KC Royals: Is there any free agent help in Colorado?

A Colorado starting pitcher might get a call from the KC Royals this winter.

In the midst of a seventh straight losing season, the Royals picked Whit Merrifield, Christian Colon, Brett Eibner and Scott Alexander in the 2010 amateur draft, and signed them all. They also selected current Colorado starter Jon Gray, who opted instead for school, then signed with the Rockies when they drafted him in 2013.

Now, Kansas City might have another shot at Gray. He’s a free agent, and it just so happens the Royals could stand to add a fairly reliable starter to their unstable rotation.

But landing Gray, even if the club is interested, won’t be easy. He strung together four consecutive double-digit win seasons from 2016-2019, and he’s managed a 4.54 career ERA at Coors Field, no small accomplishment considering how hitter-friendly the Rockies’ high altitude home venue tends to be.

Gray isn’t a Scherzer or a Kershaw, but he’s a steady mid-to-back-end rotation piece who could interest the Royals. Even if Kansas City calls, however, Gray’s heart may be too attached to the Rox, unless their surprising failure to make him a Qualifying Offer by Sunday’s 5 p.m. ET deadline signals an end to the Rockies’ relationship with the righthander.

Kansas City could probably use Gray. Colorado, though, may prove too much for the Royals to overcome.