Royals' solution to outfield problem could be underrated veteran Red Sox free agent

As the hot stove gets prepped to boil, the MLB offseason rumor mill is beggininng to churn out some headlines.

The Kansas City Royals have already been part of some early reports after being linked to Alex Bregman, as the Red Sox's star third baseman is set to opt out of his contract this offseason.

While Bregman would certainly help uplift this offense in major way, there's another impending Red Sox free agent that seems like a more realistic Royals target who addresses a more desperate positional need of theirs.

After apparently toying with idea of retiring in the past, corner outfielder Rob Refsnyder reportedly has full intentions of playing in 2026, according to Alex Speier of the Boston Globe. And he could make a lot of sense for teams with struggling outfield units looking for a budget solution - which is precisely where the Royals are at.

The Royals shouldn't look past a free agent like Rob Refsnyder this offseason

If Refsnyder's intentions are in fact to play into his age 35 season, the likliehood he'll have to do so outside of Boston seems high.

After bouncing around five separate teams in the first seven years of his career, Refsnyder found a home in Boston where he's not only resided the past fours seasons but thrived.

He became a crucial right-handed platoon bat at Fenway, posting a wRC+ no lower than 128 every year there apart form 2023.

And he's coming off yet another productive season, where posted .269/.354/.484 slash line with nine homers, 30 RBI and a 128 wRC+.

But with Roman Anthony, Jarren Duran, Ceddanne Rafaela and Wilyer Abreu firmly in the mix already,
the Red Sox will need to make a cut or two. And those four are undoubtedly ahead of Refsnyder in the pecking order, making him the prime candidate to be on the chopping block as an impending UFA.

Refsnyder on his own is a major contrast to what the Royals overall outfield looked like in 2024, where they ranked dead-last in MLB in outfield wRC+ with 73. But then when you consider his profile as a right-handed corner outfielder bat, the fit makes all the more sense.

The only two seemingly strong options to occupy an outfield spot in 2026 at the moment, Kyle Isbel and Jac Caglianone, are both left-handed hitters and other depth options like John Rave also hit from the left side.

The Royals have also showed their hand in desiring that right-handed platoon style bat in the outfield after dealing for Randal Grichuk at the trade deadline last season. Refsnyder would not only take his role in 2026, but would be a clear cut upgrade over his veteran counterpart in Grichuk, who's 56 wRC+ showing in Kansas City can only be described as disappointing.

He'd be cost effective and a clear upgrade over the player they had occupying a role in an area of need.

Whether or not the Royals want to go down that road of signing a veteran outfielder in his mid-to-late 30s again after the brutal 2025 they had with not only Grichuk, but Mark Canha and Hunter Renfroe too, remains to be seen. But there's no denying that Refsnyder would check a lot of boxes of they decide to do so.