3 key Royals from 2025 who enter the offseason with uncertain roles for 2026

There's currently a large amount focus on what moves the Kansas City Royals make this offseason to upgrade this 2025 team that just missed the postseason.

In all of the chaos of the rumor mill, what can suddenly become lost is what the Royals still have at their disposal.

Even in a disappointing season, there were plenty of guys who made noteworthy contributions. However, with offseason additions inevitable, some of those names could be at risk of seeing role changes in 2026.

3 key Royals from 2025 who enter the offseason with uncertain roles for 2026

LHP Daniel Lynch IV

This certainly isn't the first time that the Royals' left-handed pitching situation has been brought up in the early stages of this offseason. However, most of the issues lie beyond Lynch, mainly on how they'll look to upgrade the middle-relief innings of Sam Long.

But Long's not the only lefty in the bullpen, as Lynch along with Angel Zerpa are still under team control and likely to be in the mix next season.

Lynch was one of Quatraro's go-to relievers at the start of the year, assuming a Swiss Army Knife type role. He could step up and fall back on his starting history and open a game when needed, or he could step in the high-leverage innings and either set-up or even close out a game.

That being said, he fell a bit in the pecking order in the second half of the year, posting an ERA after the All-Star break that was 1.22 points higher than his first half clip (3.81 vs. 2.59) and a BAA against 37 points higher (.282 vs. .245). Not to mention he saw a 1.4% dip in his K-rate.

He was able to counter that with a lower WHIP thanks to an improvement in his control that saw his walk-rate lower dramatically.

Still, the rise of both Steven Cruz and Taylor Clarke have diminished the importance of Lynch in the late innings and with so many starters that the Royals will need to find roles for, names like Luinder Avila could take the opener role away from him too.

He's come a long way from being one of the last additions to Kansas City's roster out of Spring Training in 2025, but there's arguably just as much ambiguity, if not more, in what his role will be this time around.

RHP Stephen Kolek

Then there's one of those aforementioned starters in Kolek, who certainly played his way into contention for an impact role for 2026 with how he stepped up at the end of the season.

The problem is though, with so many starters in the mix, it's easy to think that Kolek could get lost in the mix for various reasons.

The obvious locks for the rotation are their three big financial commitments in Cole Ragans, Seth Lugo and Michael Wacha. Then, if he's still on the roster, the 2025 All-Star in Kris Bubic will be surefire bet to crack the starting staff. Then, there's the likely AL Rookie-of-the-Year finalist in Noah Cameron who did nothing but prove he deserves more time in the spotlight.

This means that it could come down to both names that came over to the Royals from the San Diego Padres at the trade deadline in Kolek and Ryan Bergert.

Bergert was equally as impressive in 2025, is three years younger and has just as many options as Kolek.

It's not crazy to think that if it came down to the two of them, the Royals might want to give the starting run to the 25-year-old who's coming off a strong mid-3.00s ERA rookie campaign. This is especially the case when you consider Kolek has prior relief experience as well.

There's arguments to be made for him as a starter, as a reliever or even as an Omaha Storm Chaser come Opening Day next season. Spring Training will be as important to him as any Royal.

2B/OF Michael Massey

Lastly, there's Massey, who's been a real topic of conversation this month.

After a dreadful 26 wRC+ start to his 2025 season before a lenghty stint on the injured list, Massey showed some immense upside in the second half, as a 151 wRC+ upon his return from injury in late-August made him on of the best hitters in the Royals lineup.

Now, that roughly month long stint needs to be taken with a grains of salt, but after the poor season Jonathan India had, it's not egregious to think that Massey could be in the running to get starting reps at second base.

That being said, given that grain of salt mentality, the Royals could opt to search for new options to pair with Bobby Witt Jr. in the middle infield - whether that be a whole new starting option or another name to add to the mix of their current group as a stabilizer.

He could be a starter, he could be bench option or he could fall smack dab in the middle as potentially more of a platoon option.