KC Royals: Making the case, 9 Rangers free agents

With Corey Kluber off the market, should any other Texas free agents interest the KC Royals?

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 Texas Rangers’ free agents.

Corey Kluber was nice to think about. Winner of two Cy Young awards and a three-time All-Star, Kluber seemed somewhat sensible for the Royals to consider, even for a short stay, after pitching in a showcase event last week. But as they so often do, the always well-to-do Yankees spoiled a free agent party for everyone else by snatching Kluber up  a week ago. The Royals will have to look elsewhere if they’re still interested in signing a rotation piece.

Kluber became a free agent after finishing his second season with Texas in 2020; his departure for New York leaves nine Ranger free agents on the market. Are there any who might fit Kansas City’s needs?

The Royals continue to look for a lefthanded power hitter (more on that later). They’re solid behind the plate with Salvador Perez, but what’s behind him could stand an offensive upgrade—Cam Gallagher’s and Meibrys Viloria’s bats don’t offer much on Perez’s days off, or during his occasional visits to the Injured List. His own weak bat means KC doesn’t need to consider Texas free agent catcher Jeff Mathis, however. Although he frames well and is otherwise more than adequate defensively, his 16-year .194/.253/.300 slash is all any suitor needs to know about his hitting.

Let’s see what the eight remaining Ranger free agents might have to offer.

A couple of well-established veterans don’t give the KC Royals much to think about.

Texas free agent Edinson Volquez’s positive place in Kansas City baseball history is secure. The Royals desperately needed a starter when it became clear they couldn’t hold on to James Shields after the 2014 season; Volquez, like Shields a free agent, filled Shields’ shoes by going 13-9 as KC won the 2015 American League pennant. Then, with his father’s death earlier that day unknown to him, he beat the Mets in the World Series opener and pitched six stellar innings in the Royals’ Series clincher.

Volquez went 10-11 in 2016 before free agency led him to the Marlins after the season. Tommy John surgery ended his disappointing 4-8 2017 campaign and he spent all of 2018 rehabilitating. Two seasons with the Rangers, primarily as a reliever, didn’t go well—he went 0-1 with a 6.75 ERA in 2019 and 2-1, 6.35 in ’20.

Perhaps Volquez just isn’t the same after surgery, or maybe time caught up with him. Next season will be his 16th and he’ll turn 38 in July. Whatever the cause, Volquez’s decline, age and the KC Royals’ collection of good present and future starters make him an unlikely candidate to rejoin the club.

Shin-Soo Choo, who’s made the Texas outfield his home for the past seven seasons, is available, but probably won’t end Kansas City’s search for a lefthanded power hitter. Although he’s hit the 20 home run mark seven times, and clubbed 67 from 2017-19, and his career .377 OBP is attractive, Choo will join Volquez as a 39-year old in July. And, like Volquez, he’s showing signs of decline: his 2020 average (.236) dropped below .250 for the first time since 2016 and he last came close to his career .275 in 2015 (.276). Choo may not have enough years left for the Royals.

The KC Royals might find a versatile addition among the remaining Ranger free agents.

Before 2019, Danny Santana hadn’t made much noise in his five-year career. He hit .319 as a rookie in 2014, but successive seasons of .215, .240, .202, and .171, and 13 total homers, provided little promise of anything more than a baseball life spent on the bench.

Proving that notion wrong, Santana exploded at the plate in 2019, his first Ranger season after stops in Minnesota and Atlanta. Santana punished American League pitchers with 23 doubles, 28 homers, 81 RBIs and a .283 average in 130 games. But his production dropped last year when an arm injury stole all but 15 games of his season.

Santana has been around the diamond—he’s done everything in the big leagues but pitch and catch—and because he switch hits, he might be the lefty power bat the KC Royals want. Versatility aside, though, the 30-year old doesn’t have the established punch the club needs.

Also versatile are Andrew Romine and Derek Dietrich; unlike Santana, Romine has played every position at least once and Dietrich has appeared at first, second and third bases and in right and left fields. Neither, though, hits particularly well. Romine has no power and a 10-year .235/.291/.301 slash, while Dietrich has some power (he hit 48 of his 84 homers from 2017-19) but a .245 average. Kansas City already has Whit Merrifield, the most productive versatile player in the majors, and Kelvin Gutierrez deserves a shot at the utility infielder spot.