3 moves that the Royals need to make before the likely lockout

The Kansas City Royals are not going to be one of the biggest spenders this offseason. That’s not exactly shocking news. Without the deep pockets of teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers or New York Yankees, the Royals will need to be smart and efficient with their money as the lockout in December inches closer. But that doesn’t mean that they won’t be able to make some impactful moves over the next few weeks.  

With dozens of players hitting the free agent market, there is plenty of available talent for the Royals to pursue. And with teams like the Baltimore Orioles open to trading away just about their entire roster, Royals GM J.J. Picollo could even make some exciting deals to build a stronger team for next season. 

However, that aforementioned lockout will not wait for the Royals to make their moves. As 29 other teams rush to wheel and deal before the December 2 deadline, the organization needs to be ready to commit to a direction. 

The Royals will have to act fast if they want to contend in 2027  

In the wake of back-to-back disappointing seasons, the Royals are in desperate need of some positive results in 2027. Injuries wreaked havoc on the team’s pitching staff this past season, putting Royals manager Matt Quatraro in a very tough situation with an assembly of patchwork arms for most of the year.  

The Royals were also impacted by several down years from position players up and down the lineup. From Salvador Perez to Isaac Collins, the team struggled to get consistent offensive production for most of the season. In fact, outside of Jac Caglianone, most of the Royals’ outfielders were disappointing throughout 2026, receiving some of the lowest grades on the team. Despite that, the pitching staff is where the Royals need to focus their attention on first.  

While this offseason can’t erase the frustrating 2026 season, it can help get the Royals back on track. Despite the Cleveland Guardians and Chicago White Sox each making impressive runs in the postseason, they don’t exactly have a firm grip on controlling the AL Central. With a few key moves, the Royals could easily jump straight back into contention. They just can’t afford to wait around before making those moves. 

Clay Holmes could be the perfect addition to the Royals’ starting rotation 

As of now, the Royals’ starting rotation consists of Michael Wacha, Noah Cameron, Seth Lugo, and a roll of duct tape. Needless to say, addressing the pitching depth is a must for Picollo and the rest of the Royals’ front office. Without a massive payroll to throw cash around, the team will have to be smart about which pitcher they target. Clay Holmes should be one of those selective targets. 

Although Holmes missed about two months of the season after fracturing his right fibula in May, he’s not known as an injury-prone player. Following his signing with the New York Mets ahead of the 2025 season, he converted into a starter after being a reliever for the majority of his big league career. While he’s no longer as prolific of a strikeout pitcher as he was out of the bullpen, he has thrived in the rotation, sporting a 3.73 ERA in 53 career starts. Holmes won’t exactly be a budget-friendly pitcher, but the Royals should make him a top priority. 

Signing Casey Mize improves the Royals’ depleted pitching staff  

Before being traded to the San Diego Padres at the trade deadline, Casey Mize was enjoying quite a strong season with the Detroit Tigers in 2026. With a 2.70 ERA and a WHIP of 0.992 in 16 starts for Detroit, Mize became one of the top available arms in August. Unfortunately for Mize and the Padres, he struggled mightily with his new club. He coughed up 13 home runs in just 44.2 innings in San Diego. 

Despite that nightmare second half, Mize is still considered to be one of the better middle-of-the-rotation arms available on the free agent market. He won’t wow fans with dominating stuff or eye-popping numbers, but he can help stabilize a Royals’ rotation in need of reliable pitchers. With experience in the AL Central, he could also give the team a slight advantage against division rivals. 

Making a trade for Colton Cowser

As mentioned earlier, the Orioles are a team that could be commencing a fire sale of their entire roster during this offseason. According to Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner, every player except for Pete Alonso could be on the trade block. While the Orioles aren't flush with high-end talent from top to bottom, they do have some good players on the roster that could make an impact for the Royals. One of those players is Colton Cowser.

Okay, maybe another outfielder with an OPS below .700 is the last thing that the Royals need, but Cowser is as good a defender as there is in the game. His 13 Defensive Runs Saved in just 883 innings played ranked as the 10th best among outfielders in all of baseball in 2026. Although Cowser has run into his fair share of struggles at the plate over the past few seasons, he has shown glimpses of putting it all together. A change of scenery could be the perfect thing for him to make it happen.

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