancement guy, but if you’re getting a fourth outfielder/designated hitter type, why not go for the one who could train the eyes of a baseball-mad nation on your franchise during the playoffs?
An outfield of Alex Gordon, Lorenzo Cain and Ichiro would cover a lot of ground and be tons of fun to watch.

Ichiro is 43. He’s hitting .223 this season. But he represents a defensive upgrade in the late innings, Jorge Bonifacio could always slide in as the DH and honestly, it would just be tons of fan to have him.

Ichiro, OF, Miami

Schedule