MLB insider reveals KC Royals' surprise platoon plans for center field

Kansas City Royals v Pittsburgh Pirates
Kansas City Royals v Pittsburgh Pirates | Joe Sargent/GettyImages

With power-hitting free agent Anthony Santander heading north of the border to join the Toronto Blue Jays, the Kansas City Royals just barely missed out on the big bat they've been looking for this winter. As relayed by Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the Royals made a three-year, $66 million offer to Santander before he joined the Blue Jays on a deal that will surely be viewed as an overpay by the time all is said and done.

Rosenthal went on to mention that the Royals are likely to finish off their offseason but bringing aboard a player like Randal Grichuk or Adam Duvall to be a platoon bat in the outfield. Each comes with their fair share of question marks, but they've also got the potential to be legitimate contributors in limited roles.

It also sounds like Maikel Garcia, the Royals' slick-fielding infielder, is going to get some time in center field in the upcoming season. To date, his professional experience in the outfield has consisted of just 1.2 innings in right field he logged this past season, taking over at the position as a defensive replacement.

The plan is for Kyle Isbel to remain the club's everyday center fielder against right-handed pitching, with Garcia forming the other side of a platoon. Isbel, a left-handed bat, hit just .161 against southpaws this past season with a dreadful .450 OPS. Garcia's .226 average and .636 OPS isn't exactly star caliber, but it's certainly an improvement.

Royals plan on shaking things up with center field platoon in 2025

Garcia, 24, is lightning fast and has the defensive chops to take to center field nicely. This past season, he finished in the 76th percentile in Outs Above Average and the 68th in Arm Strength. Being able to cover a lot of ground in center is the most important trait to have, and he's got the instincts to take to the position nicely.

The hope is going to be for Garcia to either dominate defensively or tap into some of that offensive upside in the upcoming season. This past season, he went 37-for-39 in stolen base attempts but still finished the year with a .614 OPS and 72 OPS+. There's value in stealing bases and playing strong defensve in the infield, but he's going to need to show just a bit more in 2025 if he's going to truly be considered a long-term piece on this roster.

With the Royals right on the cusp of what's hopefully going to be a multiyear contention window, there's a lot more pressure placed on the everyday players they currently employ. Garcia is going to have more eyes on him than ever in 2025, and he's going to need to either step up with the bat or show that he's a strong defender at both the hot corner and in center field.

Time will tell how this experiment will go.

Schedule