3 KC Royals who shouldn't be on the roster after Winter Meetings

Plenty of holes remain on the KC Royals roster ahead of the 2023 Winter Meetings, and this team has not addressed any glaring problems. The bullpen and rotation for 2024 remain shaky at best, and the biggest free-agent grab to date is utilityman Garrett Hampson. However, there are some signs of hope, according to MLB.com's Anne Rogers.

"And as baseball’s annual Winter Meetings approach next week in Nashville, the pitching market is starting to move," Rogers wrote. "Per sources, the Royals have been in on a few pitchers who have signed already with other teams and Kansas City remains in touch with several on the market who fit its profile."

The KC Royals need to complete moves to improve the 2024 roster.

There are various degrees to which Kansas City could be "in on" free-agent players, but hopefully, the Royals were more forward-leaning. They already surprised fans by trading former first-round pick Jackson Kowar for the injured Kyle Wright. The Royals need to make an impactful move in building the 2024 roster. The best way to do that on a budget is on the trade market.

There are plenty of players the Royals need to be shopping to other teams. Whether it is capitalizing on a player's peak value or changing personnel with the team's new approaches, trading with other teams has more pros than cons. The numbers show another terrible season for the Royals if the team stands pat, returning their 2023 roster next season. That cannot happen, for the fanbase's sake or for the star players on this team.

If Kansas City is serious about being more transactional and improving, they have players to move on from. Outfielder MJ Melendez is a prime candidate for a change of scenery, looking at his offensive profile and struggles in the outfield. But he is hardly the only player who should be playing for a different team come Opening Day 2024.