KC Royals Rumors: Insider identifies two outfield targets to address critical issues

The Kansas City Royals find themselves in a bit of a predicament. They entered this week coming off a pair of brutal back-to-back sweeps that saw them plummet in the AL Wild Card standings. However, after their second straight win in Texas on Wednesday night the Royals are climbing their way back up the standings and looking more like the competitive buyers they were anticipated to have been when the season began.

And multiple MLB insiders appear to believe that the Royals will still assume the role of buyers at the July 31st trade deadline - even if it's not a certainty at this point - with MLB.com's Mark Feinsand listing two outfield targets as fits for Kansas City.

Taylor Ward and Jesús Sánchez could be a solution to several key issues plaguing KC Royals

Taylor Ward

Feinsand lists Taylor Ward of the Los Angeles Angels as a potential Royals target at the deadline, and with the amount that Ward has been rumored to be on the block dating back to the offseason, it's no shock that he's once again in trade conversations.

And given how poorly the Royals outfield has performed as a whole in 2025 - ranking dead last in MLB in wRC+ at 63 (13 points lower then the Guardians in 29th) - it's certainly no shock that the Royals fit was made here.

And beyond just the above average offensive potential he could offer Kansas City, he checks a specific box that the Royals currently struggle with at the dish.

“Ward is on pace to shatter his personal high in home runs (25 and 2024), belting 18 in his first 69 games this season,” Feinsand wrote.

If there was ever a team it need of home runs, it's Kansas City, as entering Thursday afternoon's series finale in Arlington they were tied for the least amount of long balls in MLB this season alongside the Pittsburgh Pirates at just 50.

Ward hasn't been lighting the world on fire in terms of his stat line by any means. He's come back down to earth quite notably from a 111 wRC+ season in 2024 to a 98 wRC+ season this year thanks to a .209/.271/.462 slash line.

However, for a team starving for power and the ability to drive in runs, Ward definitely checks those boxes, and with a track record of four straight above average seasons coming into 2025, the Royals could net somewhat of a bargain with him this July.

A $7.825 million price tag this season with one year of team control left, also makes him the exact profile a smaller market team like the Royals would covet.

Jesús Sánchez

Moving to a name that may have a little less notoriety than Ward, Feinsand also lists Miami Marlins outfielder Jesús Sánchez as a Royals fit.

Now he may not be the same type of power profile as Ward, but Sánchez would certainly provide Kansas City with a boost in multiple problem areas.

With seven home runs he doesn't really hold a candle to Ward's power this year, but Feinsand does mention he has a valuable power profile, describing him as “a hard-hitting right fielder”.

And his underlying metrics do back up this description, as his 71st percentile barrel rate of 11.7%, his 81st percentile average exit velocity of 91.5 mph and his 70th percentile xSLG of .478 are all definitely above average marks.

Where Sánchez differentiates himself from a name like Ward is the fact that he can also immediately provide the Royals with solutions to their issues in both drawing walks and cashing in on runners in scoring position in impressive fashion.

The Royals currently sit last in baseball in team walk rate at 6.4% and when it comes to hitting with runners in scoring position, they sit tied for 24th in AVG, 25th in RBI and last in both OPS and wRC+.

Sánchez however, walks at an above average 9.7% rate and has risen to the occasion in high leverage situations with a 138 wRC+, .288 AVG, .880 OPS and 23 RBI with RISP.

And just as a hitter in general, it's hard to look past an outfielder with a .747 OPS an 107 wRC+ and not be intrigued.

He's four years younger than Ward, has a full extra year of team control remaining and is currently on a team more conducive to selling at this point in the Marlins (29-43) than the Angels (36-37) would be.

This might make his price tag a tad higher, but the lasting benefits would certainly make this a worthwhile acquisition should J.J. Picollo pull it off.