Diamondbacks' latest change could open up intriguing Royals trade option

At this point it's well documented the Kansas City Royals' need for outfield reinforcements after a league-worst 73 wRC+ performance from their group in 2025 played a role in the team's return to the October sidelines.

Fans will surely hope that GM J.J. Picollo and Co. to swing for the fences for free agent names like Cody Bellinger or trade for All-Star-caliber talent like Jarren Duran, but a bit realism should be in order here.

This is still a small market team who sported just the 19th highest payroll in baseball in 2025, so it should be exepcted that some element of frugal spending will be at play here.

But some lineup shakeups elsewhere in the league may've just presented the Royals with a new frugal outfield option to consider this offseason.

Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Alek Thomas could once again find himself at the center of trade rumors. This comes after former top prospect Jordan Lawlar took reps in center field in the Dominican Winter League, just weeks after Steve Gilbert of MLB.com reported the team had a desire to see him in center.

Alek Thomas could hold value in the Royals' outfield mix

This isn't the first time the Royals have been linked to Thomas, as he was floated as an option for them at this summer's trade deadline. However, this time it could make more sense.

On the surface, there are certainly some red-flags that would make him a confusing fit, mainly around his offense.

Thomas posted his fourth below-average season in the eyes of wRC+, playing to an 81 wRC+ this past season. He hit just .249 with nine homers, 38 RBI and a .659 OPS. Not to mention, he is also a left-handed hitter, which they have an abundance of.

However, this was a vast improvement from his 65 wRC+ season in 2024, as he posted career highs in AVG, OBP, HR, RBI and wRC+.

All of these numbers would make him a clear upgrade over the likes of MJ Melendez and John Rave, plus he offers more than just an upward trending bat.

The Royals certainly had a baserunning issue last season, finishing with a negative baserunning value (BsR) in 2025, which ranked amongst the bottom 10 in all of baseball.

On top of 75th percentile sprint speed, Thomas also posted a 2.0 BsR in 2025 - which marked his fourth consecutive season with an above average clip.

The question is, whether or not he can play the corners, as he's only ever played center in the majors. And with Isbel hitting left offering a similar bat plus world-class defense, Thomas isn't an upgrade over him.

Is Thomas the best fit? No.

Will he solve all of their outfield issues? No.

But at the end of the day, with a projected arbitration salary of $2.2 million in 2026, he offers a low risk depth option that could check a few boxes on the Royals offseason upgrade list.

He may not be the answer, but it's not a bad avenue to at least kick the tires on.