4 upcoming KC Royals free agents who have been good but don't need to be re-signed

With plenty of baseball still ahead, the stakes are higher than ever for the KC Royals. Right now, every personnel choice holds more weight—each trade, free-agent signing, and internal promotion could be the key to clinching a postseason spot. As the Royals set their sights on October, every move matters in the drive to return to playoff baseball.

The Royals moved decisively at the trade deadline, but especially before September began. Their last-minute acquisitions of Tommy Pham, Robbie Grossman, and Yuli Gurriel have positioned them as one of the most improved teams post-trade deadline. Royals general manager J.J. Picollo and Kansas City's front office have had more hits than misses on their player additions in the past calendar year. However, that doesn't mean every player should return for Opening Day 2025.

There are months of hot stove rumors and eye-popping contracts ahead, but the Royals have some tough decisions to make. Here are four current players whose time in Kansas City should end when their contracts expire.

Robbie Grossman with the KC Royals is a short-term solution

Grossman was a solid waiver addition before August ended, but there's little indication he'll have a role in 2025 or beyond. In limited opportunities with his new team, he's slashing .333/.500/.333. The California native isn’t known for hitting home runs, but he consistently puts the ball in play and draws plenty of walks. In short, he keeps the line moving.

Grossman can be a valuable bat further down the lineup, but with a healthy Vinnie Pasquantino or another bat-first addition next year, his role starts to feel redundant. He’s a short-term solution for the postseason push, not a long-term answer for 2025.

Will Smith's second KC Royals stint has been forgettable

If there's a no-brainer addition to this list, it has to be veteran reliever Will Smith. When Kansas City brought him back, his projected role as the team’s closer put him squarely in the spotlight. However, consistent early-season struggles quickly pushed him out of that role. The Royals turned to other options while Smith searched for his footing in the bullpen.

Eventually, Smith settled into a middle-innings role, keeping the Royals in games long enough for the closer of the moment to take over. While he had a solid run in that position, he was far from flawless. He posted an impressive 0.96 ERA in June over 10 games and carried that momentum into July. His rebound in this role even had some fans calling for him to be tested in higher-leverage situations to see if the 35-year-old lefty would sink or swim.

Unfortunately, Smith's performance in August took a nosedive. Following his Aug. 25 outing against the Philadelphia Phillies, Kansas City placed him on the 15-day IL with lower back spasms. Whether Royals fans will see him again this season remains uncertain, but the Royals might be better off without him.

While Smith's career since leaving Kansas City in 2013 has been impressive, with World Series rings to show for it, his return to the Royals has been nothing short of a disaster. Every bullpen needs low-leverage arms, but Smith may not even be fit for that role in 2025. That’s a gamble the Royals can’t afford to take next season.

The KC Royals-Garrett Hampson pairing should be short lived

The Royals needed more veteran reinforcements this offseason, rather than relying solely on internal improvement. That seemed to be the rationale behind Picollo’s decision to sign utilityman Garrett Hampson. His one-year deal wasn’t a major financial commitment, but it was puzzling then—and remains so as the season winds down.

The Long Beach State product had a career year with the Miami Marlins in 2023, posting a .729 OPS over 98 games. The hope was that the 29-year-old had turned a corner after several quiet years with the Colorado Rockies. However, Hampson has largely regressed at the plate. Whether it’s his high strikeout rate or a career-low ISO for a contact-first player, there hasn’t been much to celebrate from his bat.

Yet, for every defensive misplay or TOOTBLAN, there are still moments that remind us Hampson has contributed to Kansas City’s wins this season.

Hampson does provide manager Matt Quatraro with a versatile right-handed bat, capable of playing nearly any position. As of Sept. 7, he’s appeared at every position except catcher. However, many of those appearances have come after pinch-hitting, where he’s struggled significantly, slashing just .100/.182/.150 with a -8 wRC+—yes, negative.

While there isn’t a clear, surefire upgrade over Hampson within the Royals' organization for 2025, the combination of internal options and a deeper free-agent market suggests Kansas City can find an improvement. Hampson’s glove and baserunning are assets, but his bat and occasional mistakes make it unlikely that fans will be advocating for his return next season.

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