KC Royals: Making the case, San Diego free agents

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The KC Royals might find some valuable help among San Diego’s free agents.

Spin it any way you want to. Say the KC Royals couldn’t afford him. Say they could, but he wanted an opt-out clause the Royals weren’t willing to give. Say he didn’t want any part of a painful, unavoidable rebuild.

Say anything you want, but the fact probably always was that Eric Hosmer wasn’t coming back to Kansas City. The San Diego Padres offered him a better deal and, for whatever reason, Hosmer took it and left the Royals after the 2017 season.

Now, it could be the Royals who lure a free agent away from the Padres.

The Royals’ first choice would likely be Trevor Rosenthal, who rediscovered himself in Kansas City in 2020 before the club predictably swapped him to the Padres in a trade deadline deal that brought Edward Olivares to KC. Rosenthal, perhaps the most successful yet of general manager Dayton Moore’s famous reclamation projects, had seven saves and a 13.8 SO9 rate at the time, then helped the Padres make the playoffs with an even better strikeout clip (15.3), nine scoreless innings and four saves.

But Rosenthal isn’t likely to return to Kauffman Stadium, at least not in a Royals uniform. Unlike KC, San Diego is close to World Series-ready and becoming the Rosenthal of old could drive up his market price too much.

Related Story. Why Rosenthal won't return to KC. light

After Rosenthal, the San Diego free agent numbers are few after Abraham Almonte signed with Atlanta last month and Yonder Alonso, who the Padres reacquired in August, retired Friday.

Who remains might, however, be of help to the Royals.

A relief pitcher and a versatile infielder may be the best fits for the KC Royals.

As it stands today, the KC Royals have no established closer. Trevor Rosenthal and Greg Holland, their two 2020 closers, are free agents, as is 2019 closer Ian Kennedy, a pitcher the club would do well not to re-sign.

But one San Diego free agent might fill the void if the Royals can’t convince Rosenthal or Holland to return. Kirby Yates, a left-handed seven-year veteran who will join Holland as a 35-year old in March (Holland turned 35 Friday), entrenched himself in the Padres’ closer role in 2019 when he led the majors in saves with 41.

Although he went 0-5 that season, Yates posted a 1.19 ERA, 1.30 FIP, 15.0 SO9 and a stingy 0.890 WHIP, which was even better than his 0.921 WHIP in 2018. He has a mesmerizing slider and displayed good control in 2018 and ’19.

Yates, though, struggled in 2020. He pitched only six times, and his eight strikeouts in just 4.1 innings weren’t enough to overshadow the seven hits and four walks he allowed. Bone chips were discovered in his elbow and he underwent surgery in August.

If the Royals satisfy themselves that Yates’ 2020 problems are behind him, they should give him a call, but only if they seriously doubt their ability to bring back Rosenthal or Holland; because Rosenthal isn’t likely to return, Holland should be the priority. But Yates is definitely a possibility.

The Royals would benefit from a good utility-type player who could allow manager Mike Matheny to pencil Whit Merrifield into a single spot. Jurickson Profar could be helpful: he’s played every infield position and has time in the outfield. He may not win a Gold Glove at any infield position, but he hasn’t made a single error in 77 outfield appearances.

Profar isn’t a great hitter (.238/.318/.397 in seven years), but hit .278 in 56 games this season and clubbed 20 homers in both 2018 and 2019. He’s also a switch-hitter, which can always help. The Royals could use another versatile player; Profar could be it.

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The Padres’ remaining three free agents don’t offer much that the KC Royals need.

Back in late 2017, when Eric Hosmer’s departure from Kansas City was all but certain, the Royals probably could have used Mitch Moreland. Unlike Hosmer, Moreland really didn’t hit for much average; like Hosmer, however, he had power (20-plus homers in three straight seasons and four of the previous five), could play first base well, having won a Gold Glove with Texas in 2016, and was a free agent.

But even if the Royals were serious about Moreland, they were waiting for Hosmer and, in the interim, Moreland signed with Boston for 2018 and made the All-Star team for the first time as Hosmer began his tenure in San Diego.

The Padres executed a number of midseason moves in 2020 to strengthen themselves for their ultimately successful run for the playoffs; among the transactions was a trade deadline deal with the Red Sox to secure Moreland, who was hitting an uncharacteristically high .328. Moreland played 20 games down the stretch but fizzled to .203 for San Diego, although he went 4-for-8 in the postseason.

He’s again a free agent but, with Hunter Dozier’s emergence at first base, and Ryan O’Hearn and Ryan McBroom waiting in the wings, the Royals shouldn’t be searching for another first sacker. Moreland also has nearly 50 games in right field, but Kansas City has more outfielders than they can count. Moreland, then, isn’t someone the club should pursue.

The Royals also need to supplement their rotation and could consider Garrett Richards, a 32-year old 10-year veteran right-hander with a 47-41 career record. His two best seasons were with the Angels in 2014 and 2015, when he went 13-4 and 15-12. Since then, though, he’s 8-12, a record most attributable to two separate elbow surgeries, including the Tommy John procedure. There are other starters out there, including many with more recent success and without histories of elbow issues.

Jason Castro would be useful to the KC Royals as a backup catcher and a left-handed bat off the bench. He has more historic power than current Kansas City backup backstops Cam Gallagher and Meibrys Viloria, but his career .230 average and the fact he’ll be 34 in June suggest he wouldn’t be a great upgrade over either Royal.

Next. Can any White Sox free agents help KC?. dark

The Padres took one of Kansas City’s star free agents in 2018. Will the KC Royals do the same to San Diego this winter? Time will tell.

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The KC Royals might find some valuable help among San Diego’s free agents.

A relief pitcher and a versatile infielder may be the best fits for the KC Royals.

The Padres’ remaining three free agents don’t offer much that the KC Royals need.

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