3 players who could be on the chopping block if KC Royals acquire outfielder

The Kansas City Royals enter this year’s trade deadline with a rare luxury: clarity. Sure, they’re hovering on the fringes of the AL playoff race, the farm system doesn’t have a ton of expendable depth, and internal improvements are still needed—but at least the shopping list is short. They need an outfielder. Period.

It’s been a problem all season, and the promotion of top prospect Jac Caglianone hasn’t fixed much—if anything, it’s made things murkier. To the front office’s credit, they’ve turned over just about every internal stone. But those options haven’t panned out, and now the only real path forward is external help.

The hot stove will churn out new names in the coming weeks. But any addition means subtraction—and that means hard decisions are coming. Who’s on the chopping block in Kansas City if an upgrade arrives?

3 players who could be on the chopping block if KC Royals acquire outfielder

OF Mark Canha

Remember when Mark Canha looked like a godsend—the perfect on-base outfielder for a Kansas City team desperate for competent bats? Pepperidge Farm remembers.

The Royals snagged Canha for a song this spring, banking on the veteran’s consistent approach and plate discipline that made him one of the league’s best at reaching base since his debut. From 2018–2024, Canha posted a wRC+ of 100 or better each year, fueling hope that he could at least be a league-average contributor in Kansas City. Through April, he looked the part—posting a 138 wRC+ in limited action. But once May rolled around, the wheels fell off.

Since the start of May, Canha has a dreadful 23 wRC+. His once-reliable eye has faded, his walk rate has cratered, and his contact—while frequent—is often meaningless. His struggles are a painful microcosm of the Royals’ offensive woes. Canha’s making plenty of contact in the zone, but it’s weak and poorly placed. His 47.3% fly ball rate is the worst of his career, and his 20.9% infield fly ball rate—the second-worst—suggests he’s offering up easy outs more than ever.

Canha was supposed to be the steady bat that moved the line. Not a spark plug, but a professional hitter who could keep innings alive. That version of Canha hasn’t shown up in Kansas City in months. If the Royals trade for an outfielder—or even call one up from Omaha—Canha should be the first name off both the 26-man and 40-man rosters.

OF John Rave

The acquisition of Adam Frazier already puts John Rave’s spot on the big-league roster under pressure—but if the Royals add an impact bat in left field, it would all but guarantee Rave’s return to Triple-A Omaha. Would that be unfair? Not entirely, especially considering his production from a box score standpoint. Kansas City has given the 27-year-old a decent runway, including eight starts in July before the All-Star break. The glove has held up fine, and he’s a so-so runner, but some brutal batted-ball luck makes Rave look like the easiest demotion candidate on the roster.

After a red-hot start to 2025 in Omaha, Rave became a popular name among Royals fans hoping for an internal fix to the team’s outfield struggles. But like others before him, he’s had a real opportunity—and hasn’t made the most of it. Across 80 plate appearances, the Illinois native is slashing .176/.269/.235, with four of his 12 hits going for doubles. Even accounting for some bad luck—his expected stats suggest he's underperforming—his .280 xwOBA still doesn't clear the bar for average offensive output.

If Rave had a standout tool, there might be a stronger case to keep him around. But Frazier offers more as a left-handed bat who can spell the outfield, and Tyler Tolbert brings elite speed that Rave can’t match. There’s no need to boot Rave from the 40-man just yet, but he should absolutely be a candidate for a trip back to Omaha. A stretch of developmental tweaks and consistent work could still carve out a path back to Kauffman Stadium—but for now, the writing’s on the wall.

UTL Adam Frazier

This seems ridiculous to bring up mere days after Kansas City brought the left-handed jack of all trades back, but would this be so bad in two weeks time given the circumstances? Frazier was acquired for another utility man in Cam Devanney, a 28-year-old non-prospect who performed well at Triple-A but is still a massive question mark in The Show. Kansas City obviously has some desire to push for the playoffs still, so betting on Frazier's floor in 2025 was worth giving up Devanney's future apparently.

But let's say it doesn't work out. The pinch-hit opportunities just aren't successful for Frazier, or a move from PNC Park drags Frazier back to his dreadful 2024 performance, the calls for his departure will grow fairly loud. Even if Kansas City just traded for him, that may have been more of a move of opportunity rather than trying to address a more serious need like corner outfield.

If Frazier's playing time primarily comes in the outfield, then there should be more leeway to jettison him in the event the Royals add at that position in a meanigful way. The likeliest option is Frazier's playing time comes as a defesnive substitue in the infield or anywhere after a pinch hitting opportunity, but let's entertain the veteran having a short leash in Kansas City. Him moving out doesn't feel all that likely, but he is a candidate if the bat is unplayable from the word go.