Alex Bregman, 3B
Alex Bregman was ranked 7th on The Athletic's list of the top 50 free agents available this winter, and yet, the Gold Glove Award winner is still on the market with mere weeks until spring training. In 624 plate appearances in 2024, Bregman slashed .260/.315/.453 with 26 home runs and 75 RBI for the Houston Astros, but despite the two-time World Series champion being an obvious offensive upgrade on the Royals' Maikel Garcia at third base, Kansas City has reportedly not shown much interest in his services this winter — if any at all.
"The Royals are not "in" on Bregman," The Athletic's Jim Bowden wrote on November 29. "Their trade for Jonathan India solved their leadoff and infield need. They will not make an offer for Bregman, according to team sources."
Now, a lot has happened since the end of November, and the fact that the Royals were out on Bregman before the Winter Meetings doesn't necessarily mean they're still against the idea of adding him to the roster. Despite a clear goal of adding a middle-of-the-order power bat to the lineup, Kansas City hasn't made a big move to bolster the offense, so it's certainly not out of the question for the team to start reconsidering players they previously ruled out.
The biggest concern with signing Bregman is the cost. The Astros reportedly offered him a six-year, $156 million deal (AAV of $26 million) to return to Houston, and the fact that he turned it down proves he's looking for an even bigger pay day than that would've provided. Just Baseball's Ryan Finkelstein has predicted Bregman will secure a six-year, $168 million contract (AAV of $28 million) this winter, while Spotrac projects his market value will earn him a four-year, $120 million deal (AAV of $30 million).
Anything close to those projections will be out of the Royals' budget, but as spring training draws closer, perhaps Bregman will settle for a shorter deal. Admittedly, even a one- or two-year deal will be a huge hit to the team's payroll, but if Kansas City is serious about winning a championship, Bregman would be a major addition to the roster.