Trade with Diamondbacks could be the solution to KC Royals' offensive woes

With big plans to back up their 2024 comeback year with an even deeper playoff campaign next season, the Kansas City Royals know that acquiring a reliable leadoff hitter needs to be a top priority this winter. On November 12, MLB.com's Anne Rogers threw an unexpected name into the mix as a potential trade target for the Royals, listing the Arizona Diamondbacks' Jake McCarthy as a "leadoff option" for the team to consider.

"It'd be interesting to see what the D-backs' price would be for the 27-year-old McCarthy, who is not a free agent until 2029," Rogers wrote. "But as a young player on the rise, he fits the Royals' mold... he gets on base and could be a move for now and the future."

So, could McCarthy be exactly what the Royals need to elevate their batting lineup in 2025?

Jake McCarthy could add much-needed power to the KC Royals' lineup

The Royals started the 2024 season with Maikel Garcia as their leadoff hitter, but by the end of the regular season, Adam Frazier, Michael Massey, and Tommy Pham had all been trialled in the role. None of the four contenders impressed even close to enough to earn the permanent spot, and at the team's end-of-season press conference last month, general manager J.J. Picollo told reporters that acquiring a reliable hitter to lead the lineup was a top priority this winter.

“That leadoff spot, we were circulating guys all year long, trying to find the right person,” Picollo said. “...that’s one [spot] that stands out when you evaluate our lineup.”

This season, McCarthy posted a .285/.349/.400 line with 8 home runs, 56 RBI, and 25 stolen bases in 442 at-bats (142 games) with the Diamondbacks. In addition to his power at the plate, McCarthy's 30.1 feet/second sprint speed was the fastest of all major league right fielders, and he ranked in the 90th percentile for Outs Above Average (OAA) with a score of 6.

Despite his stats, McCarthy isn't guaranteed to have playing time in Arizona next season. The Diamondbacks already have three outfielders on their roster — Corbin Carroll, Lourdes Gurriel Jr., and Alek Thomas — and while that puts McCarthy in a tough spot, but it's also exactly the reason the team could make him available for trade.

As for the Royals? Well, it's hardly a secret that their outfield's offensive output could desperately use a boost.

In 2024, Kansas City rotated MJ Melendez, Kyle Isbel, Tommy Pham, Hunter Renfroe, and Garrett Hampson in the outfield, and offensively, the group left a lot to be desired. Each of the five Royals outfielders ended the season with an OPS under .700, and Hampson's underwhelming .230 batting average was somehow the best posted among them.

McCarthy would add some much-needed pop to the Royals' outfield's offense, slotting in front of Kansas City stars Bobby Witt Jr., Vinnie Pasquantino, and Salvador Pérez as a reliable leadoff hitter. The fact that he's under club control through 2029 — and therefore almost certainly a lot cheaper than any slugger the Royals would sign out of free agency — is just an incredibly appreciated bonus.