Royals lose OF who couldn't build on 2023 peak in Starling Marte corresponding move

The Kansas City Royals finally made their long-awaited outfield addition, officially signing former All-Star Starling Marte on Monday.

It is a low-risk deal financially, giving Marte the chance to earn incentives by staying healthy and producing. But when a full 40-man roster gains a player, someone else has to go.

That player was speedster Dairon Blanco, who was designated for assignment on Monday to clear room for Marte.

Dairon Blanco's time on the Royals' 40-man roster comes to a quiet end

Blanco, originally acquired in a trade with the Athletics, carved out a valuable niche under manager Matt Quatraro as a late-inning weapon. In 2024, he set a franchise record with 21 stolen bases as a pinch runner. His speed changed games, often without him ever picking up a bat.

Still, availability matters. Blanco’s limited role in 2025 felt like the writing on the wall.

After making his first Opening Day roster last season, Blanco landed on the injured list on March 31 with right Achilles tendinopathy.

He did not return until mid-May, and by then, utilityman Tyler Tolbert had stepped into the primary pinch-running role.

Blanco performed well in 77 games at Triple-A Omaha, swiping 32 bases and posting a .253/.332/.405 slash line, but he appeared in only nine MLB games. It was not the season he envisioned, nor what the Royals likely planned.

His 2024 campaign, however, was memorable. Blanco played in a career-high 88 games and delivered one of the most electric performances of the season during MLB Players’ Weekend. In what became known as the “Yellow Crayon Game” on Aug. 17 against the Cincinnati Reds, Blanco drove in seven runs, the second-most ever by a Royals batter in a single game. He hit his first career grand slam and helped power Kansas City to a win. He also stole 31 bases that season, mostly as a pinch runner, ranking eighth in the American League.

Blanco even made a postseason appearance, doing what he does best: entering late and swiping second.

The Royals’ 2024 season looks different without Blanco’s speed. But it is also fair to remember that 2023 was his first real opportunity as a big-league regular and he delivered. In 124 at-bats, he posted a career-best .776 OPS and 109 wRC+, stole 24 bases, and finished with 71 total steals across all levels.

That earned him the 2023 Willie Wilson Award as the organization’s top baserunner. On a losing 2023 club, Blanco’s aggression and efficiency on the bases were genuine bright spots.

Ultimately, though, his role narrowed.

Marte’s arrival not only fills an outfield need but also clarifies Tolbert’s place in the organization. The Alabama native debuted in 2025 and quickly led the league in pinch-running stolen bases. Unlike Blanco, Tolbert brings defensive versatility, capable of moving between infield and outfield spots. In today’s roster construction, that flexibility carries weight.

Blanco and Tolbert shared a similar ceiling in Kansas City. The difference was control and cost. Tolbert is younger, cheaper, and under team control longer.