KC Royals Free Agent Hunt: Help from the Halos?

The KC Royals have been candid about their offseason free agent spending plans.

Unless they re-sign Zack Greinke for more than the $13 million he made last season, possibly the only way he returns considering the club’s public pronouncements that they want him back and the strong market for starting pitchers, they won’t be writing any big checks. And more proof of that approach came Tuesday evening when the Royals picked up Tampa Bay free agent lefty Ryan Yarbrough for a reported $3 million base.

So don’t be surprised if the club might have been considering affordable Angels righthander Michael Lorenzen, an eight-year big league veteran who’s started and relieved, but is best thought of as a starter. Lorenzen pitched decently for the Halos last season, going 8-6 with a 4.24 ERA in 18 starts, a performance for which Los Angeles had to pay only $6.75 million, an amount only a bit more than half of what KC paid Greinke.

But any designs Kansas City had on Lorenzen apparently fell by the wayside Wednesday night. According to reports, including FanSided MLB Insider Robert Murray’s, Lorenzen and the Tigers are getting together:

If the Royals were in on Lorenzen and lost out, his joining AL Central rival Detroit will increase the sting.

Should Kansas City consider any other LA free agents?

Touki Toussaint is on the market, but the KC Royals probably can’t use him.

Touki Toussaint is only 26, but already has five big league seasons behind him—he went 3-3, 4.50 for 2021 World Series champ Atlanta and is 10-7, 5.34 in four years with the Braves and one with the Angels.

LA, however, DFA’d him not long before the deadline for clubs to set 40-man rosters for Rule 5 Draft reasons, and he’s now a free agent. The Royals could take a look at him but shouldn’t: as his career 5.50 BB/9 suggests, control is a problem for the righthander and Kansas City already has enough hurlers who struggle to throw strikes.

What about three other Angel free agents?

If the KC Royals need utility infielders, two LA free agents might work.

At 31 (32 next month), Matt Duffy has enjoyed a good big league career. He broke in with San Francisco in 2014 and played well enough to earn a spot on the Giants’ postseason roster which, of course, brought him a World Series ring when his club beat Kansas City in seven games.

He’s also played in the postseason with Tampa Bay and owns a nice .279 career average and .337 OBP.  He hit .250 for the Halos last season but slashed .287/.357/.381 with the Cubs in 2021.

Duffy doesn’t have much power (29 home runs in seven seasons) but, having played every infield position and dabbled a bit in left field, he’s defensively versatile.

His primary spot, though, is third base, a position that remains unsettled in Kansas City. His .964 career hot corner fielding percentage is above average. Duffy’s main value to the Royals would be as a third base placeholder, one who could mentor KC’s young infielders, until the club settles on a long-term solution.

Also among LA’s free agents is Jonathan Villar, another fairly versatile infielder (he’s played everywhere on the infield but first base) who seems best suited for a utility role. A true journeyman who’s played for eight major league teams, he has some power that’s dwindled over the past few years. Splitting last season between the Cubs and Angels, he hit .208 in 59 games.

Should Kansas City pursue Duffy or Villar? No—this is a club boasting more infielders than they can accommodate, and it doesn’t need more.

Should Kansas City pursue any Angel free agents?