3 outfield questions the KC Royals must address this winter

It's no secret that the Kansas City Royals need to improve the offensive output from its outfielders. The team reached the playoffs this season in spite of a weak-hitting outfield that hindered the club at the plate from day one, so with big hopes of playing even deeper into the postseason next year, beefing up the outfield bats should be one of general manager J.J. Picollo's highest priorities as baseball's winter markets heat up.

But how successful Picollo's search will be isn't the only question lingering around Kansas City's outfielders.

Here are three questions about the Royals' outfield that need to be answered this winter.

Should the KC Royals platoon Kyle Isbel?

Slashing the playing time of Isbel — one of the game's better defensive center fielders — is risky business, but something the club may consider. Isbel has never replicated the offensive success of his 2021 rookie season, when he hit .276 with a 107 wRC+ and 108 OPS+ — he's slashed only .227/.279/.364 since, and hit just .229 with a poor .287 OBP this year.

The left-hander's platoon splits are also depressing. His career line against lefties is .161/.224/.450, while he's slashing a better, but still concerning, .242/.299/.394 against right-handers. Finding a much better center field bat may not be difficult, but finding and acquiring such a hitter who's also a defensive match for Isbel will be.

So, the Royals need to decide whether their center field spot is the, or even a, place to pep up their offense. It's a tough call considering the importance of having a top-notch defender patrolling that position, especially in Kauffman Stadium.

Will Hunter Renfroe be a Royal when the season opens?

Answering this question with a "Yes" is easy after Renfroe recently and unsurprisingly exercised his $7.5 million player option for 2025 — but things may not be that simple.

Renfroe's 2024 campaign was his first in Kansas City after spreading stints with the San Diego Padres, Tampa Bay Rays, Boston Red Sox, Milwaukee Brewers, Los Angeles Angels, and Cincinnati Reds across his previous eight big-league seasons. Unfortunately, it wasn't good. Yes, he homered 15 times despite missing time with injuries and playing only 120 games, but his .229/.297/.392 line was only marginally better than Isbel's, and wasn't what a major league club needs from its primary right fielder.

Replacing Renfroe with a consistently more productive hitter would be ideal, but it may not be that simple. Because he will likely be hard to trade, and the Royals aren't a club typically inclined to swallow $7.5 million by letting a player go, chances are Renfroe will still be on the roster, but probably on the bench, when the Royals open their 2025 season in March.

How long he'll last, though, could be a different story.

Will Dairon Blanco have a role with the KC Royals in 2025?

As it stands now, Blanco's spot on Kansas City's roster seems relatively safe. Not blessed with much power or a great glove, he has still hit a serviceable .259 in a reserve role over parts of three Kansas City seasons.

But is that enough to keep his job on a team yearning to prove that this year's return to the playoffs wasn't a flash in the proverbial pan?

Probably.

Blanco gives manager Matt Quatraro speed on the basepaths — he's stolen 82% of the bases he's tried to swipe in the majors, including 31 in 2024 and 24 in 2023. That's important for the Royals, who should plan to utilize a disruptive running game next season more than they did this year. Some may scoff at the notion of devoting a roster spot to a part-time player who typically sees only late-game action, but Blanco can be especially effective in those situations, especially when Quatraro needs to quickly manufacture a key run or two.