KC Royals predictably sniped by Dodgers on top free agent fit

The Kansas City Royals went into the winter with some obvious roster issues to address before next season, and while some of them have been dealt with, others are yet to be solved. Now, one of the team's top free agent target has been taken off the market, leaving the Royals to search elsewhere for a middle-of-the-order bat to bolster the outfield.

On December 27, the Los Angeles Dodgers re-signed outfielder Teoscar Hernández to a three-year, $66 million deal with a club option for 2028, according to MassLive’s Chris Cotillo. The contract includes a $23 million signing bonus and more than $23 million in deferred money, per MLB.com's Sonja Chen, making Hernández the latest addition on a growing list of players that the Dodgers have signed on heavily deferred contracts.

Los Angeles is yet to officially confirm the contract, but Hernández appeared to break his own news on social media, posting the words “I’m back” on his Instagram story.

Since the start of the offseason, the Royals have been linked to Hernández as an option to boost their outfield, so with him off the market, where does that leave Kansas City?

KC Royals Need to Move Quick on Power Bat

After slugger Juan Soto, Hernández was unquestionably the best free agent outfielder available this winter. In one of the best offensive seasons of his nine-year career, the 32-year-old slashed .272/.339/.501 in 2024, posting 33 home runs and 99 RBI. While his strikeout rate and whiff rate — 28.8% and 34%, respectively — were both well below average, he posted the second-most homers on the Dodgers, earned the second All-Star section of his career, and played an important role in Los Angeles' ultimately successful World Series run.

At the start of the offseason, MLB.com's Jim Bowden named the Royals as a "best team fit" for Hernández, and little has changed since then. The Royals locked in a leadoff hitter by acquiring second baseman Jonathan India from the Cincinnati Reds, but the outfield remains a problem area, and general manager J.J. Picollo has spoken about the team's need for a middle-of-the-order bat. With Hernández now off the market, the Royals are left with limited options in free agency.

Anthony Santander and Jurickson Profar are still on the market, though neither are perfect fits for the Royals, and both were named as "free agents most likely to be overpaid" by Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly at the end of November. Austin Hays had a disappointing second-half of 2024, but after being non-tendered at the end of the season, he could be a cost-effective option with a potentially high ceiling. Kiké Hernández could also be considered, but he's unlikely to be a game-changer.

The reality is that the free agency market moves fast, and if the Royals want to land a power bat to bolster the outfield, they need to hurry up. They've already missed out on Hernández, and even if the team decides to focus on trade options, they need to move quickly before another team beats them to it.