3 outfield trade options that Royals could get at a lower price than Jarren Duran

The Kansas City Royals have picked up the pace from treading water to leaving a wake behind their offseason boat since the Winter Meetings. Kansas City hasn’t had that headline outfield addition the fanbase is hoping for, but adding veteran Lane Thomas and 2025 NL Rookie of the Year contender Isaac Collins since Orlando’s engagement makes the outfield crew notably better.

But the Boston Red Sox and their outfielder Jarren Duran will not leave the picture.

The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal had an updated report regarding Kansas City’s interest in Duran, saying the Royals are still hunting for another outfielder after adding Collins and Thomas. But the two sides are reportedly not close on what Duran will cost Kansas City.

“The Royals are under the impression Duran would cost them left-hander Cole Ragans, though the Red Sox view the initial talks as more informal and exploratory, according to people briefed on the conversations...Both Ragans, 28, and Duran, 29, are under club control for three more seasons, with Ragans under contract for a combined $12 million in 2026-27 and Duran for $7.75 million in ’26. The Royals, though, see Ragans as a player with greater value, a potential Game 1 starter in a postseason series,” Rosenthal wrote.

Boston seemingly has an extra outfielder, and Kansas City needs an outfielder. The Royals seemingly have starting pitching to spare and the Red Sox want to bolster their rotation even further. There is a reason the pairing makes sense, even if the process thus far has been fruitless.

Duran would undoubtedly take Kansas City’s lineup into a higher tier, but the cost will obviously be steep in the trade picture.

Kansas City would do themselves a disservice to hone in on one player at this point of the offseason. Their deal with the Milwaukee Brewers serves as a reminder of how creative or surprising a trade can come to pass.

If Duran is the metaphorical ceiling, what are some other options Kansas City can pursue below that mark, in both potential production and prospective cost?

3 outfield trade options that Royals could get at a lower price than Jarren Duran

UTL Jeff McNeil, New York Mets

After acquiring Marcus Semien from the Texas Rangers, the Mets have a list of potential second basemen behind him. Brett Baty, Ronny Mauricio, Jorge Polanco, and Luisangel Acuña are all viable options behind the veteran Semien heading into 2026.

One fellow unnamed vet in Jeff McNeil may present Kansas City an opportunity to shore up both left field and second base.

McNeil is heading into the final year of his four-year, $50 million contract and will be due at least $17.75 million if a team doesn’t pick up his club option for 2027. McNeil has been a valuable player across the contract, but he hasn’t been quite the contributor New York may have hoped for.

He also completes another trip around the sun in early April, heading into his age-34 season, and that makes him far from a linchpin in New York’s future plans. If New York wants to open up playing time for younger, team-controlled players, moving on from McNeil would seem like a sensible move.

The Mets are struggling to find a regular role for McNeil. Could Kansas City alleviate the situation? The Mets are hardly a club seeking to jettison any and all large contracts, but paying nearly $20 million for a likely bench bat seems over the top and not a move the front office would like to make.

Thankfully, McNeil excels at the two positions Kansas City needs to shore up the most this offseason: the outfield and second base.

At the end of the day, McNeil is not a game-changer, but he is a player who brings Kansas City back to at least average at two positions.

He’s an average fielder in both left field and second base, with a 102 wRC+ across his last three seasons. He is steady, doesn’t chase pitches outside the zone, and gives Kansas City a left-handed option with those fielding chops.

McNeil will not be a banner acquisition, but he goes a long way toward showing how aggressive Kansas City is in addressing their floor and how willing they are to take on payroll.

OF Jake Meyers, Houston Astros

The Royals were reportedly interested in Houston Astros center fielder Jake Meyers at this year’s Winter Meetings, and nothing between now and then should change that.

Kansas City is still looking for more outfield help, and there is not a slam-dunk option to shore up center field. I, along with most Royals fans, am fine with sacrificing the nine-hole to Kyle Isbel if it means keeping his smooth glove in the field. But if Kansas City can upgrade there and lengthen the lineup further, Meyers could be the way to go.

The Astros have committed to “let prospects Zach Cole (Astros’ No. 19, per MLB Pipeline) and Jake Melton (No. 2), both of whom made their Major League debut last year, battle for playing time in center field,” according to MLB.com. That path means Meyers needs to move somewhere, and he could be the piece Houston dangles to acquire their desired starting pitching help.

No matter who Kansas City sends down south in this hypothetical trade, they would be getting back a player coming off a career year. Meyers’ 107 wRC+ in 104 games last year was by far a career best, raising his career mark to 91 wRC+.

The 2024 Gold Glove finalist has always been a well-above-average fielder for the Astros in his five seasons. The 29-year-old has two more seasons of arbitration before he hits free agency, and his trade value may not be higher than it is right now.

Again, is this a headline move that catapults Kansas City into World Series contenders? No, but it does make that outfield much closer to above average than not, the kind of steady upgrade that nudges a good team closer to October.

OF Luis Robert Jr., Chicago White Sox

Should any team help the Chicago White Sox’s pursuit of the league’s smallest payroll? No. Is an intradivisional trade for a player of this caliber likely? Also no. Is any potential Luis Robert Jr. has being wasted on the South Side? Yes.

The White Sox picked up Robert’s option this offseason, giving him a raise to a $20 million salary and keeping him as the team’s highest-paid player.

The White Sox are not investing much into their roster heading into 2026, instead trusting improvement from their existing players and adding NPB standout Anthony Kay on a two-year pact. All signs point to a last-place finish in the AL Central, a familiar outcome for Royals fans.

The fact is Robert is going to be a trade candidate until a move happens or his contract expires, simply because of his past success, present tools, and the team’s bleak outlook.

Robert felt like a budding star following his 2023 season, when he posted a 129 wRC+ and amassed 4.9 fWAR thanks to his glove and 20 stolen bases.

But each season since has been a letdown, with injury and overall underproduction plaguing the Cuban outfielder. It’s not like the organization has fostered talent around Robert or invested in coaching that can fix whatever ails the 28-year-old. The potential will keep trade suitors coming back every so often, hoping the next team can unlock whatever is holding Robert back.

Even in his 2025 form, Robert would have been one of Kansas City’s best outfielders. He swiped 33 bags in 110 games and ranked in the 93rd percentile with 7 Outs Above Average. Even with an 84 wRC+ and .661 OPS, he still managed 1.3 fWAR in a shortened season. Robert is a streaky hitter, ending the 2025 season on a solid run before another injury put him back on the shelf.

Why would Kansas City be interested? It all depends on trade price and what the new hitting-coaching additions see in Robert.

The outfielder’s complete and utter lack of plate discipline flies in the face of many of the team’s offseason acquisitions, but can they improve that part of Robert’s game, or is there more context behind why he struggles with chasing pitches? Those are questions for Kansas City to answer.

Robert could certainly be had for a cheaper trade package than Duran while offering a similar ceiling. The floor and volatility are massive red flags, but if Kansas City wants to get frisky, Robert is a phone call away.