KC Royals: Making the case, Chicago White Sox free agents

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Jarrod Dyson (Photo by Ron Vesely/Getty Images) /

In the search for free agents, the KC Royals could look to the White Sox if wanting to add a few pitchers into their mix of young arms.

Welcome back to Kings of Kauffman’s continuing series analyzing the major league free agent market and projecting who might, or might not, fit the KC Royals’ needs. Today we take a look at the Chicago White Sox free agents.

With the hunt on for free agents, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see some teams looking towards the Chicago White Sox. While they don’t have a large number of players coming out of the organization, there are a few that might be of interest to teams like the KC Royals.

With a mix that includes a few position players and a larger grouping of pitchers, there are bound to be a few that could peak some interest. One in particular is an old friend of the Royals, though it’s another reunion that might be better off left alone.

Jarrod Dyson spent his 2020 between both the Pirates and the White Sox. On the season, he slashed .180/.231/.180 and added 5 RBIs and 11 hits over his 66 plate appearances. The sample is small and it’s nothing to get excited over.

Dyson spent a good amount of time with Kansas City to start his career and while he provided some good innings, this may be one former player the Royals want to look past.

Dyson could help fill a spot int he outfield, being able to play any of the three, and it helps that he is already familiar with the canyon of Kauffman Stadium. Still, the Royals have plenty of internal options, and there are some better outfield options available. While Dyson will always have a special place among some Royals fans, it’s better to pass this time around.

Edwin Encarnacion (Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports) /

The KC Royals are interested in some pitching, but they need to ensure they get a starter they can count on.

Clayton Richard has been around baseball for a while. He started with the White Sox when they drafted him in 2005 and has moved around baseball since, ending up with the Sox again in 2020. He has seen some decent success at times during his career and has had 2 seasons with over 200 innings, but he’s one the Royals should pass on.

The Sox signed him in August but he never saw any major league innings in 2020. Richard underwent surgery in 2014 causing him to miss the season, and while he did see some small success following that, there is still question about his ability.

Another starter the Sox have to offer is Gio Gonzalez. Gonzalez did see 31.2 innings in 2020, seeing time in 12 games and making 4 starts. He held an ERA of 4.83 and struggled with walks.

Gonzalez is a 2 time All-Star, and has finished 3rd and 6th in Cy Young voting during his career. Still, he might not be the best option for the Royals. Both Gonzalez and Richard could be interesting signings on minor league deals for the Royals as they have decent upsides if everything clicks and are fairly low risk, but they just don’t fit the trend in Kansas City.

The Royals are moving forward with their young pitchers. If a starter is going to be brought in, it needs to be someone who can be trusted to lead the young arms, not one that will have to be replaced by one of them.

Another pass up is Edwin Encarnacion. Encarnacion is primarily a designated hitter, and that spot is already filled in Kansas City. Plus, he has seen a decline over his last few seasons. He will be 38 when entering the 2021 season and while he does come with a decent resume for smashing the ball into the stands, he just isn’t something the Royals need.

Alex Colome (Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-USA TODAY Sports) /

While a starter may be possible for the KC Royals, a reliever or two to supplement the bullpen is more likely.

The lone White Sox position player that might garner some attention by the KC Royals is James McCann. Now, with Salvador Perez still on the roster, McCann would likely have to be paid decently to be just a back up. If they Royals plan to give Perez more time off and set him at the DH or first base a little more, though, having a catcher like McCann could be a good thing.

He was up for the Gold Glove this past season, and has seen some decent hitting over the past few seasons along with some power. In 2020, he slashed .289/.360/.536 and added 7 home runs. McCann is ultimately unneeded, but if the Royals plan includes the need for a stronger backup catcher, McCann could be an interesting addition to the roster.

Ross Detwiler is one cheaper option the Royals could look towards for bullpen help. Detwiler rides the line of pass/worth a look, but knowing the Royals, he fits into their idea of possible recclamation veteran.

Detwiler has been on and off rosters for the last few seasons and jumped around, but he had a fairly successful start to his career with the Nationals as a starter. He had a decent season with the Sox in 2020 as a reliever and might garner some attention for 2021. While he likely won’t be a game-changer, on a cheap, likely minor league deal, he could be a possible option if his success continues.

Steve Cishek is another possibly inexpensive bullpen arm. He has a decent history as a reliever, working with a good strikeout rate, but struggling at times with walks. He saw a jump in ERA and FIP in 2020 with the Sox that could cause his price to drop even lower.

If he could find his footing again in Kansas City, he could be a good veteran to plug into the Royals young bullpen to help lead the way.

Finally, there is a more expensive, but best looking option, Alex Colome. Colome is the youngest reliever of this Whit Sox group, and had a great 2020 season. Over 22.1 innings he only gave up 2 earned runs for an ERA of 0.81, had an FIP of 2.97, and recorded 12 saves.

He is not going to be as cheap as some other options, though with a financially depressed market, he could come at a decent price for the Royals, especially if they are willing to give him a couple years of stability.

He could present some risk, but his past few season have shown good numbers that speak to his sustained success.

dark. Next. KC Royals: Making the case, LA Dodgers free agents

While there may not be a lot of options, the White Sox do have a few free agents that could be of interest to the Royals. Be sure to keep an eye out for our continuing series covering the free agents from each team around Baseball.

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In the search for free agents, the KC Royals could look to the White Sox if wanting to add a few pitchers into their mix of young arms.

The KC Royals are interested in some pitching, but they need to ensure they get a starter they can count on.

While a starter may be possible for the KC Royals, a reliever or two to supplement the bullpen is more likely.

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